Originally Posted by
rickair7777
The FBI needs to know. Best case I'm sure there s some applicable federal law for this sort of stupidity. Worst case, somebody's practicing to ram an airliner.
Or maybe he's just trying to follow the AF and save on fuel.
DARPA considers formation flight autopilot - 8/6/2009 - Flight Global
A
US Air Force study has concluded that close formation flying involving as few as two aircraft could deliver fuel savings of up to 14%, and additional work on the concept is being considered by the
US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Speaking at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' 45th Joint Propulsion Conference in
Denver, Colorado, the
USAF's chief scientist Werner Dahm said the research is intended to ensure that "two aircraft can maintain the sweet spot [for formation flight]".
With the air force having concerns about pilot fatigue and the ability to maintain the precise formation needed to maximise the fuel saving, the solution is expected to come via the automation of the formation flight mode.