Presidewnt reagan's Missing Man Formation

[tony]

Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me. The Navy
flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the second
element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented by your
ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its position,
representing the missing man.

For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

[Cecil Chapman]

> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The
missing
> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

Not intending this as any political statement,, just an observation -
Perhaps the reason they do it that way for a president as well, is that
typically presidents usually order the military to war and the president
stays behind while the soldiers actually go into the battle, that is, the
president doesn't physically lead the soldiers into battle themselves.

On a side note: I can't claim to be one of Regan's political fans, but
watching his draped casket come down the stairs with his widow waiting was
indeed a somber moment,, looking at Nancy standing in the rain under the
umbrella.

While watching the latter, I did encounter a curious errant thought that
passed through my mind while watching that casket being carried down the
steps with music playing; how, maybe at that same moment in some part of our
country there was a widow standing alone by a graveside with only herself
(all her friend's and family had passed on), the body of her spouse, a
couple of cemetery workers and the minister in attendance and there was no
fanfare or special music, yet her loss,, to her,,, was crushing and deeply
profound - but most people would never know of the loss of her lifelong
partner and would never hear her husband's name. Just the way it
is..........

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL
Student-IASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

[tony]

>
>On a side note: I can't claim to be one of Regan's political fans, but
>watching his draped casket come down the stairs with his widow waiting was
>indeed a somber moment,, looking at Nancy standing in the rain under the
>umbrella.
>
>While watching the latter, I did encounter a curious errant thought that
>passed through my mind while watching that casket being carried down the
>steps with music playing; how, maybe at that same moment in some part of our
>country there was a widow standing alone by a graveside with only herself
>(all her friend's and family had passed on), the body of her spouse, a
>couple of cemetery workers and the minister in attendance and there was no
>fanfare or special music, yet her loss,, to her,,, was crushing and deeply
>profound - but most people would never know of the loss of her lifelong
>partner and would never hear her husband's name. Just the way it
>is..........

There are too many such lonely people looking at caskets, at holes in the
ground. I'm not sure the presence of others nearby makes their grief less
profound, just more public.

Some of us are luckier than others, we have lovers and friends, and in this
forum at least many of us have felt the load on the wheels lighten as the wind
lifts us, and as John Gillespie Magee Jr. wrote, touched the face of God.

All of us know this poem, but from time to time it's worth rereading.

Here it is.

"High Flight"
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

[Peter Duniho]

"tony" > wrote in message
...
> For this man [blah blah blah]

Always someone, isn't there? Just can't help posting their off-topic
political crap to an aviation newsgroup.

[Steven P. McNicoll]

"tony" > wrote in message
...
>
> Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me.
> The Navy flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional
> the second element lead position (the airplane that would have been
> represented by your ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation)
left
> its position, representing the missing man.
>
> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The
missing
> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.
>

Is the missing man formation a tradition for Presidential funerals at all?
It's traditional for a fallen aviator, but I don't recall it being done for
previous Presidents. Reagan did serve in the USAAF, but not as an aviator.

[Jay Honeck]

> All of us know this poem, but from time to time it's worth rereading.
>
> "High Flight"
> Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
> And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
> Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
> Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
> You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
> High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
> I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
> My eager craft through footless halls of air.
> Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
> I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
> Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
> And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
> The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
> Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Thanks, Tony.

FYI: Dwayne O'Brien (Grammy-award-winning musician, accomplished aerobatic
pilot) has put "High Flight" to music. His rendition takes an already
touching poem and adds a musical poignancy that's hard to describe.

I highly recommend his disk of flying music. It's one of the six CDs
playing in our lobby 24/7.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
(tony) wrote:

> Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me. The Navy
> flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the second
> element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented by your
> ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its position,
> representing the missing man.
>
> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.
>
>



Then there's the Italian (or French) missing man formation: the three
wingmen pull while the lead continues on course.

