aerobatics

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Patty Wagstaff show at JeffCo Airport

Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight.^[1][2] Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment and sport. Some helicopters, such as the MBB Bo 105, are capable of limited aerobatic maneuvers.^[3] The term is sometimes referred to as acrobatics, especially when translated.

Most aerobatic maneuvers involve rotation of the aircraft about its longitudinal (roll) axis or lateral (pitch) axis. Other maneuvers, such as a spin, displace the aircraft about its vertical (yaw) axis.^[4] Maneuvers are often combined to form a complete aerobatic sequence for entertainment or competition.

Aerobatic flying requires a broader set of piloting skills and exposes the aircraft to greater structural stress than for normal flight.^[5] In some countries, the pilot must wear a parachute when performing aerobatics.^[6]

While many pilots fly aerobatics for recreation, some choose to fly in aerobatic competitions, a judged sport.^[7]

Overview

The Utterly Butterly wingwalking team perform an aerobatic maneuver with their Boeing Stearmans

In the early days of flying, some pilots used their aircraft as part of a flying circus to entertain.

Maneuvers were flown for artistic reasons or to draw gasps from onlookers. In due course some of these maneuvers were found to allow aircraft to gain tactical advantage during aerial combat or dogfights between fighter aircraft.

Aerobatic aircraft fall into two categories — specialist aerobatic, and aerobatic capable. Specialist designs such as the Pitts Special, the Extra 200 and 300, and the Sukhoi Su-29 aim for ultimate aerobatic performance. This comes at the expense of general purpose use such as touring, or ease of non aerobatic handling such as landing. At a more basic level, aerobatic capable aircraft, such as the Cessna 152 Aerobat model, can be dual purpose—equipped to carrying passengers and luggage, as well as being capable of basic aerobatic figures.

Flight formation aerobatics are flown by teams of up to sixteen aircraft, although most teams fly between four and ten aircraft.^[8] Some are state funded to reflect pride in the armed forces whilst others are commercially sponsored. Coloured smoke trails may be emitted to emphasise the patterns flown and/or the colours of a national flag. Usually each team will use aircraft similar to one another finished in a special and dramatic colour scheme, thus emphasising their entertainment function.

Teams often fly V-formations (otherwise known as echelon formation)— they will not fly directly behind another aircraft because of danger from wake vortices or engine exhaust. Aircraft will always fly slightly below the aircraft in front, if they have to follow in line (the "trail formation").

The UK Swift Aerobatic Display Team at Kemble Battle of Britain Weekend 2009. A Swift glider is performing continuous full rolls while towed by a Piper Pawnee

Aerobatic maneuvers flown in a jet-powered aircraft are limited in scope as they cannot take advantage of the gyroscopic forces that a propeller driven aircraft can exploit. Jet-powered aircraft also tend to fly much faster which increases the size of the figures and the length of time which the pilot has to withstand increased g-forces. Jet aerobatic teams often fly in formations which further restricts the maneuvers that can be safely flown.

To enhance the effect of aerobatic maneuveres smoke is sometimes generated; the smoke allows viewers to see the path travelled by the aircraft. Due to safety concerns, the smoke is not a result of combustion but is produced by the vaporization of fog oil into a fine aerosol, achieved either by injecting the oil into the hot engine exhaust^[9] or by the use of a dedicated device^[10] that can be fitted in any position on the aircraft. The first military aerobatic team to use smoke at will during displays was Fleet Air Arm 702 Squadron "The Black Cats" at the Farnborough Air show in September 1957.^[11]

Training

Aerobatics are taught to military fighter pilots as a means of developing flying skills and for tactical use in combat.

Aerobatics and formation flying is not limited solely to fixed-wing aircraft; the British Army, Royal Navy, Spanish Air Force and the Indian Air Force, among others, have helicopter display teams.

All aerobatic maneuvers demand training and practice to avoid accidents. Such accidents are rare but can result in fatalities. Low-level aerobatics are extremely demanding and airshow pilots must demonstrate their ability before being allowed to gradually reduce the height at which they may fly their show.

