In these days of 'hi-tech' developments in general aviation, it's nice to know that some of the simple pleasures of 'hands-on' flying are still available to those who want to share the thrill of flying just for the fun of it! Basic aerobatic training allows you to experience the timeless fascination of three-dimensional freedom - A freedom which has been shared by aviators through the ages and has endured in spite of all of the advances in technology and performance.

Aerobatic training is conducted in a Decathlon or in your own aerobatic machine. Training can take you to simple individual manoeuvres, or to competition standard with the Australian Aerobatic Club - your choice. All aerobatic training is conducted by highly experienced and dedicated aerobatic instructors.

According to the CARs there really is no such thing as 'an aerobatic rating'. A pilot simply has to be certified as competent to perform those manoeuvres he/she wishes to fly. There is no specified theory syllabus apart from the thorough briefings you will receive during your training. Once you have started your training and have covered spinning, you can 'get off the bus' whenever you like and can fly those manoeuvres that have been certified in your log book.

The reasons why people take up aerobatic training are many and varied. They include;

Many pilots feel that when they have completed their normal flying training and gained their pilot's licence, there are still areas of the aeroplane's performance envelope that they have never experienced. They want to be certain that if they ended up in some unusual attitude one day, they would be able to affect a safe recovery. They just want the confidence of knowing that they have visited every corner of the performance envelope. People who begin with this "I don't know if I'll like it but I just want to do it" attitude often become dedicated 'g-junkies' in the end!

There is no doubt that aerobatic training will change your level of skill. Probably the most important change occurs in the pilot's attitude towards control inputs in flight. Many low time pilots have a rather timid attitude when it comes to applying adequate and appropriate control inputs. Aerobatic training teaches the pilot to confidently apply whatever control input is necessary to achieve a desired response. Many find that after aerobatic training their performance improves in other areas, such as landing in difficult conditions. These areas would appear unrelated to aerobatics, but what has changed is the pilot's attitude.

Competition aerobatics is an exciting sport. Aerobatic competition is structured to allow competitors to enter at a level which is compatible with their current experience. At the 'Basic' level the beginner can first experience the competition environment and still enjoy the fellowship and encouragement that is such an important part of any sport. At the other end of the scale, the 'Unlimited' level is the business end of competition aerobatics offering the competitor the opportunity to go as far as the World Aerobatic Championships.

If you do not have access to a suitable aerobatic trainer, we recommend the Decathlon. Unlike some other light aerobatic aircraft, the Decathlon was designed from the drawing board as an aerobatic aircraft.

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Its almost symmetrical wing section, inverted fuel and oilsystems and joy-stick control allows the Decathlon to achieve superior aerobatic performance.Because the aircraft is capable of performing the basic aerobatic manoeuvres effortlessly, the student enjoys early success in flying them and is encouraged by this positive feed-back.

So what! Tailwheel aircraft are not difficult to fly - just different. Once you have been trained in the techniques of tailwheel handling, you will come to realise that 'different' does not mean 'difficult'. In fact a tailwheel special feature endorsement is an asset to any pilot's log book.

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