Thirteen budding aerobatic pilots arrived (on time) along with instructors, aeroplanes and officials. This in spite of quite inauspicious weather – 6/8ths cloud cover at 2000 feet. We used the morning to allow the pilots all a training flight away from the field where they could dodge the cloud and get used to their mounts. The aeroplanes were quite a mix – Cap 10s (Bs and Cs), Yak52s and a Slingsby Firefly. I was very impressed by pilots stall turning the Yak proficiently to the right, and then realised if you have hardly ever done it to the left then why should it pose a problem?

After a pleasant sandwich lunch in the sun a briefing by Chief Judge Ian preceded some excellent flying. Everyone coped very well with a strong (15 knots?) wind, no-one flew who we could not expect to see compete at Standard – the top1/3 scoring over 70%. The judges were no less belligerent / more generous than usual. As a result of ‘proper’ judging the pilots all gained some useful feedback and no doubt grew in confidence and ability as a result. In the end Neil Thorburn came out a worthy winner with Jim Dowe and Jez Burgoin a VERY close second and third.

A special thank you must be made to Loop magazine for enabling this contest to happen, it introduced some able and keen people to the small world of competition aerobatics. I hope and am sure we will see many of these faces again. Thanks also to Mark for providing the use of his airfield which in the sun is a great spot. Mark and I also managed to scratch the itch by flying a couple of times, as Mark said it is nice to encourage…. and show off – surely not, that would be unprofessional.

Most of all thanks to the instructors; Simon Janvrin, Phil O'Donoghue, John Calverley and Ian Austin. They worked hard all day and it was their efforts that enabled everyone to improve, fly safely and have fun.

I saw one pilot who had flown well but screwed up a figure. Having been apparently relaxed all day he told me ‘I am really quite angry’, it is that competitiveness and desire to do it again but better that will see him come back for more and more – he is hooked, I recognise the symptoms.

I recently heard an American unlimited pilot lamenting ”you spend thousands of hours flying, spending thousands of pounds, using all of your time and travelling thousands of miles… just to hear your friends tell you that you fly like crap.... Why". Well today may not have helped anyone answer that imponderable but I hope it started a few off on the road to spending that time and effort to become better pilots and enjoy the inexplicable lure of competition aerobatics.
Kester Scrope
Contest Director