Competition

Competitions start at Primary, or Graduate level and proceed in complexity through Sportsman, Intermediate and Advanced, with Unlimited being the top competition level. Experienced aerobatic pilots have been measured to pull +/-5g for short periods while unlimited pilots can perform more extreme maneuvers and experience higher g levels -possibly up to +8/-6g.^[12] The limits for positive g are higher than for negative g and this is due to the ability to limit blood pooling for positive g maneuvers, but it is generally accepted that +9 g for more than a few seconds will lead to loss of consciousness (also known as GLOC).^[12][13]

Performance

The Australian Roulettes

A head-on pass performed by the Frecce Tricolori

The Red Arrows in Apollo formation (2010)

Black Ealges

Patrouille de France producing colored smoke during an air show

"Blue Impulse" (JASDF)

Aerobatics are most likely to be seen at a public airshows. Famous teams include:

• Aerostars
• Asas de Portugal (Portuguese Air Force)
• August 1st (People's Liberation Army Air Force)
• Black Cats (Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm - United Kingdom)
• Black Eagles (Republic of Korea Air Force)
• Black Knights (Republic of Singapore Air Force)
• Blue Angels (United States Navy)
• Blue Diamonds (Philippine Air Force)
• Blue Eagles (Army Air Corps—United Kingdom)
• Blue Impulse (Japan Air Self-Defense Force)
• Breitling Jet Team (private (Breitling))
• Cartouche doré (French Air Force)
• Cruz del Sur ("Southern Cross"—Argentine Air Force)
• Diables Rouges (Belgian Air Force)
• Elang Biru (Indonesian Air Force)
• Esquadrilha da Fumaça (Smoke Squadron - Brazilian Air Force)
• Frecce Tricolori (Italian Air Force)
• F-16 Demo Team (Hellenic Air Force—Greece)
• Halcones (Falcons-Chilean Air Force)
• Hungarian Sky Hussars (Imitated Dogfight with MIG-21 bis - Hungarian Air Force)
• Green Hawk (Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, Thailand)
• Midnight Hawks (Finnish Air Force)
• Orlik Aerobatic Team, White-Red Sparks (known also as Team Iskry), Scorpion (aerobatic team) (Polish Air Forces)
• Patrouille de France (French Air Force)
• Patrouille Suisse (Swiss Air Force)
• Patrulla Aguila, Patrulla Aspa (Eagle Patrol; Blade Patrol—Spanish Air Force)
• Red Arrows (Royal Air Force—United Kingdom)
• Red Checkers (Royal New Zealand Air Force)
• Red Pelicans, Rothmans, Silver Falcons (South African Air Force)
• Rotores de Portugal (Portuguese Air Force—Helicopters)
• Roulettes (Royal Australian Air Force)
• Royal Jordanian Falcons (Royal Jordanian Air Force)
• Russian Knights, Strizhi (Swifts), Rus, Falcons of Russia (Russian Air Force)
• Sagar Pawan (Indian Navy)
• Sanmueang (Royal Thai Air Force)
• Sarang (Indian Air Force)
• Saudi Hawks, (Royal Saudi Air Force)
• Sherdils (Pakistan Air Force)
• Silver Falcons (South African Air Force)
• Silver Swallows Irish Air Corps
• Snowbirds (Canadian Forces)
• Surya Kiran (Indian Air Force)
• Team Jupiter (Indonesian Air Force)
• Team 60 (Swedish Air Force)
• Team RV Formation Demontration Team
• The Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team (civilian, Czech Republic)
• Thunder Tiger (Republic of China Air Force)
• Thunderbirds (United States Air Force)
• Turkish Stars (Türk Yıldızları) (Turkish Air Force)
• Ukrainian Falcons (Ukrainian Air Force)
• Wings of Storm (Croatian Air Force)
• Grupa Akrobacyjna ŻELAZNY (civilian, Republic of Poland)

Former teams

Stunt flyer flying low in a Curtiss Pusher plane, California, circa 1927

Martin B-57B-MA Serial 52-1560 of the 71st Light Bomber Squadron - 1957. This aircraft was also one of the "Black Knights" aerial acrobatic team. After its withdrawal from France in 1958, this aircraft was eventually assigned to the 8th Tactical Bomb Squadron at Phan Rang Air Base South Vietnam and flew combat bombing missions into the late 1960s.

