ISnAP Magazine - June 2018

Denis Rouleau

accommodations. What could be better than waking up in a great
hotel less than 300 feet from a big breakfast and your dew covered
aircraft! So, with the perfect location determined, the first Texan
Roundup was held in 2008.

This past April, 28 Texan variants attended the 10th Annual
Fredericksburg Invitational Texan Roundup. Jay Consalvi, NATA
(North American Trainer Association) check pilot, conducted a
formation-flying ground school on Friday morning. Flying began after
lunch and continued until late afternoon. After the early Saturday
morning briefings, crews headed to their aircraft, 600 horsepower
radials coughed to life, and the airfield remained hectic all day.
Jay and Gordon paired up instructor and student teams for the
day’s schedule and two and four ship groups were assembled.
Pre-flight briefings laid out expectations and post-flight critiques
put the polish on the practice.

The goal of the Texan Roundup is to make better pilots and to adhere
to the mission of The Formation And Safety Team (FAST): facilitate

and promote safe formation flying for pilots operating aircraft through

a review of criteria to be utilized by its members to standardize

formation flight performance evaluation. In Gordon’s words, “Promote

safety, keep sharp, fly right and fly tight, and create a constructive

debrief environment.” Gordon clarified, “Don’t come to the clinic as

a formation novice and expect to be checked-out over the weekend.

Because of the short time frame the pilot has to have a certain level

of formation experience to begin with. He may even go through the

weekend and not be recommended for a check ride. But, he’ll gain

additional formation-flying experience, and training, that will help him

earn his wingman card in the future.”

In short, these aviators come together for a weekend in the true

spirit of aviation, on their own volition, on their own dime, to advance

their flying skills to enhance the spectator experience. And, flying

formation over the rugged hill country deep in the heart of Texas is a

well-deserved bonus.