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Falcon Flight Formation Clinic 2021, 9-11 April 2021, KTPL Temple, Tx

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Moderator, Asst. Line Boy
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Happy 2021, Y’all!
Falcon Flight Formation Team is happy to announce our 2021 Formation clinic! This year’s clinic takes place April 9 -11, 2021 in Temple, TX (KTPL). It WX gets us, we will have a BACKUP date of April 23-25, 2021.

SPECIFICS
• Clinic fee: $80 per pilot.
• Participation limit: 40 pilots, plus Falcons.
• Every pilot will have to complete a hold harmless agreement at sign in.
• This clinic will fly in accordance with FFI formation standards: WWW.FFI.AERO

CLINIC SIGN-UP LINK
• Go to this link: https://groups.io/g/KTPLClinic
• Make a request to join the group. Once you’re granted access, add a row to the signup table at: https://groups.io/g/KTPLClinic/table?id=27292
• Once you have completed these steps, go ahead and make your hotel arrangements (details way down below).
• If the primary sign-up list is full, get your name on the wait list as a back-up: https://groups.io/g/KTPLClinic/table?id=27762

THE UNKNOWNS WE MUST DEAL WITH:
• We have no idea how many people will have received the CV-19 vaccine etc.
• Similarly, we have no idea how "open" things will be, so we will update you as we get closer in for the attendees that have signed up. Please make a good assessment of your situation, your condition, and your expectations. We will practice guidelines as dictated by appropriate health and government guidance as we get closer to the clinic.
• We do not know how many safety pilots we will have, which can impact “Red Scary” flyers. That is not meant to scare anyone away. It just means: If you are a Red Scary, we may not be able to fly you every sortie until we see who has signed up.
• We do not know whether transportation buses will be available (working on it). We encourage pilots to rent a car/share it with a couple of other pilots (details below).

CHECK RIDES
• If you request a check ride, add a row to the check ride request table at: https://groups.io/g/KTPLClinic/table?id=31566
• Download and complete the check ride request from: https://ffi.aero/files/FFI Wingman Evaluation V3.pdf
https://ffi.aero/files/FFI Flight Lead Evaluation V3.pdf
• Complete the top portion with your personal information, and then have your RECOMMENDATION PILOT fill out the middle block. Leave the rest of the form EMPTY. Bring his with you to the clinic. Check ride priority goes to those that show up with a signed recommendation. Any others *may* occur is check pilot availability/space/time allows.

FORMATION ACADEMICS
We will not conduct academics during the clinic. All pilots must accomplish formation academics online, and every pilot must take the online test to verify they have been through the FFI training manual. We will send everyone the online academics link when it’s ready.

ARRIVAL
Pilots are welcome to arrive at KTPL mid-morning on Friday 9 April, and we will get several hops in on Friday. We will conduct a mandatory safety brief for the early arrivals at 1300 Friday, and for late arrivals at 1700.

MEALS
Lunch and Dinner is your responsibility on Friday. Falcon Flight will have some drinks, snacks, and after-flying beverages both Friday and Saturday. We will provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner for Saturday, including the return of master Texas chef Mike Mayeux on Saturday night out in front of the hangar.

AIRCRAFT PARKING
We will park our RVs inside a monstrous hangar each night, then pull them out front on the taxiway aprons for flight ops each day.
CAR RENTAL INFO
• We encourage the use/sharing of cars. Enterprise will drop your car off at the Airport Terminal (call Enterprise at 254-770-1342).
• Hertz is also available (254-771-2045).

HOTEL INFO
Please DO NOT make a hotel reservation until you have signed up for the clinic (details above). That way we ensure we have rooms for the pilots that have signed up.
Hotel Reservation Group Name: Falcon Flight Group
All Rooms: $94/night plus 15% tax. We have 50 rooms divided between two hotels.

