"What a great week of formation flying and visiting.
Falcon Flight of 6 (Stu McCurdy, Lowell Lemay, Seth Hancock, Roy Geer, Rusty Williams, and Sam Butler) departed Central Texas and headed out to LOE6 at Santa Teresa (5T6) on 13 Oct. After a couple 6-ship arrival formation passes, we met with other formation pilots from Albuquerque (Dave Mattison), Casa Grande (Brad Sharp), and SoCal (Paul Rosales, Dan Checkoway). After socializing on Friday, we built a 10-ship formation and flew four large formation passes and a pitchout between the rain showers on Saturday morning. After lunch, Falcon Flight, with Sharpie and Rosie from SoCal, conducted a 6-ship maneuvering routine, again between rain showers. Great banquet and socializing Saturday night in the outstanding War Eagles Air Museum with a beautiful sunset. And they told me I had the winning raffle ticket when I bought it??? After the storm with small hail pellets (no damage) Sunday morning, we were off.
Most Falcon Flight participants headed East toward home and had their challenges with weather getting there. All had to land short of their home bases and come back on Monday to fly their birds home.
I visited with Brad Sharp (Dagger) at Casa Grande for a couple days, and then headed out to Redlands (L12) to look up a few friends who were there when I was stationed at Norton AFB and lived in Redlands. Good visit with old friends.
I then flew up to Rosamond (L00) to see Rosie and Victoria's place and stay overnight. What a great palace he has in a great residential airport setting. Thanks Rosie and Victoria.
Then I flew over to Apple Valley (APV) Thursday morning to fly a standardization flight and an evaluation. By that time planes and pilots were arriving for the Southwest Formation Clinic (SWFC). Mark Manda (Bad Rivet) had brought in his "bus" and we all piled in for the ride to the motel and dinner. Next morning we did the classroom session and then flew the orientation flight and one "newbee" mission Friday afternoon. Saturday morning we flew the rest of the newbee training flights and then in the afternoon we flew continuation training for the experienced formation pilots and another evaluation flight. The newbees made excellent progress in learning formation skills, and the experienced got their warmup for Sunday large formations.
Sunday morning we briefed and flew a 12-ship large formation for those qualified with the newbee/novices in the other seats. Lots of learning and great flying all the way around. (See pictures attached) 12-ship flight pilots were: A1 Stu McCurdy (Falcon), A2 Brad Peacock (Wingnut), A3 Paul Rosales (Rosie), A4 Gary Sobek w/smoke (Condor), B1 Dan Checkoway (Sharpie), B2 Dave Klages (Hog), B3 Trish Russell (Schoolmom), B4 Mark Manda (Bad Rivet), C1 Mark Dulaney (Dula), C2 Mike Smith (KB), C3 Glenn Smith (Taz), C4 Brad Sharp (Dagger).
After lunch we headed back from whence we came. I stayed over again Sunday night with Dagger and then flew back to Texas Monday morning. Made it NON-STOP, CGZ-GTU, 733 nm, 4.6 hrs, 50 LOP, 7 gph, 8 gal remaining. Longest non-stop flight yet.
Thanks to:
Sharpie- organizing, the web site, leading and teaching, briefing.
Condor, Schoolmom/Mark, Hog- organizing, computer and formation expertise, snacks, picture taking, and smoke.
Bad Rivet- providing bus for group transport and diligently running back and forth to motel and dinners.
Flight leads (Sharpie, Condor, Dula, Schoolmom) and safety pilots (Wingnut, Dagger, KB, Bad Rivet, Taz, Rosie, Hog, Chief)- giving of your time and expertise to advance the newbees on the wonderful world of formation flying.
Congrats to Dagger, KB, Hog, and Wingnut for good flying to pass their evals for Wingman card.
Great two weekends of formation learning and flying."
Stu McCurdy (Falcon)
Falcon Flight of 6 (Stu McCurdy, Lowell Lemay, Seth Hancock, Roy Geer, Rusty Williams, and Sam Butler) departed Central Texas and headed out to LOE6 at Santa Teresa (5T6) on 13 Oct. After a couple 6-ship arrival formation passes, we met with other formation pilots from Albuquerque (Dave Mattison), Casa Grande (Brad Sharp), and SoCal (Paul Rosales, Dan Checkoway). After socializing on Friday, we built a 10-ship formation and flew four large formation passes and a pitchout between the rain showers on Saturday morning. After lunch, Falcon Flight, with Sharpie and Rosie from SoCal, conducted a 6-ship maneuvering routine, again between rain showers. Great banquet and socializing Saturday night in the outstanding War Eagles Air Museum with a beautiful sunset. And they told me I had the winning raffle ticket when I bought it??? After the storm with small hail pellets (no damage) Sunday morning, we were off.
Most Falcon Flight participants headed East toward home and had their challenges with weather getting there. All had to land short of their home bases and come back on Monday to fly their birds home.
I visited with Brad Sharp (Dagger) at Casa Grande for a couple days, and then headed out to Redlands (L12) to look up a few friends who were there when I was stationed at Norton AFB and lived in Redlands. Good visit with old friends.
I then flew up to Rosamond (L00) to see Rosie and Victoria's place and stay overnight. What a great palace he has in a great residential airport setting. Thanks Rosie and Victoria.
Then I flew over to Apple Valley (APV) Thursday morning to fly a standardization flight and an evaluation. By that time planes and pilots were arriving for the Southwest Formation Clinic (SWFC). Mark Manda (Bad Rivet) had brought in his "bus" and we all piled in for the ride to the motel and dinner. Next morning we did the classroom session and then flew the orientation flight and one "newbee" mission Friday afternoon. Saturday morning we flew the rest of the newbee training flights and then in the afternoon we flew continuation training for the experienced formation pilots and another evaluation flight. The newbees made excellent progress in learning formation skills, and the experienced got their warmup for Sunday large formations.
Sunday morning we briefed and flew a 12-ship large formation for those qualified with the newbee/novices in the other seats. Lots of learning and great flying all the way around. (See pictures attached) 12-ship flight pilots were: A1 Stu McCurdy (Falcon), A2 Brad Peacock (Wingnut), A3 Paul Rosales (Rosie), A4 Gary Sobek w/smoke (Condor), B1 Dan Checkoway (Sharpie), B2 Dave Klages (Hog), B3 Trish Russell (Schoolmom), B4 Mark Manda (Bad Rivet), C1 Mark Dulaney (Dula), C2 Mike Smith (KB), C3 Glenn Smith (Taz), C4 Brad Sharp (Dagger).
After lunch we headed back from whence we came. I stayed over again Sunday night with Dagger and then flew back to Texas Monday morning. Made it NON-STOP, CGZ-GTU, 733 nm, 4.6 hrs, 50 LOP, 7 gph, 8 gal remaining. Longest non-stop flight yet.
Thanks to:
Sharpie- organizing, the web site, leading and teaching, briefing.
Condor, Schoolmom/Mark, Hog- organizing, computer and formation expertise, snacks, picture taking, and smoke.
Bad Rivet- providing bus for group transport and diligently running back and forth to motel and dinners.
Flight leads (Sharpie, Condor, Dula, Schoolmom) and safety pilots (Wingnut, Dagger, KB, Bad Rivet, Taz, Rosie, Hog, Chief)- giving of your time and expertise to advance the newbees on the wonderful world of formation flying.
Congrats to Dagger, KB, Hog, and Wingnut for good flying to pass their evals for Wingman card.
Great two weekends of formation learning and flying."
Stu McCurdy (Falcon)
Pics:
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