Stu McCurdy
Well Known Member
I am just relocating this previously posted discussion/credits message to Formation section for ease of future use/search.
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RV Formation at AirVenture08
This year, rather than set a specific goal like last years 35, I just asked for volunteers. Twenty (20) FFI formation pilots signed up and showed up at Rock Falls IL (SQI) where we practiced Sat and Sun and then took it to Oshkosh. We had a Mass Arrival reservation this year, so we conducted an arrival flyby and then split up for 4-ship landings. I coordinated for our performances on Tues and Wed at 1130-1200 overhead the pattern and AirVenture grounds. We entered from over the lake with a Criss-Cross maneuver, which Kahuna hit perfectly, then entered the Figure 8 over AirVenture for four more passes changing the shapes on the turn around for each pass. Using photos from each day's practice and performance we tried to perfect successive day's performances. From favorable comments from the Warbird community and others, I guess we did okay.
http://news.cnet.com/2300-11397_3-62...tag=ne.gall.pg
Accolades should go to the individual flight leaders and wingmen who practiced during the year to maintain proficiency, then arrived at SQI ready to blend with other formation pilots from around the country to perfect the skills and exercise the utmost discipline and concentration. Here's the line up:
Alpha Flight
1 Stu "Falcon" McCurdy, Falcon Flight, Round Rock, TX
2 Bill "Gunnbody" Gunn, Falcon Flight, Austin, TX
3 Lowell "Pfantom" LeMay, Falcon Flight, Round Rock, TX
4 Roy "Jarhead" Geer, Falcon Flight, Ft Worth, TX
Bravo Flight
1 Bill "Pappy" Turner, Blackhawks, Marengo, IL
2 Don "Taco" Pfeiffer, Blackhawks, Poplar Grove, IL
3 Gary "Condor" Sobek, SoCal Wing, Manhatten Beach, CA
4 Randy "Slacker" Lervold, Home Wing, Camas, WA
Charlie Flight
1 Ron "Smokey" Schreck, Palmetto Flight, Gold Hill, NC
2 Tad "Stripes" Sargent, Palmetto Flight, Davidson, NC
3 Danny "Speedy" Kight, Team RV, Anderson, SC
4 Ken "Lurch" Harrill, Palmetto Flight, Columbia, SC
Delta Flight
1 Mike "Kahuna" Stewart, Team RV, Cumming GA
2 Len "Leggs" Leggette, Palmetto Flight, Greensboro, NC
3 Jerry "Widget" Morris, Team RV, Dahlonega, GA
4 James "Chatterbox" Clark, Palmetto Flight, Columbia, SC
Echo Flight
1 Gregg "Wizz" Wilson, Cincy River Rats, Batavia, OH
2 Bud "Joker" Newhouse, Cincy River Rats, Cincinnati, OH
3 Greg "Greese" Reese, Cincy River Rats, Alexandria, KY
4 Ron "Giggles" Gieleghem, Cincy River Rats, Glendale, OH
Thanks to the team for dedication, discipline, skillfulness exhibited at both practice and overhead AirVenture. Good show.
Thanks also to Jeff "Friday" Point who made our taxi/parking work like a charm.
Thanks also to Lynn Turner who took care of food, drink, and transportation needs while we practiced at Rock Falls.
And thanks to M&M Aviation at SQI for hosting us, providing briefing areas and equipment, and fueling.
__________________
Stu McCurdy (Falcon)
RV-8, 78TX, Flying
Formation Flying, Inc (FFI)
Falcon Flight
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RV Formation at AirVenture08
This year, rather than set a specific goal like last years 35, I just asked for volunteers. Twenty (20) FFI formation pilots signed up and showed up at Rock Falls IL (SQI) where we practiced Sat and Sun and then took it to Oshkosh. We had a Mass Arrival reservation this year, so we conducted an arrival flyby and then split up for 4-ship landings. I coordinated for our performances on Tues and Wed at 1130-1200 overhead the pattern and AirVenture grounds. We entered from over the lake with a Criss-Cross maneuver, which Kahuna hit perfectly, then entered the Figure 8 over AirVenture for four more passes changing the shapes on the turn around for each pass. Using photos from each day's practice and performance we tried to perfect successive day's performances. From favorable comments from the Warbird community and others, I guess we did okay.
http://news.cnet.com/2300-11397_3-62...tag=ne.gall.pg
Accolades should go to the individual flight leaders and wingmen who practiced during the year to maintain proficiency, then arrived at SQI ready to blend with other formation pilots from around the country to perfect the skills and exercise the utmost discipline and concentration. Here's the line up:
Alpha Flight
1 Stu "Falcon" McCurdy, Falcon Flight, Round Rock, TX
2 Bill "Gunnbody" Gunn, Falcon Flight, Austin, TX
3 Lowell "Pfantom" LeMay, Falcon Flight, Round Rock, TX
4 Roy "Jarhead" Geer, Falcon Flight, Ft Worth, TX
Bravo Flight
1 Bill "Pappy" Turner, Blackhawks, Marengo, IL
2 Don "Taco" Pfeiffer, Blackhawks, Poplar Grove, IL
3 Gary "Condor" Sobek, SoCal Wing, Manhatten Beach, CA
4 Randy "Slacker" Lervold, Home Wing, Camas, WA
Charlie Flight
1 Ron "Smokey" Schreck, Palmetto Flight, Gold Hill, NC
2 Tad "Stripes" Sargent, Palmetto Flight, Davidson, NC
3 Danny "Speedy" Kight, Team RV, Anderson, SC
4 Ken "Lurch" Harrill, Palmetto Flight, Columbia, SC
Delta Flight
1 Mike "Kahuna" Stewart, Team RV, Cumming GA
2 Len "Leggs" Leggette, Palmetto Flight, Greensboro, NC
3 Jerry "Widget" Morris, Team RV, Dahlonega, GA
4 James "Chatterbox" Clark, Palmetto Flight, Columbia, SC
Echo Flight
1 Gregg "Wizz" Wilson, Cincy River Rats, Batavia, OH
2 Bud "Joker" Newhouse, Cincy River Rats, Cincinnati, OH
3 Greg "Greese" Reese, Cincy River Rats, Alexandria, KY
4 Ron "Giggles" Gieleghem, Cincy River Rats, Glendale, OH
Thanks to the team for dedication, discipline, skillfulness exhibited at both practice and overhead AirVenture. Good show.
Thanks also to Jeff "Friday" Point who made our taxi/parking work like a charm.
Thanks also to Lynn Turner who took care of food, drink, and transportation needs while we practiced at Rock Falls.
And thanks to M&M Aviation at SQI for hosting us, providing briefing areas and equipment, and fueling.
__________________
Stu McCurdy (Falcon)
RV-8, 78TX, Flying
Formation Flying, Inc (FFI)
Falcon Flight