[Tom Sixkiller]

"Orval Fairbairn" > wrote in message
...
>
> Then there's the Italian (or French) missing man formation: the three
> wingmen pull while the lead continues on course.

That sounds like they're leaving the guy behind.

[Jim Weir]

(Donning asbestos flame suit)

For political reasons, it would have been appropriate for the RIGHT WINGman to
be the one that departed.

{;-)


[Flame suit off]


Jim



->In article >,
-> (tony) wrote:
->
->> Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me. The
Navy
->> flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the second
->> element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented by
your
->> ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its position,
->> representing the missing man.
->>
->> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
->> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

[Teacherjh]

>>
> Then there's the Italian (or French) missing man formation: the three
> wingmen pull while the lead continues on course.

That sounds like they're leaving the guy behind.
<<

.... which is kind of poetic if viewed spiritually. It also puts the focus on
the guy that's missing, rather than the fact that he is.

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

[mike regish]

:-)

mike regish

"Jim Weir" > wrote in message
...
> (Donning asbestos flame suit)
>
> For political reasons, it would have been appropriate for the RIGHT
WINGman to
> be the one that departed.
>
> {;-)
>
>
> [Flame suit off]
>
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> ->In article >,
> -> (tony) wrote:
> ->
> ->> Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me.
The
> Navy
> ->> flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the
second
> ->> element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented
by
> your
> ->> ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its
position,
> ->> representing the missing man.
> ->>
> ->> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The
missing
> ->> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.
>
> Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
> VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
> http://www.rst-engr.com

[Nathan Gilliatt]

In article >,
(tony) wrote:

> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

Symbolism aside, wouldn't the formation fall apart without a Lead? You'd
end up with a two-ship formation and a single plane flying near each
other, but not in a proper (practiced) formation, right?

[Cecil Chapman]

I'll have to check that out. The late, John Denver, put the poem to music
in one of his albums as well.

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL
Student-IASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

[tony]

>
>> Then there's the Italian (or French) missing man formation: the three
>> wingmen pull while the lead continues on course.
>
>That sounds like they're leaving the guy behind.
>
>
I speculated what might the suitable formation for the only living two term
United States president, then I was inspired.

It obviously should be two aircraft doing an inflight refueling, with the lower
aircraft getting fuel on its dress -- err, fuselage.

[Jay Honeck]

> I'll have to check that out.

Hear a one-minute sample of it at
http://www.flightsongrecords.com/sample.htm

Click on "High Flight"...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Marty]

"Jim Weir" > wrote in message
...
> (Donning asbestos flame suit)
>
> For political reasons, it would have been appropriate for the RIGHT
WINGman to
> be the one that departed.
>
> {;-)
>
>
> [Flame suit off]
>
>
> Jim
>
>
>

Grrrrrrooaaaaaannnnn! ;-)
Marty

[Marty Shapiro]

Jim Weir > wrote in
:

> (Donning asbestos flame suit)
>
> For political reasons, it would have been appropriate for the RIGHT
> WINGman to be the one that departed.
>
> {;-)
>


From the formation's viewpoint, it was!

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

[Marty]

"Nathan Gilliatt" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (tony) wrote:
>
> > For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The
missing
> > man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.
>
> Symbolism aside, wouldn't the formation fall apart without a Lead? You'd
> end up with a two-ship formation and a single plane flying near each
> other, but not in a proper (practiced) formation, right?

Kinda wondered about this myself, Nate.
Marty

[Chris W]

tony wrote:

> I speculated what might the suitable formation for the only living two term
> United States president, then I was inspired.
>
> It obviously should be two aircraft doing an inflight refueling, with the lower
> aircraft getting fuel on its dress -- err, fuselage.


:)


--
Chris W

Bring Back the HP 15C
http://hp15c.org

Not getting the gifts you want? The Wish Zone can help.
http://thewishzone.com

[Bob Fry]

(tony) writes:

[much cut]

> All of us know this poem, but from time to time it's worth rereading.
>
> "High Flight"

I've come to prefer works such as:


An Irish Airman Foresees His Death
by William Butler Yeats

I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.

