Aerobatics

[Airdale]

Are there any Aerobatic pilots on here?

As a kid I was always fascinated with those airplanes and what they did in the sky. I was told when I was younger that those people don't make careers out of aerobatics, just a fun thing on the side, so I never looked into it. Well flying for the airlines doesn't look like much of a career either, depending on who you talk to. What about aerobatics? I know you've got to be good, but is there a future in that? I'm definitely going to take some lessons some day just for fun, because it looks like a blast. I took a ride in a Pitts once, did snaps, rolls, loops, spins, knife edges etc. It was the most fun I've had in an airplane.

 

[n57flyguy]

Are there any Aerobatic pilots on here?

As a kid I was always fascinated with those airplanes and what they did in the sky. I was told when I was younger that those people don't make careers out of aerobatics, just a fun thing on the side, so I never looked into it. Well flying for the airlines doesn't look like much of a career either, depending on who you talk to. What about aerobatics? I know you've got to be good, but is there a future in that? I'm definitely going to take some lessons some day just for fun, because it looks like a blast. I took a ride in a Pitts once, did snaps, rolls, loops, spins, knife edges etc. It was the most fun I've had in an airplane.

Matt Chapmen is an airline pilot and a professional aerobatic pilot. That guy is just crazy... Hes at my local airport to!

 

[derg]

Are there any Aerobatic pilots on here?

My neighbor and fellow co-worker:

Jeff Boerboon, USA's Advance National Aerobatic Team... But a UND grad eww!

He's going to go whip ass for the US in Poland this fall.

 

[n57flyguy]

My neighbor and fellow co-worker:

Jeff Boerboon, USA's Advance National Aerobatic Team... But a UND grad eww!

He's going to go whip ass for the US in Poland this fall.

Hell yeah, hes good.

 

[derg]

He's on the 767-400 in LAX.

Jeff's junior to me so he occasionally says, "Hey man, it sucks, don't come to LA..."

 

[n57flyguy]

Sweet, I think Matt is an FO on an MD-80 for AA

 

[Nick]

I was fortunate enough to do about fifteen hours of aerobatic flying with various instructors. It was fun, but I don't think I'd ever buy my own Extra 300 and fly it around even if I had a million dollars.

I enjoyed the aerobatic flying that I did, but, for me, the G-force really gets old after a few minutes. Initially I'd feel airsick but after getting used to that I was okay. Even when airsickness was no longer a problem though, the g-force is still there and I guess some people don't mind pulling 6Gs or getting that hanging-from-the-monkeybars feeling when doing negative Gs. I'd love to go for a ride in a fighter jet -- once. After that I know I'd tire of it quickly.
I never really considered that aspect of it until I was in the airplane. Now I would probably enjoy doing aerobatics on my computer in MS flight sim more than a real airplane.

I did have a chance to sit down with Rob Holland a few years ago and some of my friends and I had a conversation with him about his flying and he showed us some videos of his competitions. He and the rest on the USA Aerobatic Team on the site Doug linked are awesome to watch!

About 5-10 hours of aerobatics will certainly improve any pilot's skills.

 

[DE727UPS]

"Jeff's junior to me so he occasionally says, "Hey man, it sucks, don't come to LA..."

That's like the guys junior to me who said how much hot PHX sucks. I spend more hours watching TV than away from PHX on duty.

 

[Timmypig]

I got side tracked doing my PPL ..... I ended up endorsed for all the 'inside' manoeuvres before I had even done a X-country solo!

I've mostly flown Citabria 7GCBCs for my aerobatics, so it's been nice gentle stuff, by and large. The school were I learnt to fly now has a fairly new Pitts S2B online .... I might have to get acquainted with it.

I don't think there's much of a career in aeros, but I can't think of any sort of flying I'd rather do.

 

[fish314]

I fly (and teach) some aero for military pilot training. Mostly the easy stuff, though. Loops, aileron and barrel rolls, cuban and lazy 8's, chandelles, immelmans, clover leafs and split s's. We also do spins and we do some of the acro (the loops, cloverleafs, and barrel rolls) in formation, but it's a really wide formation (500'-1000' spacing).


FUN AS ALL HECK, THOUGH!!!
:nana2:

Now, the Tweet (see the avatar) is NO fighter, but after about 6 months of it your tolerance builds up and 5g's gets to be no big deal. I imagine negative g's probably gets to be the same way, but I still think they suck!