Helicopter formation SOP

[ales]

Hello.

I have a request, especially for military helicopter pilots. I need some example of SOP (standard operating procedures) for helicopter formation flying. If anyone of you have any suggestion I would be thankful.

 

Ales

[Gomer Pylot]

In general, stay above the ship in front, to stay out of turbulence from rotor wash. Keep it in close, but not too close. One to two rotor diameters is about right, IIRC. Back in the days before NVGs were invented we flew night formation flights with no external lights, using the instrument lights of the ship we were flying formation on for reference. The entire formation landed on one pathfinder with a single strobe. That's about all I can remember, and I'm probably lucky to remember that much.

[palmfish]

Hello.

I have a request, especially for military helicopter pilots. I need some example of SOP (standard operating procedures) for helicopter formation flying. If anyone of you have any suggestion I would be thankful.

 

Ales

 

Well, it's not an SOP, but this is from the UH-1 Aircrew Training Manual (ATM):

 

TASK 2010 PERFORM MULTI-AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS

CONDITIONS: In an UH-1 helicopter and given a unit standing operating procedure (SOP).

STANDARDS:

1. Participate in a formation flight briefing in accordance with unit SOP and the mandatory

items per the multi-aircraft operations briefing checklist.

2. Perform formation flight and techniques of movement as briefed.

3. React to loss of visual contact in accordance with the unit SOP.

DESCRIPTION:

1. Crew actions.

a. The pilot on the controls (P*) will focus primarily outside the aircraft, maintaining

contact with the other aircraft in the formation. The P* will announce any maneuver or

movement before execution and inform the pilot not on the controls (P) if visual contact is

lost with other aircraft. If visual contact is lost with other the aircraft, the crew will

immediately notify the flight and begin reorientation procedures. If instrument meteorological

conditions (IMC) are encountered execute IIMC breakup as briefed.

b. The P will provide adequate warning of traffic or obstacles detected in the flight path

and/or identified on the map. The P will assist in maintaining aircraft separation. They will

inform the P* if visual contact is lost with other the aircraft, and if threat elements are

detected or sighted. The P will perform duties as briefed and will notify the P* when attention

is focused inside the aircraft. The P should frequently assist the P* by communicating his

situational awareness perceptions and formation / multiship observations. Additionally the P

should assist the P* by monitoring aircraft systems, operating the navigation system, and by

scanning the air route for possible enemy activity or other hazards and obstacles that could

impact the integrity and security of the flight.

Note: When an aircraft has lost visual contact with the flight, immediately notify the flight

and execute reorientation procedures. Except for enemy contact, all mission requirements are

subordinate to this action.

2. Procedures. Maneuver into the flight formation, changing position as required. Maintain

horizontal and vertical separation for the type of formation being flown. If the tactical situation

requires, perform techniques of movement as briefed. The following procedures will be

performed unless otherwise established in unit SOPs.

a. Takeoff: All helicopters should leave the ground simultaneously. The trailing aircraft

must remain at a level altitude or stack up 1 to 10 ft vertically to remain out of the disturbed

air of the aircraft in front of them. In the event an aircraft in the flight loses visual contact

with the formation, The aircrew will immediately make a radio call to the formation and the

P* will initiate a climb above the briefed cruise altitude and attempt reorientation of the

formation.

b. Cruise: Free cruise formation should be employed when operating at terrain flight

altitudes or in a combat environment. This will allow the individual aircraft more flexibility

to move within the formation, avoiding terrain, obstacles, and enemy threat. During periods of degraded visibility, crews are more susceptible to losing other aircraft in the formation.

Crews should consider flying a close formation to maintain orientation on the flight. In the

event an aircraft in the flight loses visual contact with the aircraft they are following, they

will immediately make a radio call to lead. Lead will announce heading, altitude, and

airspeed. Lead must maintain this heading, altitude, and airspeed until all aircraft have

rejoined the flight. The aircraft that has lost visual contact with the flight will immediately

assume the flights heading and airspeed in order to maintain horizontal separation as briefed.

If enemy and terrain allow, the aircraft that has lost visual contact will also maintain vertical

separation by initiating a climb to a briefed altitude. When a flight becomes separated,

immediate altitude separation is a quick and efficient way to prevent an accident. Unit SOPs

must state the procedures for reestablishing contact with the flight. Considerations should

include but are not limited to rallying to an inflight link-up, rallying to a known point, use of

covert/overt lighting, and ground rally. Mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and

support available, time available, civil considerations (METT-TC), power available, and

ambient light will influence how contact is reestablished. When a flight rallies to a known

point, the point may be an Air Check Point ACP along the route, a position sent by lead, or a

terrain feature. Situations may occur when an aircraft rejoins the flight in a position other

than the position briefed. Mission commanders should use altitude, a Way Point/Target

(WPT/TGT), cardinal direction, or other method (manmade or natural features) to maintain

separation. Only after the entire flight is formed should the mission commander proceed with

the mission.

c. Approach: The lead aircraft must maintain a constant approach angle so other aircraft in

the formation will not have to execute excessively steep, shallow, or slow approaches.

Aircraft should not descend below the aircraft ahead of them in the formation and enter their

rotor-wash. This could result in an over-torque, loss of aircraft control, or entering a settling

with power condition. In the event an aircraft in the flight loses visual contact with the

formation, the aircrew will immediately make a radio call to the formation and execute a goaround

in the briefed direction.

d. Aircrew Briefing: All multi-aircraft operations will be briefed using a unit approved

multi-aircraft/mission briefing checklist. Table 4-1 lists mandatory briefing items that must be

included in all multi-aircraft briefings.

Table 4-1. Multi-aircraft operations briefing checklist (mandatory items)

1. Formation type(s): Takeoff, Cruise, Approach

2. Altitude

3. Airspeed: Outbound to Start Point (SP), Cruise, Inbound from Release Point (RP)

4. Aircraft lighting

5. Loss communications procedures

6. Lead change procedures

7. Loss of visual contact/in-flight link-up / Rally points

8. Actions on contact

9. IIMC procedures

10. Downed aircraft procedures / Personnel Recovery / Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR)

NIGHT OR NIGHT VISION DEVICE (NVD) CONSIDERATIONS: Increase the interval between

aircraft to a minimum of three to five rotor disks. Keep changes in the formation to a minimum. All

crewmembers must avoid fixation by using proper scanning techniques.

1. Night. During unaided night flight, the crew should use formation and position lights to aid in

maintaining the aircraft's position in the formation. Lighting will be in accordance with AR 95-1

and unit SOP.

2. NVG. When conducting NVG formation flight, the crew should use the formation lights and

if equipped the infrared (IR) anti-collision and position lights to maintain the aircraft's position in

the formation.

TRAINING AND EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Training will be conducted in the aircraft.

2. Evaluation will be conducted in the aircraft.

[ales]

Thanks for help, but the point is, that I want to write an SOP (Im an IP). I dont want to discover already discovered, so I was looking for SOP template or something like that ( just to adjust it for our environment and procedures).

 

Ales

 

btw. Gomer, I cant imagine how it was to fly night formation with instrument lights. Probably you are lucky to remeber that.