Aerobatic flying is complete freedom. Explore all 360 degrees of roll and pitch and make flying truly a dynamic three dimensional experience.
By exploring aerobatics you will learn complete aircraft control regardless of aircraft attitude or airspeed. You will get to know the once unfamiliar areas of the flight envelope that will further your piloting skill, confidence and safety margins. You will also experience a truly unique and exciting type of flying you wont soon forget. For some this can lead to an addiction!
We teach aerobatics to competition standards and precision. Prior to the flight the Instructor will brief the mechanics of the flight maneuvers. Emphasis will be placed on learning and understanding the aerodynamic fundamentals of what is actually happening during these maneuvers which will lead to better execution and more efficient learning.
We utilize a training syllabus based on "Better Aerobatics" by Alan Cassidy. The training will be conducted in the Pitts S-2B.
This course will take someone unfamiliar with aerobatics and progress them to a proficiency level needed for solo aerobatic flight. Emphasis will be placed on unusual attitude recovery (botched maneuvers), spin recovery, situational awareness and precision aerobatic flying. This includes basic maneuvers such as rolls, loops, hammerheads, inverted flight, immelmans, split s, cuban 8s, spins
Designed for the pilot familiar with aerobatics looking to fine tune certain maneuvers, explore more physically demanding and complex figures such as gyroscopic, vertical and outside maneuvers.
Give someone the gift they will never forget. The lucky recipient will receive an aerobatic flight that will explore the entire envelope of the aircraft. The -3 to +6 G range of the aircraft will be reached multiple times. Maneuvers included will be torque rolls, tailslides, lomcevaks, outside loops, outside sequential snap rolls and more. Or if you're looking for more of a relaxed/scenic flight, we can do that too! The flight will last until you beg for the earth above or upon reaching fuel limitations.
USA Aerobatics offers a Pitts Checkout Course. Whether you are the proud new owner of a Pitts or someone just looking for a new challenge, we can help you succeed in mastering the Pitts. The Pitts' reputation of being nearly impossible to fly/land is simply not true. Anyone with sound tailwheel fundamentals will be able to handle a Pitts with the proper training. If you are looking for a S-1 checkout, we will conduct most of the training from the front seat of the S-2B to simulate the sight picture of an S-1.
Other biplane checkouts are offered including the Stearman, Christen Eagle, Tiger Moth, Stampe, etc. Please feel free to ask if a specific type is not listed.
3-10 Hours (Very dependent on pilot)
This course will mainly focus on the takeoff and landing phases of flight. Checkout time will vary from client to client depending on tailwheel proficiency, flight currency and individual learning curve. We have had customers checkout in as little as two flights and some who take a bit longer.
Develop better stick and rudder skills by learning the handling characteristics of a tailwheel aircraft. You will learn how to control a tailwheel aircraft's unstable nature on the ground. Besides being a lot of fun you will better your piloting skills.
For those of you looking to receive initial tailwheel training we have access to a Piper J-3 Cub and American Champion 180HP Citabria. Once you have developed Tailwheel fundamentals, we can then transition you into the Pitts S-2B if you desire.
This course is for everyone. Statistics show that stall/spin accidents account for a large number of accidents in general aviation. We strive to change that and to have some fun doing it.
We fly airplanes that exhibit stability is all axes. Unfortunately there can be instances where airplanes exhibit instability. This instability can occur in most aircraft upon exceeding the critical angle of attack (pulling the stick back too far). If the wing is flown beyond the critical alpha long enough the chances of a lift/drag differential developing between the wings during this period is high. Unless there is a counteractive control input, the lift/drag differential will cause the airplane to seek a stable flight condition which is autorotation. You are now spinning. In this flight regime flight controls act differently, forces show up which normally are not found, you are disoriented and have limited time to fix this problem. If this doesn't quite "click" with you, we understand as most pilots exhibit limited knowledge in the areas of autorotation (spins).
-Not enough emphasis placed during primary training.
-Aircraft can stall at ANY airspeed. Keeping your airspeed "up" will NOT keep you from
stalling and potential spin entry. Excess Angle of Attack is the culprit not lack of
airspeed. This can be traced back to a lack of understanding basic aircraft flying
fundamentals or simply faulty logic.
-Lack of Exposure. Most pilots have not experienced spins and their disorienting nature.
This can lead to "freezing up" and panic when quick control responses are absolutely
critical.
-Spins tend to occur in close proximity to the ground during the approach and departure
phase of flight. This makes spin recovery very difficult if not impossible to achieve.
Therefore prevention is emphasized and taught.
-Spin recovery control inputs can be counter-intuitive. What one might think to be anti-spin
control inputs can actually be pro-spin. Recovery control inputs must be ingrained
into your muscle memory. This only comes from actual practice in an actual airplane.
-Stall/Accelerated Stall Avoidance
-Recognition between autorotative and non-autorotative upsets
-Controlling the aircraft in a stalled condition
-Spin recognition, avoidance and recovery
-Exploration and Awareness of pro-spin and anti-spin control inputs in a spin.
-Upright (normal, accelerated, flat) spins -Inverted (normal, accelerated, flat) spins -Crossover spins
A detailed spin training syllabus is used.
3-5 Hours (Pitts S-2B) This course will cover in flight spin recognition, all spin modes and recovery. It will also teach avoiding the "spin prone" flight envelope. At the completion of this course you will be competent in identifying and recovering from all spin modes from varying entries. Very recommended before flying solo aerobatics.
1-3 Hours (Pitts S-2B) This course will cover FAA CFI spin endorsement requirements. The course will also focus on "student induced" spin scenarios and teaching methods.
