The AI-powered English dictionary
plural formates
(organic chemistry) Any salt or ester of formic acid. examples
third-person singular simple present formates, present participle formating, simple past and past participle formated
(aeronautics) To assemble flying aircraft into formation; to fly in formation. quotations examples
Tiger Moths from the Reserve Flying Schools at Rochester and Cambridge competed with each other at formating in the gusty conditions, Rochester just winning.
1949, The Aeroplane, volume 76, page 699
Formating with Patty Wagstaff' s modified Baron, flown by Dale Snodgrass, was fun on a beautiful morning, though all you learn about an airplane while formating is the power response (very smooth) and the response to control pressures.
2002 July, Richard L. Collins, “Piper Seneca V: a classic light twin..”, in Flying, page 68
Actually, the leader of the formation was supposed to maintain the eagle-eyed vigil necessary to ensure that his formation kept out of harm's way, because the pilots formating on him had to keep all their attention riveted on his aircraft; but the Air Force recognized that with inexperienced pilots leading formations it was wise to splash extra lookouts around liberally.
2003, Murray Peden, A Thousand Shall Fall: The True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two, page 74