Definition

Formation flight. A flight consisting of more than one aircraft which, by prior arrangement between the pilots, operates as a single aircraft with regard to navigation and position reporting, as well as clearances issued by ATC.

Source: EUROCONTROL ATM Lexicon

Description

Formation flying was born as a means of mutual support and protection in times of aerial warfare. It was quickly discovered that multiple aircraft working together achieve far greater results while also reducing risk to all formation members. Flying large numbers of aircraft in formation meant organization was necessary for safety and efficiency.

With time and experience, standards and conventions were developed for formation flying. Some of these conventions vary depending on the country of origin, the organization, or the type of flying and whether it is a routine element of day-to-day flight operations.

There are two major uses of formations these days - military flights and general aviation flights (aerobatics, recreational flying, etc.).