[tony]

>
>
>[much cut]
>
>> All of us know this poem, but from time to time it's worth rereading.
>>
>> "High Flight"
>
>I've come to prefer works such as:
>
>
>An Irish Airman Foresees His Death
>by William Butler Yeats
>
>I know that I shall meet my fate
>Somewhere among the clouds above;
>Those that I fight I do not hate,
>Those that I guard I do not love;
>My country is Kiltartan Cross,
>My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
>No likely end could bring them loss
>Or leave them happier than before.
>Nor law nor duty bade me fight,
>Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
>A lonely impulse of delight
>Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
>I balanced all, brought all to mind,
>The years to come seemed waste of breath,
>A waste of breath the years behind
>In balance with this life, this death.
>
Although I appreciated reading this, the mental attitude it suggests is
inconsistant with most pilots I've been privilged to know.

My thoughts flow more to how amasingly lucky I have been to live my life in
these times.

[C J Campbell]

"Steven P. McNicoll" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> >
>
> Is the missing man formation a tradition for Presidential funerals at all?

No. The tradition in America dates back to 1938 (the RAF invented it for the
funeral of Manfred von Richtofen), but it did not become popular until the
1970s. Reagan is the first President to have died since then and requested
military honors. No doubt it will become a permanent tradition for those
Presidents that request it.

As Commander in Chief of all the armed forces the President is entitled to
honors from any branch of the military that he wishes.

Not all Presidents request a military funeral like Reagan's; in fact the
majority of them do not. Reagan felt that Presidents have a certain
ceremonial obligation to honor their office this way, even though in life he
was a rather private individual. He felt that the President has a role in
society that the individual serving in that office must honor despite
personal preferences. Some other living Presidents undoubtedly feel the same
way. Both Carter and the elder Bush likely feel that way about the dignity
of their office.

As for flying the missing man formation with the lead plane missing, it
would look odd and possibly be dangerous.

[Steven P. McNicoll]

"C J Campbell" > wrote in message
...
>
> No.
>

I didn't think so.

[Cub Driver]

>For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
>man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

If the leader were missing, would anyone know it was a Missing Man, as
opposed to two planes flying alongside a third plane at some distance?

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

[Cub Driver]

>On a side note: I can't claim to be one of Regan's political fans, but
>watching his draped casket come down the stairs with his widow waiting was
>indeed a somber moment,, looking at Nancy standing in the rain under the
>umbrella.

Evidently you're not the only one. In the daily Rasmussen tracking
poll, Bush & Kerry had been stuck at 45/45 for days. Two days ago that
changed to 47/44 in favor of Bush, and it was the same yesterday. I
can't think of anything else to explain the bounce save Reagan's death
and the consequent TV coverage.

Por mi parte, I haven't watched the TV since Baghdad was secured in
April 2003.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

[Cub Driver]

>For political reasons, it would have been appropriate for the RIGHT WINGman to
>be the one that departed.

Isn't it always? I think of a finger-four as the fingers of my right
hand, with the lead being the middle finger. The Missing Man is the
leader of the second element, flying to the right and behind the
leader of the flight--the ring finger of the right hand.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

[Cub Driver]

On 13 Jun 2004 01:25:41 GMT, (tony)
wrote:

>inconsistant with most pilots I've been privilged to know.

Well, Yeats was a poet, not a pilot :)


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

[Martin Hotze]

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 05:11:38 -0400, Cub Driver wrote:

>Por mi parte, I haven't watched the TV since Baghdad was secured in
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>April 2003.

well, there happened some things in the meantime .... :-)

#m
--
Martin!!! Maaaaartiiiin!!! Can you please flame this guy for me?
'HECTOP' in rec.aviation.piloting

[tony]

>
>If the leader were missing, would anyone know it was a Missing Man, as
>opposed to two planes flying alongside a third plane at some distance?

