missing man formation
Absent pilot honor
A missing man formation is a ceremonial flight pattern honoring a deceased or fallen pilot.
Aircraft fly in formation, then one peels away or is absent from an otherwise complete group, leaving a visible gap.
The formation appears at military funerals and memorial services: Fighter jets flew the missing man formation over the cemetery.
The concept extends to other tributes—an empty chair at a table, a riderless horse in a procession.
Elevated road crossing
- squadronMilitary aviation unit
- pull-upSelf-hoisting bar exercise
- wingmanSupportive second in formation
- fighter jetsArmed military aircraft
aircraft · pilots · precision · echelon · altitude · airspace · aerobatics · break away
flyover
Elevated road crossing
- squadronMilitary aviation unit
- pull-upSelf-hoisting bar exercise
- wingmanSupportive second in formation
fighter jets · aircraft · pilots · precision · echelon · altitude · airspace · aerobatics · break away · climb
memorial
Thing preserving remembrance
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
- fallenHaving dropped down
- remembranceAct of holding something in mind
sacrifice · veterans · ceremony · heroes · flyover · funeral · commemoration · valor · respect · solemnity
- air showsairshow, air show, aerial displays, Thunderbirds, Red Arrows
- military traditionssalute, 21-gun salute, saluting, salutes, honor guard
- memorialsmemorial, memorial service, memorial statue, memorials, war memorial
- military honorsMedal of Honor, Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Navy Cross
- war memorialswar memorial, war monuments, war memorials, military cemeteries, veterans memorials