does anyone else have a hard time flying in formation? Between keeping an eye on the formation, looking around for enemy aircraft, speed up, slow down, checking the map, buffeted by the wind, eyes back on the formation, it's tough. I've flown around two hundred missions and I'm still having a hard time.
How do you guys do it?

Thanks for any replies.

Autopilot.

It's very difficult, read some of the books and the pilots will describe in detail what is was like. Very demanding, and of course the 'new guy' with the least skills had do all this and probably still learning to fly. Now I know some of you guys go RiR, but to me it will always be a two dimensional screen, somewhat limiting even with TrackIR. So you really have to keep involved, so match the speed, that's my problem, too fast or too slow, and if you're not flight leader don't worry about the map while you're in formation. Let him worry about getting all of you to the right place. For a break I'll go with 'Always Flight Leader' for a while, and then come back to being a scrubb and battering about in formation. Don't know what to say, keep at it I guess. S

Autopilot works too!

If you are not the flight leader, your job is to maintain your position until directed to attack. The flight leader watches for the enemy. Of course you do have the advantage of having a TAC available to watch for the enemy.

Beard

It's not just you Hayle55; flying formation in Woff is difficult. Keep practicing and you will only improve. I find the formations quite tight ... sometimes wonder if WW1 pilots flew quite that close together?.

I usually take up a position at one end of the vee and keep a safe distance. Maybe that's a bit of a cheat and I need to 'up' my skill level?

"Aids" like autopilot and TAC are great if you are a newbie learning the ropes or don't have time to fly a real-time mission, but for me the real fun starts when such things are turned off and you try to fly with only the skills and senses a real pilot could use.

Thanks for the quick replies.
I will use auto-pilot as flight leader because the mission doesn't say at what altitude to fly. After takeoff, I switch to auto until we reach altitude and start the patrol, then back to me. I don't like using aids unless, once I see planes in the distance, I use label to identify.
I didn't know that the flight leader (only?) searched for enemy AC. That's going to be a big help in flying. I can spend my time keeping formation.
Once again, thanks.

and happy flying.

Well, I wouldn't say that only the flight leader searches for the enemy. Being "Tail End Charlie" means that you are likely going to be the one to soak up the first rounds of a successful sneak attack by the enemy. As dash last, it is one of your primary duties to keep the six of the formation clear.

As for formation flying, there are four things that may help you out:

1. BRA-Bearing. Range. Altitude. This is the pecking order of formation. If you are joining on formation and can't do all three of these, do them in the above order. So for instance, if you can't keep up and have the choice of either not remaining level or falling behind, sacrifice altitude for position. You can also zoom a little in the joinup to prevent screaming past lead if you have too much closure.

2. Formation is usually based on two bearing lines, not one. Every plane is different, but let the autopilot get you in formation, and pick two references on the lead (or -2 or -3 if you are -4 or -5) and use these as checkpoints. For example, you might put the tip of the vertical stab on the wingtip of the outside wing. That will get you one reference line. Then you might see that the X formed by the inner wing flying wires neatly touches the prop hub. This will get you another. Using both you can now triangulate yourself by scanning these two reference lines.

3. Once you get into position, make small power changes. Again, when you are in formation on autopilot, look at what throttle setting your AI pilot is holding. Better yet, fly once as lead and see what throttle setting the AI holds in this position as it will be steadier. This is your reference power setting. If you don't typically use gauges or flight data, that's OK. Just get a feeling where on your throttle that power setting sits...then you can turn the data off.

This is your reference cruise power setting. If you aren't intentionally trying to do something with the power, it should be sitting here. When you do depart from this power setting, think of having a rubber band always pulling you back to your reference setting. So, if you are a little behind, put on an inch or two of power, give it a few seconds, and pull it off. Reassess. Make another correction.

The trick is to avoid feast or famine power corrections: where you are behind, shove the power up, wait to get visible closure, then go zooming past your bearing with your throttle in the bucket. This leads of course to waiting for visible opening velocity, adding power too late and falling behind again. Small, discrete corrections. If you are continually getting ahead or behind, adjust your reference setting accordingly. This will also be necessary on the climb or descent obviously.

4. Scan, scan, scan. Nothing in flying happens while you watch it. Scan your bearing. Make a (small) correction. Look over your shoulder. See what your correction has done. Repeat and scan in a different direction. This won't work of course if you jam the throttle up and stare over your shoulder for 30 seconds. You must keep your scan going and your corrections small. If you find yourself staring at anything long enough to ponder it, something is going out the window while you are doing it.

Don't know if any of that helps, but food for thought.

That's a nice write-up Deacon. It's been a problem for me as well in the few missions I've had time to fly. The acronym should be particularly helpful. I've been tyring to go full real and the mixture might be messing me up as well, because I have a hard time keeping up. Might have to back off and go auto-mixture until I get better at everything.

What a sim!