Symbols are like that.

The two element formation approaches, all four aircraft in view, and one exits.
If you know about "Missing Man Formations" you'd probably understand. If one
doesn't, perhaps it would have to be explained.

With respect to the questions about safety without the lead element leader, I
suspect nearly any three of us could fly a the first element wingman slot
safely keying on the leader of the second element.

I can accept traditon as the reason to fly it as it had been flown, but in that
it's symbolic I rather liked the idea of the lead aircraft going absent.

Others didn't.

It lead to an interesting thread, though, esp the poster who wrote of the
Reagan's sense it was a requirement of the office that such a funeral be held.
Back during his term, it had been written he always went to his office with
coat and tie, as a mark of reverence for the place.

Another thought -- even better. Didn't President Reagan fund the B1B?

Now, that would be a fly-by!

About my comment for the mid air refueling flyby for former President Clinton
-- I'm thinking now three supersonic bombers, at perhaps mach 2, would also be
fitting.

Where are my flame proof pants?

[Casey Wilson]

>
> If the leader were missing, would anyone know it was a Missing Man, as
> opposed to two planes flying alongside a third plane at some distance?
>
> all the best -- Dan Ford
> email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Perhaps the presentation is when the "missing" aircraft pulls up and
out of the flight of four? Or perhaps you've never experienced the event in
person.

[Jack]

tony wrote:

>>An Irish Airman Foresees His Death
>>by William Butler Yeats
>>
>>I know that I shall meet my fate
>>Somewhere among the clouds above;
>>Those that I fight I do not hate,
>>Those that I guard I do not love;
>>My country is Kiltartan Cross,
>>My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
>>No likely end could bring them loss
>>Or leave them happier than before.
>>Nor law nor duty bade me fight,
>>Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
>>A lonely impulse of delight
>>Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
>>I balanced all, brought all to mind,
>>The years to come seemed waste of breath,
>>A waste of breath the years behind
>>In balance with this life, this death.
>>
>
> Although I appreciated reading this, the mental attitude it suggests is
> inconsistant with most pilots I've been privilged to know.

But then how many Irish airmen fighting for the British in World War I have you
been privileged to know? ;>

I'd say it reflects very powerfully the feelings of a number of combat pilots,
especially those who fought to defend another nation against its enemies. I feel
that I know exactly what Yeats is saying, though this poem, and several others
which Yeats wrote in memory of his friend Major Robert Gregory, carries more
meaning than any one of us is likely impart to it out of his own experience --
like all good writing.

See: http://ireland.wlu.edu/landscape/Group1/index.htm

http://ireland.wlu.edu/landscape/Group1/robert_gregory.htm

"Robert Gregory, the son of W.B.Yeats's friend Lady Gregory,
was a well-rounded man. He studied at Harrow, New College,
and the Slade, and he excelled at bowling, boxing, and
horseback riding. He worked in Jacques Blanche's design studio
and had his own exhibition of paintings in Chelsea in 1914.
In 1915, he joined the war effort and became a member of the
4th Connaught Rangers. He then transferred to the Royal Flying
Corps in 1916, and he became Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur
in 1917. Gregory earned a Military Cross 'for conspicuous
gallantry and devotion to duty.' He died tragically at the age
of thirty-seven when an Italian pilot mistakenly shot him down.

"Robert Gregory's death had an lasting effect on Yeats, who wrote
four poems about him:

'In Memory of Major Robert Gregory,'
http://www.bartleby.com/148/2.html

'An Irish Airman foresees his Death,'
http://www.bartleby.com/148/3.html

'Shepherd and Goatherd,'
http://www.poetryconnection.net/poets/William_Butler_Yeats/1530

'Reprisals'
[If you find a copy on line, _please_ share the URL]

-----------------


Jack

"All things can tempt me from this craft of verse
One time it was a woman’s face, or worse
The seeming needs of my fool-driven land."
-- All Things Can Tempt Me, William Butler Yeats

[Steven P. McNicoll]

"tony" > wrote in message
...
>
> Another thought -- even better. Didn't President Reagan fund the B1B?
>

Yes.

