Course Details

We don't follow their syllabus exactly, but Michael Goulian's book "Basic Aerobatics" mentioned in the "Other Stuff" page also gives a good feel for the scope and skills covered.    We'll cover the standard aerobatic maneuvers such as loops, rolls, half loops and immelmans, half cubans, hammerheads and spins.   Depending on your goals, we can tilt the training to or away from the formal competition standards for these maneuvers- our first goal is to have fun and significantly expand your flying skills, second is to be safe performing basic maneuvers, third is whatever you aspire to- whether it be winning competitions or Sunday afternoon loops and rolls.

The course is nominally 10 sessions.  5 hour (session) courses are offered by many schools, but while that gives a good taste, is more convenient and is definitely cheaper, that rarely sets the complex, multifaceted skills well enough to achieve proficiency.   As the saying goes, you know just enough to be dangerous.

The first session starts with an extended ground session discussing aerodynamics factors that will be important for aerobatic flight, followed by some advanced airwork to get you familiar with both the aircraft and its handling at the edges of the normal flight envelope.   We usually take a break between ground and flight,  and it's a good idea to bring a light lunch.  No restaurant on field, but there's now an upscale vending machine with snacks, drinks of all kinds and sandwiches in the terminal.

The second session will focus on extreme attitudes,  getting into and out of inverted flight and steep pitches up and down.     We'll do aileron rolls, start with inverted flight and perhaps introduce the more complex slow rolls.

The session descriptions at this point are aspirational- this is the target pace.   You'll do what works best for you.  Each lesson may practice some of the previous maneuvers particularly the basic rolls and loops.  The third is where the fun really starts.    We do some more exercises of 45 and 90 degree lines to learn the control movements & forces involved, and how to stay visually oriented.  Then some loops!

On the fourth session we'll practice more rolls, particularly slow rolls, stopping for some inverted flight, possibly inverted turns, and more loops.     

On the fifth we'll combine these basics in different ways- half loops to inverted, then roll upright, and immelmans- half loop with an immediate roll upright. 

Sixth is half cubans- 5/8 loop stopping 30-45 degrees towards the ground upside down, rolling upright still on the 30-45 degree down line, pull to level.   Optional are reverse half cubans, flying it in reverse- starting with a 45 degree line up, roll inverted, and 5/8 loop to upright.

Next will be vertical lines and hammerheads, pivoting at the end of a straight line up to a straight line down.

Spins follow- 1 to 2 turn spins first to learn the basics, then competition spins ending first on a planned heading then in a vertical line down.  

The ninth task is multiturn spins, and start reviewing what you've learned as well as practice aborted maneuvers.   At some point here or before, we'll do some competition turns- a stylized turn with 60 degree banks and 2-3 G forces.

Tenth is a review of all the maneuvers, and finally putting all this together in a sequence.  You've got more than enough skills by this point to fly the Primary Category in an aerobatic contest!