Preparing for a Clinic

Prerequisite Reading

• Please read pages 1-28 and 35-40 of the Redstar Formation Manual.
• Review the C2A Ground School and Reference Guide
• Review the items in the the C2A Standard Operating Procedures.

Airplane Prep

• Arrive with fuel to carry at least 600lbs. A good guide is about 40-50 gallons. If you can carry 3 people, it may assist in training and carrying photographers or JAFOs.
• We strongly recommend you not perform any major maintenance to your aircraft right before a clinic. If you must, please consult the clinic organizer to discuss options.
• Give your plane a good bath - you might just get some great photos. At a minimum, clean your windows inside and out to facilitate formation flying.

Pilot Preparation

• Spend some time hand flying, get your stick and rudder skills sharp.
• Practice your rudder skills (in level flight, slide the plane to the left and right while keeping your wings level). You will use this often while learning station keeping.
• If you have access to a larger runway, take off and land on one side of the runway with the center line being an imaginary concrete barrier.
• Exercise your muscle memory of the location of the flap lever and fuel switch lever (do it without looking).
• Practice anchoring your throttle hand on the console to make many small adjustments to power settings (may need to loosen throttle tension).