This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to perform close formation flight in fixed or rotary wing aircraft, in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and national operating standards.

It includes flying close formation, performing station changes, performing breakaway and rejoin manoeuvres, and managing abnormal and emergency situations during formation flight.

This unit addresses aviation technical skill requirements (physical, mental and task-management abilities) related to aircraft operational duties of flight crew, and contributes to safe and effective performance in complex aviation operational environments.

Operations are conducted as part of recreational, commercial and military aircraft activities across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian aviation industry.

Work is performed independently or under limited supervision within a single-pilot or multi-crew environment.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Use for Defence Aviation is to be in accordance with relevant Defence Orders, Instructions, Publications and Regulations.

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1 

Fly close formation 

1.1

Specified echelon formation stations are maintained during flight manoeuvres and phases

1.2

Specified line astern formation station is maintained during aircraft flight manoeuvres and phases

1.3

Balanced flight is maintained

1.4

Clear and concise radiotelephony phraseology or hand signals are utilised to ensure precise advice to formation lead and other formation aircraft

2 

Perform station changes 

2.1

Aircraft is manoeuvred safely to specified alternative formation stations during flight manoeuvres in accordance with briefed sequence and/or lead’s direction

2.2

Clearance with other formation aircraft is maintained

2.3

Formation lead changes are conducted as required

3 

Perform breakaway and rejoin 

3.1

Loss of contact with formation or any other requirement to break away is recognised

3.2

Break away from formation is implemented

3.3

Formation is rejoined at specified stations

4 

Manage abnormal and emergency situations 

4.1

Control of aircraft when operating within formation is maintained

4.2

Abnormal or emergency situations affecting formation performance are identified and analysed

4.3

Course/s of action to resolve abnormal or emergency situations are implemented and monitored

4.4

Task workload and flight safety priorities are organised to ensure optimum outcome of the situation

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and include:

• adapting to differences in equipment and operating environment in accordance with standard operating procedures
• applying precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate identified hazards
• applying relevant aeronautical knowledge
• communicating effectively with others
• compensating for the secondary effects of controls
• completing relevant documentation
• following relevant legislation and workplace procedures
• identifying and correctly using relevant equipment
• implementing break away from formation and rejoin at specified stations
• implementing contingency plans
• implementing work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) procedures and relevant regulations
• maintaining clearance from other formation aircraft
• maintaining station during echelon and line astern formations
• modifying activities depending on workplace contingencies, situations and environments
• monitoring and anticipating operational problems and hazards and taking appropriate action
• monitoring work activities in terms of planned schedule
• operating aircraft within its limitations, achieving optimum performance
• operating electronic communications equipment to required protocol
• performing circuit and stream landing
• performing formation collision avoidance turns
• performing formation landing
• performing formation overshoot
• performing manoeuvres in echelon and line astern:

• straight and level at various airspeeds
• level turns at various airspeeds
• climbing:

• straight
• turning

• descending at various speeds:

• straight
• turning

• flight in various aircraft configurations:

• straight and level
• turning and level
• descending in straight flight
• descending and turning

• reading, interpreting and following relevant regulations, instructions, procedures, information and signs
• recognising loss of contact with formation or any other requirement to break away
• recognising relative position changes with reference to the formation
• reporting and/or rectifying identified problems promptly, in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures
• selecting and using relevant equipment
• selecting and using required personal protective clothing and equipment conforming to industry and WHS/OHS standards
• setting local or area barometric pressure adjusted for sea level (QNH) at appropriate stages of flight
• using instruments to monitor aircraft performance
• working collaboratively with others
• working systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self, others or damage to goods or equipment.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

• CASR Part 61 Manual of Standards Schedule 3 Aeronautical Knowledge relevant to aeroplane or helicopter formation operations
• formation positions and manoeuvres:

• echelon
• line astern
• station position and changes
• departure
• circuit
• approach and landing
• overshoots
• breaks and rejoins

• formation radio procedures
• formation standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• how to manoeuvre from echelon right to echelon left
• how to manoeuvre from echelon to line astern
• how to manoeuvre from line astern to echelon
• in a Defence context, relevant Defence Orders and Instructions
• procedure for flying close formation
• procedure for performing station changes
• procedure for when visual contact is lost with lead aircraft
• procedures for abnormal and emergency situations
• procedures for performing straight and turning rejoins to a formation
• reference points to achieve line astern position for aircraft being flown with respect to specified formation position
• reference points to achieve specified left and right echelon formation positions for aircraft being flown with respect to specified formation position
• relevant sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders
• relevant WHS/OHS and environmental protection procedures and regulations
• verbal and non-verbal signals for:

• commence take off roll
• position changes
• radio receiver failure
• radio transmitter failure
• lost contact procedure
• formation rejoin procedures.

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations. Where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in simulated workplace operational situations that reflect workplace conditions.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• acceptable means of simulation assessment
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals
• relevant materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment currently used in industry.