Formations Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Victor Romeo Formation

Dice Formations

Bovenaanzicht van de Carré Formation — Carré Formation

Bovenaanzicht van de Dice Formation — Dice Formation

Bovenaanzicht van de Dice Six Formation — Dice Six

The Victor Romeo Formation performs three different formations based on dice: the Carré Formation, the Dice Formation, and the Dice Six.

Out of these three, the Carré Formation and the Dice Six are the most difficult to fly, because these comprise several rows of airplanes flying Line Abreast. As there is only about one meter of air between the wingtips, there’s not much space for movement (or mistakes). As an extra challenge, the second and third row must keep not only the distance between the plane next to them neatly at one meter but also have to watch the distance to the leader or the row before.

The Dice Formation (five aircraft) is a bit less complicated. The two planes in front are flying Line Abreast but with more distance between the wingtips to allow the one in the middle just behind some space.

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T-Formation

The T-Formation creates a T-shape. It can be flown with three, four, five, or six aircraft. However, there is a significant difference between a T-Formation with three aircraft and a T-Formation with more than three aircraft, as you can see on the two schematics above.

With three planes, the leader will fly either front-right or front-left. To tell the other two pilots which side he wants them on, he will call “Left-hand T-Formation” or “Right-hand T-Formation” over the radio. When flying with more than three aircraft, the leader will always fly in the middle. He will then simply call “T-Formation” without a left-right indication.

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Line Abreast

In Line Abreast all airplanes fly wingtip to wingtip, with only about one meter in between each wingtip. This formation may look quite simple but it is notoriously difficult to fly, especially when flying turns. The outmost aircraft needs to fly a lot faster than the leader and the inmost aircraft needs to fly a lot slower.

This poses a challenge, because the outmost airplane may lack the power to keep up. The inmost aircraft may fly only a few knots above its stall speed. Therefore, the leader needs to monitor his speed very carefully as not to fly too fast or too slow.

Finally, from the perspective of the audience, small differences in the distances between the wingtips are easy to see. The pilots have to not only monitor the leader, but also the planes next to them (when they are not flying directly next to the leader) to maintain the correct altitude, position, and distance to one another.

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Line Astern

Line Astern is a formation where all planes fly directly behind one another. You need at least two planes for this, but the maneuver is more impressive with more planes (imagine six or seven!)

Zijaanzicht van vliegtuigen die achter elkaar vliegen — Side view

In this formation, the planes all fly at slightly different altitudes. In fact, these planes cannot fly behind each other at the same altitude because they would end up in the propwash of the plane directly in front. Propwash is air disrupted by a turning propeller, it can render the plane behind it uncontrollable.

Line Astern in a left turn, as seen from the ground

Line Astern, as seen from number four who hasn’t yet joined the formation

You can see the respective differences in altitude well on both pictures above. An additional advantage is that you can see the planes very well, yet you can still see how close they are to each other.

Ready to enjoy something spectacular? Watch a relatively-old-but-recently-edited video of the Victor Romeo Formation in Line Astern, seen from the fourth plane in line.

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Oscar Formation

For the Oscar Formation, you need six planes and as one would expect, this forms a letter O. To create the Oscar Formation, the team starts with Double Vic. The number four (flying directly behind the leader) will slow down to fly behind the numbers five and six.

In this formation, the first three airplanes fly at the same altitude. The second set of three flies a bit lower to make sure they don’t fly into the number one, two and three’s propwash.

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Vic Formation

Vic Formation comprises three, five, or six aircraft. When flown with three or five airplanes, they create a single V-shape.

In Vic, all planes that belong to one V-shape fly at the same altitude. Those ‘on the wings’ use their leaders’ horizontal stabilizer as a reference point, keeping their own wings on about the same line as the stabilizer they are looking at.

When flying the Vic Formation with six aircraft, it is no longer possible to create a symmetrical V-shape. In this case, the formation is split into two smaller V-shapes both consisting of three aircraft (see the top right schematic).

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Echelon

The Echelon position is the basis of many different formations. All airplanes fly at the same level, one plane’s wing at 1.5 meters from another plane’s horizontal stabiliser.

A special part of the Echelon position is the Echelon turn. In a normal formation turn, the outmost airplane flies highest and the innermost airplane lowest. Echelon turns are different: all planes at the exact same moment and remain at the same altitude. You can see how on the rightmost photo below!

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Finger Four Formation

The Finger Four Formation is based on the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger of a hand. Its basis is a Vic Formation with the number four joining the wing of the number two (left-hand) or the number three (right-hand).

All planes fly on the same level in the Finger Four Formation, much like the traditional Vic Formation. Each plane’s wing is about next to another plane’s horizontal stabilizer.

The Finger Four Formation can be flown either on the left side or on the right side. Because of this, the leader or number one must call either a “Left-hand Finger Four Formation” or a “Right-hand Finger Four Formation”. This way, the pilots are clear on where to go.

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Box Formation

The Box Formation is one of the most frequently flown formations. It is also used during a formation take-off with four aircraft. Here, the first three aircraft take off in Vic and number four will take off alone. Number four will join the first three in the air by flying behind the number one. He is then flying in the “box” created by the first three aircraft.

In a formation of six aircraft the take-off procedure is different. They will start in two groups of three, two Vics. The second formation – in this case called the Blue Section – will join the first section (Red Section) in the air. When the Blue Section is approaching the Red Section, the Blue Section’s leader will call “Blue Section, split” – the sign for the number two and three of the blue section to move towards the outer wings of the Red Section.

Red Section en Blue Section starten achter elkaar — Red Section and Blue Section start separately

Leader van de Blue Section geeft het commando "Blue Section, split" — “Blue Section, split”

Blue Section voegt zich bij de Red Section — Blue Section joins the Red Section

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Formations

The Victor Romeo Formation performs many different formations. One formation often used for a formation take-off or when flying from point A to point B, is the Vic Formation. The leader flies up front. The other planes follow on his wings, a little behind.

Click on the images for more information and photos!