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Removing barriers to aerobatics: (IAC Competition on a Dime!)

ronschreck

ronschreck

Well Known Member
I hear it time after time: ?I?d like to get into aerobatic competition but it?s just too expensive?. And I get it. If money was no barrier to competition we would be flying an Extra, MX or some other exotic bad-*ss aerobatic monoplane. But we fly RVs and the gas to get to and from a contest, hotels, parachute, and entry fees and on and on? It all adds up. There is a way.

1. Find a buddy with an interest in aerobatic competition.
2. Join the International Aerobatic Club (IAC). Dues for new members are half price right now!
3. Get with your local IAC chapter and tell them you want to start learning about competitive aerobatics. They will be VERY helpful.
4. Practice. You should have your buddy coach you from the ground. If you try doing it without coaching you will only become very proficient at doing it the wrong way!
5. Find a contest near you and sign up.
6. You and your buddy fly to the contest in one airplane. Share travel expenses.
7. Stay in a hotel with your buddy. Share a room.
8. Share a parachute with your buddy or borrow one from another competitor. If you are at a contest with me I will gladly share my chute. If you contact the Contest Director before the contest he/she will gladly arrange for a borrowed chute.

If you encounter any other barriers to competition that I haven?t covered send me a PM with your phone number or email address and I?ll do whatever I can to help you out. The season starts on March 17th in Donnellon, FL (X35). I?ll be there. Come join in the fun!
 
sandifer said:
Yeah Ron - the dang Wx! Guess I need to equip my Pitts so I can file and make more contests. :)
Click to expand...


Eric,

That's where RVs shine! I can't tell you how many times I have had to file to get to or from an air show or contest. All those Pitts and bad-*ss monoplane pilots get real envious of our IFR birds.
 
acroflyrgirl said:
I see there are no spins until Adv. Can Sportsman power still design their own free?
Click to expand...

Yes. Sportsman competitors may fly a FREE program for their second and third flight. You are not required to fly a FREE sequence. Most Sportsmen competitors fly the KNOWN sequence for all three flights. The FREE sequence must have the same difficulty (126K) as the KNOWN sequence. There are other restrictions which are outlined in the IAC Rule Book.
 
Primary Known 2015-16

Also note that the Primary Known for 2016 is the same as the 2015:
https://www.iac.org/files/Sequences/PRMP-Known-2015.pdf Unfortunately my RV 4 is more like a Pitts for traveling- no IFR, wood prop so no rain, over grossed and out of C.G. with passenger and baggage, and sore butt from sitting on the "softie" parachute. If I hadn't left from Sebring Saturday morning before the 3rd Sportsman flight, I'd still be in Florida from the weather. See you in Dunnelion, FL with airplane if the weather permits. Still grinning from all the fun and new friends we met. Hope everyone brings their A game this time.:cool:
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower Alabama
 
Safety Pilot

It occurs to me that there is another barrier to competition that needs to be discussed. Many prospective aerobatic competitors may feel uneasy about their ability to safely recover their aircraft if they inadvertently mess up a figure and depart controlled flight. Certainly the first step in learning aerobatics is to get competent instruction and a competent instructor's first challenge is to teach departure and spin recovery techniques. Here's the good new for those that still may be concerned about their ability to safely handle their airplane in competition; you may fly with a safety pilot! Here's what the IAC Rule Book says about it:

"The competitor will be the sole occupant of the aircraft during competition flights except in
Primary through Intermediate power categories and all glider categories, wherein ?safety pilots? are
authorized as passengers. The competitor has the sole responsibility for determining the qualifications
of an individual to act as a Safety Pilot in the competitor's make and model aircraft."

I hope this effectively removes yet another barrier to competition. Go fly. Have fun!
 
Intro to Aerobatics in the north east

I would someday love to do competition aerobatics and I think the RV's are a perfect plane for the amateur competitor.... Could you tell me the best steps to introduce myself into learning aerobatics. I'm based at Somerset, NJ and own a RV7A. Thanks.
 
jhk770 said:
I would someday love to do competition aerobatics and I think the RV's are a perfect plane for the amateur competitor....
Could you tell me the best steps to introduce myself into learning aerobatics. I'm based at Somerset, NJ and own a RV7A. Thanks.
Click to expand...

IAC Chapter 52 is nearby:

IAC Chapter 52
Suffern, NY US
President: Fellenzer John
845-978-0511
Meetings: 1st Sat., 7:00 PM
Location: Contact President
[email protected]
http://IAC52.eaachapter.org

Contact the chapter and they will likely know the best aerobatic instructors in the area. Get some basic instruction. It's OK if that is in a
Decathlon or Extra. Most chapters have practice days where you can get some great coaching once you start aerobatics in your RV.
Go to a contest and fly the Primary sequence or just go and volunteer to see what it's all about. The contest calendar on the IAC web site
will list the 2016 events shortly after the new year. Good luck. PM me if you need more information.
 
