Aerobatics

What are aerobatics?

Aerobatics, stunt flying or aeros is the flying of manoeuvres that are not used in ‘normal’ flight involving unusual attitudes. Usually an aerobatic sequence is flown comprising of several figures (manoeuvres).

A brief history of Aerobatics

In the 1920s and 30s, Aerobatics was called ‘stunt flying’ in America and Britain and was done by ‘daredevil birdmen’. It later became known as ‘aerial acrobatics’ which was then shortened to aerobatics and became a respectable extension of ‘normal flight’ and was soon taken seriously. Aerobatics to the French was voltage aerienne and to the Spanish (where Aresti Aguirre came from, founder of the cryptographic dictionary of aerobatics) it was vuelo artistic. (Information taken from John Blake, Flight Unlimited ’95).

Aerobatics today

Aerobatics has evolved a lot since its beginning. People still fly aerobatics simply for enjoyment while others compete and display. The FAI, the Federation Aeronautique Internationale are the world governing body for all air sports and CIVA, Commission Internationale de Voltige Aerienne is responsible for the administration of aerobatic competitions worldwide under auspices of the FAI. In Britain, all aerobatic competition are run by the BAeA, British Aerobatic Assosiation.