Standard 4-plane Formations

Box is used for parade passes, manoeuvring, and—when spaced out—can be used for enroute flying. It is also usually the foundation of larger formations (i.e. more than four aircraft).

Box is sometimes called Diamond.

Same as Box, but with 2 and 3 opposite to their normal side. Reverse box is sometimes used if the formation is already in Finger Right and Lead wants to manoeuvre the formation. It should never be used for a parade formation unless there are extenuating circumstances that make Box impractical.

Finger Right (or Fingertip Right, so named because it matches the shape of the fingertips of your right hand) is moderately manoeuvrable, with only Four having to "fly through" to Lead. Lead can quickly change the formation from Finger Right to Echelon Right for a left-hand overhead break, so it is sometimes used when returning to base.

Finger Right (or Left) is also the normal formation used when joining two elements into a 4-ship (i.e. the Three-Four element joining on the Lead-Two element).

Finger Right is also often used for "missing man" formations. Three is the missing man.

Mirror image of Finger Right. Note that Lead and Two always stay together as an element, as do Three and Four. Finger left would not be flown with the positions of 2 and 3 reversed.

Line Astern is normally only used as a transition between other formations. For example, to go from Finger Right to Finger Left, Lead would first change to Line Astern, then to Finger Left.

Line Astern is also used for "top side" (turning) parade passes, where it looks quite sharp.

Echelon Right is used mainly in preparation for a left-hand overhead break. It’s not very manoeuvrable at all. If Lead needs to turn a 4-ship tightly in Echelon Right (or Left), he will use a flat turn.

Echelon Right is also sometimes used for missing man formations. Three is the "missing man."

Same as Echelon Right, but for a right-hand overhead break. Echelon Left is not used for missing man formations.