As the national anthem starts playing at the Golden Bauhinia Square off the HKCEC, a lead helicopter of the Government Flying Service carrying the National Flag, passes over Victoria Harbour as part of the flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on 1st October, 2022. The lead helicopter is joined by another three GFS helicopters flying in a "Vic formation", with the second helicopter carrying the Hong Kong SAR flag following right behind.
The Vic is the basic flying formation adopted by many flight organisations worldwide. It allows the pilots to see one another and stay together in poor visibility or obstructed by clouds.
Ensuring the formation party appears right on time at the ceremony requires a lot of practice and communication between the lead aircraft and the coordinator at the ceremony. Equally important is the following aircraft in the formation must focus on staying in position throughout.