Watch a Record-Setting Flight Formation From the Air

They may not be the Blue Angels, but what a bunch of general aviation pilots lacked in speed and engine roar they made up for in numbers, with 49 pilots setting a record for formation flight.

The pilots flew an arrowhead formation before the start of a Kansas City Chiefs football game Sunday. We’ve seen videos shot by people on the ground, and while some of them are cool, we were particularly intrigued by video filmed by a pilot working with the aviators to help keep it all together. The group made a nicely timed approach over Arrowhead Stadium as the final notes of the national anthem were sung.

The pilots all flew homebuilt aircraft from Van’s Aircraft. There are several models in the formation, and most were built by the guys flying them. The pilots converged on Kansas City from 19 states as part of a breast cancer research fundraiser.

Van’s Aircraft makes the most popular line of kit-built airplanes and has produced more than 8,000 since its founding in 1973. There are eight “RV” models available — including the RV-12 we flew — and they roll out of garages and workshops around the world at a rate of more than one per day.

RV pilots are a passionate bunch, and there are many groups regularly performing formation flying demonstrations. For last weekend’s record-setting flight, pilots took off two at a time to create groups of four. A dozen groups came together in an arrowhead formation of 48 airplanes before the final plane joined the back of the pack.

The flight set the record for the largest civilian formation flight ever. There’s no word yet on whether they’ll attempt a bigger formation next year. More pictures of the flight, including from the practice session can be seen here.

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