Formation Training Clinic = New Pilot?

[tcard]

Falcon Flight, led by the efforts of Bobby Lucroy and Ron Walker, put on a formation training clinic at KGYI just north of Dallas. The initial date ended up being rained out, but the backup weekend turned out okay. The weather did still force a scratch of one practice sortie, but we were able to get in some excellent training and spent some high quality time with our new trainees. Yes, the newbies never fail to invent new ways of messing up, but we keep everyone safe - that's the #1 priority. We took some newbies from the holy-cow-that's-close!!! status to clearing them to join a formation solo. We were also able to complete a couple checkrides with newly minted Leads.

Formation flying is very serious business, but that doesn't mean we don't have a great time along the way. I enjoy the laughter that seems to abound at these clinics and always walk away with new friends, this one was true to form. Everyone is there with the same goals of learning new skills, improving on other skills, and enjoying everything a clinic brings with it.

Our dinner outing Friday night had us all telling stories around the table at a local restaurant. The waitress was able to hold her own with our boisterous crew, and I asked if she wanted a ride the next morning before training started. Makenna made our 6:45 time hack, and off we went with her boyfriend to the airport. This was her first time in a small airplane, and she was thrilled when I gave her the controls. She's a natural. We talked about what it took to be a pilot, and she walked away talking to her boyfriend about maybe making that her path in life as he was doing. Our formation clinic may have encouraged a young lady to find her way to a pilot's license.



Thanks to everyone that came to the clinic and put forth every effort to make it a successful event.

[flyinhood]

That's a great story. Please make sure she gets info about Women In Aviation. They have lots of scholarships for training.

https://www.wai.org/education/scholarships

[Mike S]

Good on you Cookie

99's also offer scholarships.

[Check6]

Yes it was a very productive clinic! Thanks to you, Scoot, Dallas and Shorts!
Without Safety Pilots these clinics would not be effective at all bringing in new pilots. You are the ones that give up most of your personal flying to bring these pilots into an intense but fun environment. Safety Pilots are the ones that take these pilots who have the passion and desire to fly RV formation and truly ignite it. Falcon taught me that without good Safety Pilots and teaching Flight Leads that safe precision/professional formation flying would go away. He would be very proud that you guys took several "Red Scary" pilots to 2 ship solo, along with the hard work and attitude of the new pilots. Thanks VERY much!!!!

Congrats to Scroll and Golaith on getting their FFI Flight Lead cards. That is not an easy achievement. Falcon Flight looks forward to watching them teach and grow as Flight Leads.

[tcard]

Thanks much for the reminders. I didn't think to do so at the time, but with your nudges the info has been passed along.

Originally Posted by flyinhood

That's a great story. Please make sure she gets info about Women In Aviation. They have lots of scholarships for training.

Originally Posted by Mike S

99's also offer scholarships.

[scrollF4]

Originally Posted by Check6

Congrats to Scroll and Golaith on getting their FFI Flight Lead cards. That is not an easy achievement. Falcon Flight looks forward to watching them teach and grow as Flight Leads.

Put me in, Coach! Luke and Shorts and the rest of Falcon Flight did a fantastic job running this clinic. Great mix of pilots of all levels. Jarhead was my check pilot: Solid appraisal and expertise, a great guy to have give you your lead check...thanks Jarhead.

Congrats to Goliath (new flight lead), and all the red scaries flying in the all-up. Well done, gang.

I had a blast!

[scard]

This might look like a point instance, but the funny thing is that Tanya is always on the hunt for some unsuspecting sole to give an epic ride. In fact, I think she has instigated a number of RV sales among this crowd.

When we're "out in the world", she is always on the hunt for the next ride to give and rarely comes up short. It is amazing the people she comes up with. If we overnight somewhere, I'm no longer surprised to wake up in a hotel at 7am with a note already on the pillow beside me: "Giving a ride to ...., be back shortly after you wake up." Sometimes it closes a little different: "...close out and be at the airplane at 0700 to launch." :-(

- ramp guy
- FBO dude
- Uber driver
- Cabbie
- Waiter / Waitress
- Bar tender
- Pool Boy!!! (where is that darn emoji)
........

An RV changes life as we know it.