Two of the Owensboro Air Show performers, Ken Rieder and Billy Werth, have been flying for most of their lives, but they only recently began flying together in formation as part of Redline Air Shows, a two-ship formation team flying RV-8s, a tandem, two-seat, single-engine aircraft.
The two performers have known each other for several years because of their air show performances, and Rieder said it was a natural choice to ask Werth to join him in formation flying for Redline Air Shows, which is known for their opposing and inverted formations.
Formation flying is two or more airplanes maneuvering together. Rieder is the lead pilot of Redline, which means that he makes the formations flow through timing and sequencing. Werth’s job as wingman is to make Rieder look good, the two said. What they mean is that Werth has to be in Rieder’s head and hold the course that Rieder is flying.
“Flying solo is like a wrestling match. It’s a lot more physical,” Werth said. “Formation flying is like a chess game with Ken thinking three moves ahead.”
The two pilots practiced for three months together before performing at their first air show. Werth was not new to formation flying — he had been on two formation teams prior to 2013. Since then, however, he performed solo shows in his Pitts biplane, something he still does and will at the Owensboro Air Show as well.
The two practiced at least once a week together with Werth, who lives in Indiana, flying to Cincinnati, Ohio, to fly with Rieder, who built and owns the two planes.
Rieder said they began rehearsing a simple formation loop and then build the part of the show that comes before and after. They almost work backward, he said, because he, as the lead pilot, has to consider where he wants each stunt’s focal point to be.
Rieder said that winds are a factor and are more difficult for formation flying than solo as the appearance of a loop or the crowd-favorite switchblade maneuver must be in the center of the course for the crowd to see it as intended.
“We can plan and predict and we will have a conversation [about the performance],” Rieder said, but in the end, he said, that it’s just like what he teaches his aerobatic students — think about what’s going to kill you fastest and consider those first.
Werth said that he sometimes has to make adjustments that nobody notices but provide him some insurance.
“They are just subtle changes made on the fly,” Werth said.
Both agree that safety is primary, but the presentation is important and that both of their jobs — as lead and wingman — are totally different.
Rieder said that it is said in the formation pilot world that when you have flown 100 maneuvers with your teammate, you have it figured out and it becomes muscle memory.
“We have flown 200 loops together,” Rieder said.
Werth grew up in an Air Force family and said it wasn’t until he became the pilot that he wanted to fly. He began flying in 1988 and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Aviation Technology in 1994. He flies a KC-135R for the Air Force Reserves and is also a commercial pilot.
Rieder has 32 years of flying experience. He has been an aerobatic instructor and commercial pilot, owns a property management and construction company and is planning to be a commercial pilot again.
The Redline Air Shows formation team has flown in 13 air shows together this year and have three left. Eight air show performances are already scheduled for next year, and they will fly 15 – 20 in 2020.
Rieder said that his favorite part of air shows is the interaction with the crowd.
“Right after we fly, I like to see the expressions, especially on the kids,” Rieder said. “I like to see if there’s a spark.”
Both pilots enjoy watching other performers when they are at air shows. In fact, they say they are still fans of certain teams and when they are performing at the same show, they watch them perform every time.
“I am as much a fan [as anyone],” Werth said.
The Redline Air Shows team has several maneuvers planned for the Owensboro Air Show including their opposing loops, switchblade and mirror images. Werth is also flying solo in his Pitts and both perform with the opening ceremony of the air show.
The show begins Sunday at 1 p.m. on the Owensboro riverfront.
