Pucker Time

[Dragonslayer]

http://www.wimp.com/closeflight/

[djh3]

You can sort of tell from the video where the pilot is looking. Just like riding on the bike. He is looking where he wants to go. I'm sure he is keeping tabs on the wingtip. So I wonder how much of their "practice" is now on a simulator. I know something like a 1/3 of our cargo aircraft training when I was in in the late 90's was transitioning to sims. It was a major fuel cost saver.

[ACE50]

The lead plane is watching where he's going, all the rest are watching him.

 

That's why 5 Thunderbirds drove right into the ground some years ago.

The lead plane had trouble or something, the rest of them followed him into the ground.

Tragic.

[Flyinfool]

When they are in tight formation they look at nothing but the wingtip they are following.

There was a case many years ago where the lead pilot had a medical issue and either died or passed out, the whole formation flew into the side of a mountain.