[Bob Fry]

(tony) writes:

> Although I appreciated reading this, the mental attitude it suggests is
> inconsistant with most pilots I've been privilged to know.
>
> My thoughts flow more to how amasingly lucky I have been to live my life in
> these times.

I don't think the attitude expressed in your last sentence is
inconsistent with the attitude of the poem. It is our willingness to
understand and accept the ambiguity and apparent meaninglessness of
life which leads us to finally truly appreciate what we have.

As youths many of us believe the cliches about how to succeed and be
happy, but at some point we cannot ignore the lessons of reality
itself:

"I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift
and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the
wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for
time and chance overtake them all." Ecclesiastes 9:11

There are those who refuse to acknowledge this, and continue to
believe in a Disneyland version of life. Others do see reality but
become bitter and cynical at its seeming unfairness. And finally some
accept life as it is, and are grateful for what they have, knowing
that "time and chance overtake them all."

[Paul Hirose]

tony wrote:
>
> Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me. The Navy
> flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the second
> element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented by your
> ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its position,
> representing the missing man.
>
> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

Wasn't that how they did it over Washington (or maybe it was Pt.
Mugu)? On TV I thought I saw *lead* break away during one of the
missing man flyovers for Reagan. It was such an unusual sight I
wondered if my eyes had fooled me. I'm still not sure. Did anyone else
notice that?

The only other time I can remember lead departing a missing man
formation was a Memorial Day flyover at Edwards AFB with T-38s. A few
minutes later a sonic boom rocked the base. It may have been lead
flying solo, or perhaps the formation got back together.

--

Paul Hirose >
To reply by email delete INVALID from address.

[Cub Driver]

>Evidently you're not the only one. In the daily Rasmussen tracking
>poll, Bush & Kerry had been stuck at 45/45 for days. Two days ago that
>changed to 47/44 in favor of Bush, and it was the same yesterday.

47/45 on Saturday night. (The Raz polls interview 500 people a night,
and each poll gives the breakdown of the previous three nights, or a
total of 1500 people.) Kerry's slight move up came from the Not Sure
vote.

53 percent of those polled believe Bush will be re-elected.

54 percent prefer Bush on national defense.

49 percent prefer Bush on the economy. Both these last two are
increases over previous days.

43 percent give Bush good marks on Iraq.

41 percent say Bush is doing a good or excellent job on the economy.

And 67 percent have a favorable view of Ronald Reagan!

I have become addicted to the Rasmussen Tracking Poll. I check it
every day at this page
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Presidential_Tracking_Poll.htm






all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

[Cub Driver]

>If you know about "Missing Man Formations" you'd probably understand. If one
>doesn't, perhaps it would have to be explained.

http://www.warbirdforum.com/missing.htm

Enjoy!

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
Cub Driver > wrote:

> >For political reasons, it would have been appropriate for the RIGHT WINGman
> >to
> >be the one that departed.
>
> Isn't it always? I think of a finger-four as the fingers of my right
> hand, with the lead being the middle finger. The Missing Man is the
> leader of the second element, flying to the right and behind the
> leader of the flight--the ring finger of the right hand.
>
> all the best -- Dan Ford
> email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)
>
> The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
> The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
> Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

It depends on whether the formation is "Hard Right" or "Hard Left". In
the latter, #3 is on the left and pulls, as it is always #3 in a 4-ship
that pulls and "flies West."

[Jay Honeck]

> There are those who refuse to acknowledge this, and continue to
> believe in a Disneyland version of life. Others do see reality but
> become bitter and cynical at its seeming unfairness. And finally some
> accept life as it is, and are grateful for what they have, knowing
> that "time and chance overtake them all."

Very well put, Bob.