PRIMARY HOTEL (we're filling this one up first):
Residence Inn Marriott, 4301 South General Bruce Drive, Temple TX 76502
Hotel 254-773-8400 or 800-331-3131
35 rooms: 25 King and 10 Double (for those who want to double up)

OVERFLOW HOTEL (when the Residence Inn is full):
Hampton Inn, 3816 South General Bruce Drive, Temple TX 76503
Hotel 254-770-5400
15 rooms, mix between Kings and Doubles

The Deal (same for both hotels):
• Reservations: Each member sets up their own and uses their own credit card. Two nights. Check in Friday 9 April, check out Sunday 11 April.
• Anybody wanting to check in Thursday or stay Sunday night needs to make their own arrangements outside this hotel package.
• Late check-in on Friday is approved for those who arrive in the afternoon.
• Last day to make reservations under this package: For Residence Inn, it's 27 March. For Hampton Inn, it's 5pm on 26 March.
• Cancellation: No later than 6pm on Thursday 8 April (that's the day prior, which should allow for a Thursday weather cancel).
• Free hot breakfast (for real, this time). Free internet.
• Force Majeure: All the standard restrictions for God, war, government regulations, disasters, fire, strikes, labor disputes, civil disorder, threats/acts of terrorism, etc. HOWEVER, both hotels allow for unexpected cancellations for weather and Covid.
• No Smoking ($250 cleaning fee...ouch!)

FUEL
Yep, they got it, y’all. As of 14 Jan 2021: 100LL $3.48 self, $3.86 truck. We hope to get a special deal (details to follow).

Y’all, we are absolutely pumped to hold this clinic to get more folks enjoying and safely flying formation. Of course, flexibility is the key to airpower. We all proved last year at Temple and Pine Bluff that we can do what it takes to safely live this dream. We’ll see y’all in Temple!

Falcon Flight Formation Team
 
Last edited:
Passed the half way mark

Flying weather in central TX in April is the best ! We're passed the half way mark of our cap of 40 attendees with 26 signed up. 8 red-scary guys are about to experience a new aspect of RV flying !
 
We're passed 40

The clinic sign-up has surpassed our limit of 40. Don't let this dissuade you - feel free to join and add your name to the wait list table. There are always cancellations due to wx/mx or whatever. When they start coming in, I'll clear the list one at a time starting from the top.

I have not yet heard that we are out of rooms at the hotels - that tells me that not everyone signed up has booked their room. If you need one, get one before they are gone !
 
Hotel rooms

We are not yet out of rooms. I ask that folks do the following:

IF you are signed up on the primary list, PLEASE make your hotel reservation in our block of rooms if that’s where you will stay (some folks are local, of curse).

IF you are on the wait list, please do NOT reserve a room unless/until you get bumped up to the primary list.

IF you’re on the primary list but must cancel, PLEASE cancel your hotel reservation right away.

I can’t wait for this clinic...it’s gonna be awesome!
 
UPDATE: End Game Waiting List

Formation Fanatics,
UPDATE: The Falcon Flight Temple Tx Formation Clinic signup sheet is full, but we are entering the last two weeks where a few pilots may drop out. We have a wait list that is currently empty. If you are still interested in coming, do the following soonest:

- Join the online clinic group: https://groups.io/g/KTPLClinic/topics . Once your access is granted…

- Add your name to the wait list (use the '+ADD ROW' function: https://groups.io/g/KTPLClinic/table?id=27762

Now, having said all that, BE ADVISED that we’re inside the reservation window for our hotel blocks. Therefore, you are on your own for hotels and rental cars. I’ll list a few great hotel choices below, but they may not offer a 24-hour cancellation for weather, etc. You need to negotiate that if you make a reservation.

Get on that waiting list! Study the manuals on the Clinic groups page and at https://ffi.aero , and take the online quiz!

Residence Inn Temple, 254-773-8405
Hampton Inn Temple, 254-770-5400
Holiday Inn Temple, 254-778-5511
 
I'd like to do this at some point, but don't have rudder pedals in the back of my -8. I assume that's a requirement?
 
I'd like to do this at some point, but don't have rudder pedals in the back of my -8. I assume that's a requirement?

Mark,
If you're a 'red scary' (totally new to formation flying), you'd fly with a safety pilot who needs access to flight controls. Yes, you'd need rudder pedals and (of course) a stick in the back. Also, no Vernier throttles allowed.
 
Mark,
If you're a 'red scary' (totally new to formation flying), you'd fly with a safety pilot who needs access to flight controls. Yes, you'd need rudder pedals and (of course) a stick in the back. Also, no Vernier throttles allowed.

Thanks. I thought I remembered seeing this in the past.
 
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