Formation Flights

ZBWPL Newcomer

Hi everyone,

How exactly would ATC handle a formation flight and also the phraseology for it? I can?t seem to find any ?examples? in the .65.


Thanks,

-PL

whegner Junior Member

This is a freebie because I'm bored and not in the room with you with my hand forcing your head into the wall like your little smileycon or whatever the hell you call those things above.

Do yourself a favor and download a copy of the 7110 in PDF format. Adobe reader has a 'Search' function. Took about 5 seconds to find everything below...

2-1-13. FORMATION FLIGHTS
a. Control formation flights as a single aircraft.
When individual control is requested, issue advisory
information which will assist the pilots in attaining
separation. When pilot reports indicate separation has
been established, issue control instructions as
required.
NOTE-
1. Separation responsibility between aircraft within the
formation during transition to individual control rests with
the pilots concerned until standard separation has been
attained.
2. Formation join‐up and breakaway will be conducted in
VFR weather conditions unless prior authorization has
been obtained from ATC or individual control has been
approved.
REFERENCEFAAO
JO 7110.65, Para5-5-8, Additional Separation for Formation
Flights.
P/CG Term- Formation Flight.
b. Military and civil formation flights in RVSM
airspace.
1. Utilize RVSM separation standards for a
formation flight, which consists of all RVSM
approved aircraft.
2. Utilize non-RVSM separation standards for
a formation flight above FL 290, which does not
consist of all RVSM approved aircraft.
3. If aircraft are requesting to form a formation
flight to FL 290 or above, the controller who issues
the clearance creating the formation flight is
responsible for ensuring that the proper equipment
suffix is entered for the lead aircraft.
4. If the flight departs as a formation, and is
requesting FL 290 or above, the first center sector
shall ensure that the proper equipment suffix is
entered.
5. If the formation flight is below FL 290 and
later requests FL 290 or above, the controller
receiving the RVSM altitude request shall ensure the
proper equipment suffix is entered.

6. Upon break-up of the formation flight, the
controller initiating the break-up shall ensure that all
aircraft or flights are assigned their proper equipment
suffix.

5-5-8. ADDITIONAL SEPARATION FOR
FORMATION FLIGHTS
Because of the distance allowed between formation
aircraft and lead aircraft, additional separation is
necessary to ensure the periphery of the formation is
adequately separated from other aircraft, adjacent
airspace, or obstructions. Provide supplemental
separation for formation flights as follows:
a. Separate a standard formation flight by adding
1 mile to the appropriate radar separation minima.
REFERENCEFAAO
JO 7110.65, Para 2-1-13, Formation Flights

FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 5-5-1, Application.
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 7-7-3, Separation.
P/CG Term- Formation Flight.
b. Separate two standard formation flights from
each other by adding 2 miles to the appropriate
separation minima.
c. Separate a nonstandard formation flight by
applying the appropriate separation minima to the
perimeter of the airspace encompassing the nonstandard
formation or from the outermost aircraft of the
nonstandard formation whichever applies.
d. If necessary for separation between a nonstandard
formation and other aircraft, assign an
appropriate beacon code to each aircraft in the
formation or to the first and last aircraft in‐trail.
NOTEThe
additional separation provided in para 5-5-8,
Additional Separation for Formation Flights, is not
normally added to wake turbulence separation when a
formation is following a heavier aircraft since none of the
formation aircraft are likely to be closer to the heavier
aircraft than the lead aircraft (to which the prescribed
wake turbulence separation has been applied).
REFERENCEFAAO
JO 7110.65, Para 9-2-12, Military Aerial Refueling

BTW, phraseology is the same as if it were a single ship however you can say "dash 1, 2," or if the give sep callsigns after breaking up in the pattern for multiple approaches (Cat 11 and Cat 12). Let's say you have two Harriers doing T&G's one on base, one on downwind and because of pattern spacing you have to break them up your phraseology might sound like this: "Cat 11 dash 2 (or Cat 12) extend downwind to follow an F18 3 miles, runway 21 right, cleared for T& G number three"

ZBWPL Newcomer

Thanks for your reply. Sorry I didn't really say it clearly I know that stuff, but I mean the actual phraseology some controllers use. Maybe post some examples with phraseology. I just want something to go by so I have a general idea of what to say. IE. an inflight join up / break up.

Sorry again about that.

-PL

whegner Junior Member

There really isn't a set phraseology for break up or join up other than "Approved maintain visual" or "Unable due to..." Remember, by rule splits and joins can only be done under VFR conditions (2-1-13 notes 1 & 2) and the pilots are responsible for creating/maintaining separation. If after splitting the flight they want to transition to separate IFR services then handle each a/c as you would any VFR pop up (you still need to make sure you give yourself extra spacing off other a/c until you can ID and assign code though). Once they split they revert to individual callsigns and you handle each a/c as you would a single ship.

In a tower environment they often split in the overhead or in the pattern and again handle as single ships using their individual callsign or the "dash" system I mentioned above. Basically call them what they call themselves after the split.

atcguruaf Rico Suave AZ

There's also MARSA... but you have to have an LOA for that. If your facility already has "isms" for the phraseology usage in question, go with that. By doing so, it keeps everyone on the same page.

otterstrom Trusted Member of NATCA

The FAA is trying to restrict formation flights to single engine aircraft only.

SnowAviation Senior Member Escondido, CA

I don't see that going over big, I predict the military will give the FAA a big *FINGER* on that proposal.

Wponcho Junior Member Orlando

Where did this info come from?

Roddy_Piper Resident Knucklehead Vegas baby

this will never happen. even the heavies fly in formation, especially the AFMC birds. they can't stop the 4 engine (heck even 8 engine) planes from flying their formations.

this is either a bad rumor or a dead end road on the FAA's part.

klkm Senior Member

We typically use if there are just 2-3 in the formation flight for breakups just "report vertically separated in the block" get reports from both pilots of their altitude, tell them to maintain that altitude and MARSA is terminated. For more then 4 aircraft we will usually suggest headings of 20 degrees offset for each aircraft so they fan out, we usually use this method if they are coming in for approach and want to go single ship prior to going to the tower.

For join up, I keep them separated until they request otherwise. Typically they will say so and so is accepting MARSA with so and so at this time. And I clear them into the block.

As for phraseology there isn't all that much laid out for specific phraseology for formation flights, I just keep in mind that these pilots do this all the time, along with a lot of them flying airlines for a living, so they know what to expect and will usually set you up with what you need. I just make sure I do not say MARSA is terminated until I am comfortable that they will stay apart.