Competition Aerobatics?

[urflyingme?!]

Anybody here ever compete in aerobatics?
Just curious what it's like!

 

[88_MALIBU]

Aerobatics is the only way pilots can compete like atheletes. I dont do it in competition, but I spend a week each year flying at Fighter Combat.

 

[urflyingme?!]

Hey malibu, while I got your attention, can a pilot fly for angelflight without his own plane/$$$ to rent?

 

[Fury220]

Aerobatics is the only way pilots can compete like atheletes. I dont do it in competition, but I spend a week each year flying at Fighter Combat.

Flying Air to Air is a helluva lot tougher competition than athletics...winning = living to see the sun set...

Aerobatics are cool, but APPLIED aerobatics are even better

 

[VNugget]

There's a couple of guys at the studentpilot.com forum's Aerobatics section that fly competition, I'm sure they'd be glad to help you out with any questinons...

 

[urflyingme?!]

Thanks I'll check it out!

VN, what mission are you going for?

 

[VNugget]

Er... mission? What do you mean? What my goals in aviation are?

 

[typhoonpilot]

There should be a few people on here that compete, or have before. You want to contact the International Aerobatic Club ( IAC ), they are a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association ( EAA ). They sanction all the aerobatic contests in the United States. There are five levels of competition; Basic, Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, and Unlimited. Basic is just loop, roll, and spin. Sportsman adds Cubans, Reverse Cubans, Immelmann, Split S, and Hammerhead. It just keeps getting more complicated from there.

The IAC recognizes certain schools in the USA as being the better ones for learning aerobatics. Best to learn from someone who has competition experience if that is what you are after.

A long time ago I took a few courses with an unlimited competitor and was judged for Basic and Sportsman smooth patches, but I never got a chance to compete. Just didn't have the time or money to pursue it. I hope to do so some day.

TP

 

[urflyingme?!]

Vnugget for some reason i thought you were a mil guy.....

 

[Fury220]

Ain't that the truth! You guys do much in the -38? I can't imagine much a a turning fight between two of those...

Yeah -- she's got a turning circle the size of Oprah's a$$.

We do some limited air to air stuff...mostly Fluid Maneuvering (which is the USAF's introduction to BFM, I suppose). Since the jet won't square any corners or turn up inside its own a$$hole, it's a good jet to learn turn circle entry and energy management. Bad application of either skills in the -38 is always painfully obvious.

Oh well...I still love 'er. Hit M1.2 the other day at FL 350 after climbing to FL390 in about a minute in a half. Let me see your Goshawk do THAT!

 

[Fury220]

1.04 is about all it's good for... lets see the -38 land in under 300 feet

We just picked up an AF exchange instructor that was an Eagle guy I think... hoping to get some ACM time in with him.

Arrested landings DON'T count

I mean, I could hit the BAK-15 and get the jet stopped in MUCH less than 300', but what's the skill in that? haha


I didn't know you guys could break the mach. Do you guys have burner?


Chances are the Eagle guy'll toast ya, man. Just don't drop the soap in front of him. LOL

 

[Fury220]

Ya I meant I was hoping for some ACM time with him in MY cockpit! No.. no burner... you gotta start high, go to MRT and be coming down hill... but it'll do it!

Even if arrested landings don't count, I can still get it stopped in 3-4K if you stand on the brakes. Wanna compare take-off rolls? Hehehehe Cat shots count.

Haha...yeah, I'm sure learning will take place with the Eagle guy, but I'd make sure he's up front. Ya know what they say about Eagle guys when they're behind ya...

Do you guys have an actual "supersonic fam ride" in your program? We still do one here at Sheppard, but it's basically just an "I did it" ride. Not a whole lot worthwhile in the whole thing...

"Ok, man, did you see the needles jump?"

"Yes, sir."

"Great. Look at the Machmeter...we're supersonic."

"Yawn"


With a min-roll approach/landing, I can *typically* get a T-38 stopped in 4K', but you're taking a pretty big risk for hot brakes. I don't need much more than 5K of runway to get it stopped under normal conditions.

Taking off on a 5k' runway is a TOTALLY different deal, though. I'd LOVE to try at cat shot...at least once...

 

[Fury220]

No.. the only time the thing goes supersonic is on maint. flights. Wierd things start happening around .96 or so. It's not exactly the most aerodynamic thing past about .92.

You're not missing much, really.

The only cool thing about our supersonic ride is the A/B climb. I love how Ft Worth Center can barely keep up with the pace!

 

[MarineGrunt]

Supersonic... air-to-air.......... whatever....

Can you guys get up and go to the sh!tter in your airplane? I think not!

 

[88_MALIBU]

Baahahaha

 

[Fury220]

Supersonic... air-to-air.......... whatever....

Can you guys get up and go to the sh!tter in your airplane? I think not!

Sure. I just unstrap and cr@p into my helmet bag.