Doum76, a fast jet pilot practices formation all the time as part of regular operations (two aircraft formation - leader and wingman) so that formation flying is not special. However any fast jet pilot is working 'like a one-armed wallpaper hanger' ALL THE TIME. And if he is not working hard then something is wrong. This is the way of it. Especially on a carrier approach, there is nothing smooth or graceful about it from the inside. What it looks like from the outside is only relevant to the LSO. BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO CRASH THEN LOOK GOOD (old fighter pilot motto).
Well of course is nothing special at first for formation flying since they come in pairs
but still, that is a not so easy task to accomplish at first, and what does make it graceful for me, is the fact of making something for those doing it, tough to work for it, look so simple to other peoples eyes looking at it, that seems as easy as ABC
And don't worry, in the Sim i follow the motto, when i crash, i do it with both hands-up like in a roller coaster
Seriously, using the trim button to trim appropriately is important, and part of flying well. Practice will get you to trim all the time. However DO NOT FLY with the trim button. Take out flying forces with the trim though - as required - after using the controls. With practice it becomes second nature. Having a few seconds downwind, dirty at Optimum Angle of Attack, wings level at circuit level altitude, so that trim is accurate in that condition, is important.
Funny that you wrote that, i just came on the forum, been flying a bit earlier today before making my awesome lasagna
and what i did in todays Sim world, was first, fixing up stuff with my joystick, was kinda stiff, so was tough to make tiny adjustement, the springs i guess where still strong from brand new, so to made small adjustement ended up by making a resistance and when the stick passes that little zone, ended up with a sudden movement making precision movement like in final, or formation, being more drastic, so being trying out deadzones for the spot it made unpleasant movement, after came up with the idea maybe spring was too new, not used much, so i jsut made some movement in all direction a few minutes, now it'sa bit better less stiff, makes a difference! Was a bit of the reason i had problem flying, keeping nice angle on turns, formation etc...
After that with this fixed, i only did some Triming practice, nothing much else, practicing triming for a certain speed i.e. 200 knots with wing level, and flying for a bit leveled with only throttle adjusement to stay on altitude, then going for a different speed, gradualy incrasing throttle to aim 250 knots while at the same time gradualy trimming down trying as much as possible to do it with affecting too much altitude until wing leveled, then same, straight flying to practice staying on a precise RoD or RoA or leveled, while using as a ref., the speed of the path indicator moving up or down and the RoD and RoA moving to control with the throttle adjusement. Practice that flying Dirty also with gears, flaps and hook up also, then droping in Dirty, same gradualy to get an Optimum Sweet Orange Donut, flying wing level with the Donut and just minor adjustements with throttle, then down to a 600-700 RoD and keep it steady. Told myself if i practice that a lot, and kinda master it, it will become automatic to do, and make flying, landing way much easier. I even made some low lvl flying at 500 knots, 600 ft just a bit over threes, crossing ridges, while turning upside down to get down the other side of the ridge etc... Adjusting trim for speed change, i.e. when going from 400 knots for flying for a while then when droepd to 600 ft, 500 knots, trimed back for that speed.
I even tried an High Alpha, i am just not too sure about the exact speed and AoA to do it, but i made it 120 knots and about an AoA of 15 degree, with low fuel also extrem to practice, about 95 knots, AoA of 24 degree.
Well enough for now, will already take you for a while to read this novel.
And thanks agian for the comments, avice and stuff.