A formation landing witnessed at Republic Airport (KFRG) in Farmingdale, New York, coinciding with the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach, highlights an often-overlooked dimension of air show operations: the satellite airports that support the performers and the specialized procedures those aircraft use when arriving or departing in close formation. KFRG sits just a few miles from Jones Beach State Park and routinely serves as a staging and recovery airport for military and civilian demonstration teams participating in the show, given its longer runways, jet fuel availability, and proximity to the performance box over the water. A three-ship formation landing—colloquially a "triple"—is not something typically seen at a Class D reliever airport on an ordinary day, which explains the surprise expressed by the observer.
For working pilots, this clip is a useful reminder that formation landings are a real, FAA-sanctioned procedure, but one bound by strict qualification and authorization requirements. Under 14 CFR 91.111 and associated waivers, formation flight—including formation takeoffs and landings—requires prior arrangement between the pilots involved and, in many cases, specific FAA authorization when conducted in conjunction with an air show or in controlled airspace. Military demonstration teams (Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, or service heritage flights) and civilian formation teams such as those holding FAST (Formation and Safety Team) cards train extensively for these maneuvers, including standardized calls, spacing, and go-around contingencies if any aircraft in the formation cannot complete the landing as briefed. Air traffic control at towered fields like KFRG must also brief and coordinate for these arrivals, often issuing the formation a single clearance while separating them from other traffic in the pattern.
The broader operational picture during any major air show is one of significant airspace choreography. Events like the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach trigger FAA temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) over the performance box, and nearby airports such as KFRG, Long Island MacArthur (KISP), and even portions of the New York Class B airspace see altered traffic flows, NOTAMs, and sometimes temporary tower procedures to accommodate performer transits, practice sorties, and recovery operations. Pilots operating in the greater New York area during air show weekends need to check NOTAMs carefully, as performer aircraft may be conducting unusual formation arrivals or departures at airports well outside the advertised show box, exactly as depicted in this video.
This kind of footage also reflects a growing trend of aviation content being captured and shared by enthusiasts and pilots via smartphone and posted to platforms like Reddit, which has become a meaningful, if informal, channel for spreading operational awareness among the GA community. While the clip itself is casual, it underscores a professional point: formation operations, even when visually striking or unfamiliar to onlookers, are executed under rigorous training, waiver, and ATC coordination standards—a reminder of the layered safety architecture that allows military and civilian teams to safely share airspace with everyday air show and airport operations.