We are to memorize His attributes and know His voice to the point that it is all second nature. There is no need to look elsewhere, because He knows where we are going better than we ever will. But to properly follow Christ, we must first get close to Him. We cannot master the complexities of a tight formation without first starting at a distance and gradually working our way closer. The more we know God, the more we trust Him and the better we follow Him, the closer to Him we can become.
Pilots fly in formation for other reasons, however, than mere aesthetics.
There's security in a formation. Each flight member looks out for the other. The tighter the formation, the greater the security. If an enemy wishes to engage one, he must engage all. Such is the significance of the Christian life.