• Akrobatika (a particular Squadron from Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil)
• Yellowjacks (UK, RAF)
• Black Arrows (No. 111 Squadron RAF, 1950s)
• Blue Herons (UK, Royal Navy, FRADU)
• Simon's Sircus (UK, Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm)
• Fred's Five (UK, Royal Navy, 892 Naval Air Squadron)
• The Sharks (UK, Royal Navy, 705 Naval Air Squadron)
• Blue Diamonds (No. 92 Squadron RAF)
• Leteće zvezde (SFR Yugoslav Air Force)
• The Tigers (No. 74 Squadron RAF)
• The Firebirds (No. 56 Squadron RAF)
• The Red Pelicans (UK, RAF)
• The Red Knight (Royal Canadian Air Force)
• Golden Hawks (Royal Canadian Air Force)
• Golden Centennaires (Royal Canadian Air Force)
• Acrojets (USAF Fighter School at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona 1949-1950)
• Acrojets (USAFE at Fürstenfeldbruck AB, Germany in the mid-1950s)
• Skyblazers (USAFE at Fürstenfeldbruck AB, Germany from late 1940s to 1962)
• The Black Knights (38th Tactical Bombardment Wing, USAFE, 1950s)
• Flying Jokers (Squadron 332, Royal Norwegian Air Force)
• Golden Sabres (Philippine Air Force)
• Silver Birds (Austrian Armed Forces)
• Karo Ass (Diamonds Ace) (1975-1984 - Austrian Armed Forces)
• Cavallino Rampante (Prancing Horse) (1950-52 and 1956-57 - Italian Air Force)
• Getti Tonanti (Thundering Jets) (1953-55 and 1959-60 - Italian Air Force)
• Tigri Bianche (White Tigers) (1955-56 - Italian Air Force)
• Diavoli Rossi (Red Devils) (1957-59 - Italian Air Force)
• Lancieri Neri (Black Lancers) (1960- Italian Air Force)
• Taj-Talaee (Golden Crown) (1955-1979 -Imperial Iranian Air Force)

In popular culture

Video games

• Flight Unlimited

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aerobatics

• Aerobatics (radio-controlled aircraft)
• Air racing
• Aresti Catalog
• Competition aerobatics
• Flight dynamics
• Flypast
• HASELL
• Aerobatic maneuver
• Aero GP
• Aerobatic pilots

Notes

External links

• Audio of an aerobatic ride with air show performer Brett Hunter in a Pitts S-2C
• Audio of an aerobatic ride with air show performer Michael Mancuso in an Extra 300L
• Aerobatics and formation in New Zealand
• Aerobatic maneuver website

v d e Modern aerobatic teams Military Jet aircraft     RCAF Snowbirds PLAAF August 1st UAEAF Al Fursan FiAF Midnight Hawks FAF Patrouille de France HAF F-16 Demo Team IAF Surya Kiran IN Sagar Pawan IAC Silver Swallows IAF Frecce Tricolori JASDF Blue Impulse PAF Sherdils PAF Blue Diamonds PAF Team Iskry PoAF Asas de Portugal VVS Russian Knights VVS Strizhi RSAF Saudi Hawks RSAF Black Knights ROKAF Black Eagles SAF Patrulla Aguila SAF Team 60 SAF Patrouille Suisse TUAF Turkish Stars TUAF Solo Turk UAF Ukrainian Falcons RAF Red Arrows USAF Thunderbirds USN / USMC Blue Angels Propeller aircraft     FAA Escuadrón Cruz del Sur RAAF Roulettes FAB Smoke Squadron TUDB Alap-Alap Formation FACh Halcones CroAF Wings of Storm IAF Aerobatic Team RJ Royal Jordanian Falcons FAM Escuadrilla Cuauhpopoca RMAF Marche Verte TUDM Kris Sakti RNZAF Red Checkers PAF Orlik Aerobatic Team SAAF Silver Falcons SAF PC-7 Team Rotorcraft     VVS Berkuts IAF Sarang AoPLF Scorpion team PoAF Rotores de Portugal SAF Patrulla Aspa AAC Blue Eagles RN Black Cats Civilian Jet aircraft Breitling Jet Team · Patriots Jet Team · Starfighters Inc Propeller aircraft Horsemen Aerobatic Team · GEICO Skytypers · AeroSuperBatics (as Breitling Wingwalkers)