It brings to mind the Stephen Crane quote (to paraphrase) "He grew bitter
with life, and in frustration longed to throw stones at the cathedral, and
was all the more discouraged to discover that there were no stones, and no
cathedral..."
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jim Weir]

But if I'm going to Reno, you can bet your sweet hiney that's the way I'm going
to lay my money down.

{;-)


Jim



Bob Fry >
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->"I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift
->and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the
->wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for
->time and chance overtake them all." Ecclesiastes 9:11



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

[Anton Ish]

+ or - 3 points. Not statistically significant.

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 05:11:38 -0400, Cub Driver
> wrote:

>
>>On a side note: I can't claim to be one of Regan's political fans, but
>>watching his draped casket come down the stairs with his widow waiting was
>>indeed a somber moment,, looking at Nancy standing in the rain under the
>>umbrella.
>
>Evidently you're not the only one. In the daily Rasmussen tracking
>poll, Bush & Kerry had been stuck at 45/45 for days. Two days ago that
>changed to 47/44 in favor of Bush, and it was the same yesterday. I
>can't think of anything else to explain the bounce save Reagan's death
>and the consequent TV coverage.
>
>Por mi parte, I haven't watched the TV since Baghdad was secured in
>April 2003.
>
>all the best -- Dan Ford
>email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)
>
>The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
>The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
>Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

[Mark]

>
> While watching the latter, I did encounter a curious errant thought that
> passed through my mind while watching that casket being carried down the
> steps with music playing; how, maybe at that same moment in some part of our
> country there was a widow standing alone by a graveside with only herself
> (all her friend's and family had passed on), the body of her spouse, a
> couple of cemetery workers and the minister in attendance and there was no
> fanfare or special music, yet her loss,, to her,,, was crushing and deeply
> profound - but most people would never know of the loss of her lifelong
> partner and would never hear her husband's name. Just the way it
> is..........
> <snip>

Damn,,,, your depressing.... ;-)

[Mark]

(tony) wrote in message >...
> Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me. The Navy
> flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the second
> element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented by your
> ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its position,
> representing the missing man.
>
> For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
> man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

(besides the leader) The other aircrews turn their heads 45 degrees
left or right to view the aircraft in front of them. They use it as
reference to their position in the formation. If the lead aircraft
became the missing man, then the other aircraft would have no good
reference points to keep themselves in proper formation.

Don't know if anyone else heard this but on Wednesday during the Air
Force 21 ship salute over Washington, Peter Jennings called the
formation the "Solo Man Formation". Plus the camera man focusing on
the aircraft doing the rapid climb away from the formation. IMHO, the
focus of the "Missing Man" is not on this aricraft but on the
remaining formation.

[Flyin'[email protected]]

(Mark) wrote:
> Don't know if anyone else heard this but on Wednesday during the Air
> Force 21 ship salute over Washington, Peter Jennings called the
> formation the "Solo Man Formation". Plus the camera man focusing on
> the aircraft doing the rapid climb away from the formation. IMHO, the
> focus of the "Missing Man" is not on this aricraft but on the
> remaining formation.


Roger that. It is bone chilling watching the aircraft depart the
formation, but as you say, the focus is on the remaining aircraft.

--
Mike Flyin'8

[AChrist123]

The missing man formation should not be modified according to the stature or
position of the deceased....every one of the members of the military that
earned the priviledge of having the missing man formation flown in their honor
was a leader...

[Jim Baker]

"AChrist123" > wrote in message
...
> The missing man formation should not be modified according to the stature
or
> position of the deceased....every one of the members of the military that
> earned the priviledge of having the missing man formation flown in their
honor
> was a leader...

Precisely.

[Cub Driver]

On 15 Jun 2004 08:01:51 -0700, (Mark) wrote:

> Peter Jennings called the
>formation the "Solo Man Formation".

I'm amazed he didn't say "Solo Person Formation".

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! weblog www.vivabush.org