Here is an interesting article on formation flying. I hope to get my card at some point as well.
THE “RIGHT STUFF” TO FLY FORMATION
by
Bill Cherwin, President of FAST (Formation And Safety Team)
What does it take to be a good formation pilot? In my opinion, there are three things, or qualities. First, you must be a good pilot. You do not have to be a "Lindbergh," but you must be above average. Second, you must conquer the "psychology" of formation flying. And lastly, you must be disciplined.
A good pilot can handle his airplane in all situations with good stick and rudder coordination. He can fly his airplane well, through its full operating envelope if necessary. He has good judgment and a cool head. The formation pilot must know his airplane so well, that he can operate any switch or control by feel. Some acrobatic experience is also desirable.
Now for the psychological part: Most of us in general aviation get introduced to formation flying when we obtain or buy into a warbird. We have lots of flying time (I had close to 15,000 hours when I started.) and have learned to make decisions as the pilot in command. We are alive today, in part, due to our skill, cunning, and decisiveness. We may have had some good luck along the way, but we long ago learned to look out for our own ass. Military pilots learned to fly formation early in their flying careers, so their command posture had not become so deeply rooted.
Most of us are in vocations where we are "in charge.' We make all the critical decisions in our businesses, hobbies, and at home. We have above average egos and are generally "the boss." Now we want to become a formation pilot. When you become a wingman, you must be prepared to give up most of your command authority. You never give it all up, but you certainly give up 99~. If you try to retain too much, by second guessing the leader, or dwelling on things other than Holding station," your formation flying suffers. Like a computer trying to multi‑task, your brain can not do two things well at once.
Concentration (110%) is the secret to good formation flying. Learn to hold stations and ignore the attitude of the leader. Trying to remain oriented to the world will only tax your already overloaded brain. The leader is your only world for the moment. You must have absolute trust in your leader. If not, then go find a leader on whom you can bet your life.
Experienced formation pilots can remain oriented to the world, but only because their formation flying skills are so honed, that they have occasional fleeting milliseconds to ponder their attitude and speed. Believe me when I say that seasoned formation pilots still concentrate 110%! Formation flying is so much easier when you concentrate.
The third aspect of formation flying is as important as the other two. Just as each leg of a three legged stool is vital to the support of the stool, discipline is essential to formation flying.
Discipline starts with a thorough knowledge of the formation manual, standard operating procedures, and hand signals. Discipline is holding station with a high level of precision. Discipline is taking on a subordinate role as a wingman, and not trying to second guess the leader. Radio discipline is critical to any formation flight.
Items of emergency nature are always appropriate over the radio. Chatter at altitude, en route, if allowed by the leader is OK, but any other transmissions should not be made. Wingmen are always second-guessing the leader, and tend to want to make their ideas known. Disciplined wingmen maintain radio silence, so as not to break the leader's concentration on his job getting the flight safely to point B. As the instructor admonished the student, "I only want to hear two things from you over the radio. Your number when you check in, and Lead, your on fire!"
The leader is constantly thinking and planning ahead, and does not need any unsolicited advice from his wingmen. In fact, pressure from a flight member could distract the leader and cause an accident. A formation flight is not a democratic body. It is a dictatorship run by the flight leader, whose qualifications should have been determined before the flight ever left the ground. Do not volunteer information over the radio unless it is of an emergency nature.
I n summary, to fly formation, a pilot must be "a good stick," be prepared to give up 99% of his authority, exercise discipline in holding station and maintaining radio protocol.
Here is a page with a few links.
http://www.mstewart.net/michael/rv/Links/links.htm