The REAL problem
That is not the problem. The problem is that no RVs are showing up !
IMO the real problem is "you can't get there from here".
Two available ways to get "carded". Red Star and FFI. Red Star has proven that they generally don't want to deal with RVs, and there are no FFI instructors or check pilots in the NE. Two of us out of Leesburg, VA (KJYO) did get some instruction several years ago from Red Star instructors out of Frederick (KFDK). Although there was a clear path to getting a "wing" card, there was no real way to get a "lead" or "instructor" or "check pilot" certification. Thus without any "chiefs", there was no way to propagate "indians".
I fly two ship RV formation about twice a week. With the same partner. You don't need any certification to do this, and I feel quite comfortable flying without certification. But we can't do any official events in waivered airspace.
We have found it very difficult to train new pilots with the exception of ex-military. Once every two weeks will not get proficiency for a pilot who has never had formation experience.
Several weeks ago we flew with Peter Barrett, the OP of this thread. His military training was obvious, and with a couple more flights to experience our mostly FFI procedures, we will have a three-ship capability. But nothing is official. We don't have any capabiity to grant any cards. And as noted in a prior post, if we attend events such as Easton, we can't fly in formation in the main flyover without a carded instructor.
There is an annual school in Pine Bluff, AR, but that's a long haul. Falcon Field in Atlanta has a large group of formation pilots, and I believe "carding" capability. But no organized school. There is a group that flies out of Raleigh, but again, no formal school.
So until we get critical mass in the NE with instructors and check pilots, we will have a hard time getting organized carded formation flying in this area.