Removing Barriers

Removing barriers to entry should be an important objective of any organization. Ron is doing his part for the IAC. Like many, I'm intrigued by the idea of competing but put off a bit by the many rules, regs, equipment requirements and perhaps just a sense that it's beyond me.

I think of the IAC and can only see Sean Tucker or Patty Wagstaff tearing up the sky in their custom build unlimited machines. Clearly, that isn't for mere mortals like most of us.

I spent a few minutes with Ron on the phone today. He disabused me of most of those worries. I'll be competing with my little poorly equipped RV-4, piloted by a vastly inexperienced pilot, next season. I'll need LOTS of help and that's obviously what Ron and his IAC buddies are willing to offer. Count me in!
Randy
 
I think one barrier that exists, but can be dealt with, is the lower altitude where the competition is flown. This can scare off a number of people upon first hearing of it.

When I started acro training we were at 4000-5000 feet. The idea was to start lowering that height down to competition alts in stages.

So I believe part of the task list you give (and it's a good one) is to get training and confidence regarding flying the figures at lower alt.
 
Saville said:
I think one barrier that exists, but can be dealt with, is the lower altitude where the competition is flown. This can scare off a number of people upon first hearing of it.

When I started acro training we were at 4000-5000 feet. The idea was to start lowering that height down to competition alts in stages.

So I believe part of the task list you give (and it's a good one) is to get training and confidence regarding flying the figures at lower alt.
Click to expand...


FYI: Minimum altitude for sequences at the Primary and Sportsman levels is 1500' AGL. Maximum is 3500' AGL. Entering at the top of the box (3500' AGL), the Primary sequence can easily be completed above 2500' AGL. Having said that, I would recommend that pilots practice at higher altitudes until a higher degree of confidence and skill allows them to perform at lower altitudes.
 
In a recent post you mentioned a RV-9 was one 4 RV's to show up that day.

Considering Van's comment on the airplane -

"Think about the kind of flying you really do. Is the RV-9/9A a good match? If you?re a hard-core aerobatic type, perhaps not....."

- is the RV-9 OK under the Rules of Competition?

Just wondering about it.
 
David-aviator said:
- is the RV-9 OK under the Rules of Competition?
Click to expand...

See items "o" and "p" below from the IAC rule book. RV-9 is OK, a C-172 not so much.

2.3 AIRCRAFT AND EQUIPMENT ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

(a) Airworthiness Certificate.
(b) Aircraft Registration Certificate or military serial number designation.
(c) Aircraft operating limitations.
(d) Current aircraft weight and balance.
(e) Copies of entries from Aircraft and Engine Log Books, appropriate to the aircraft’s Airworthiness Certificate.
(f) Certificate of Insurance verifying coverage of $1,000,000 property damage and $100,000 single limit bodily injury minimum.
(g) Aircraft must not have obvious physical damage or potential structural problems as would be indicated by wrinkles in metal or fabric coverings or loose structural members.
(h) Complete freedom of movement of the controls is required.
(i) Aircraft must be free of foreign and loose objects.
(j) On cabin-type aircraft, the cabin door release mechanism must be operative and free of corrosion.
(k) Dual seat belts with separate attach points and a shoulder harness are mandatory for Advanced and Unlimited (power and glider) categories. The same equipment is strongly recommended for Primary, Sportsman, and Intermediate power categories, but is not mandatory except when IAC Technical Monitors deem them necessary for the sequence being flown in these categories.
(l) Hazardous conditions in the engine compartment such as cracked exhaust, fuel leaks, or excessive oil leaks which can be observed through cowl openings and service doors will be brought to the pilot’s attention and, if uncorrected, are grounds to deny registration of the aircraft.
(m) Propeller shall not have any apparent physical damage.
(n) The personal parachute or the aircraft’s ballistic recovery system, if so equipped, will be in good general condition and will be current in accordance with FAA regulations.
(o) Aircraft Structural Standards - Experimental (Amateur-built and Exhibition): The IAC cannot and does not purport or attempt to regulate or require aircraft structural standards for participation in the sport of aerobatics. Each competitor is solely responsible for insuring that his or her aircraft is structurally and mechanically safe and capable of performing whatever maneuver the competitor intends to fly. The Technical Committee shall promote conformity to FAA standards of construction and maintenance.
(p) Aircraft other than Experimental (Acrobatic): Structural standards for other than experimental aircraft are the responsibility of the controlling government agency. These aircraft must comply with the IAC entrance requirements. Aircraft will not be permitted to fly any maneuvers restricted by the licensing agency.
(q) A radio capable of transmitting and receiving common VHF frequencies.
(r) The use of a helmet is strongly recommended for all competitors and safety pilots, but is not mandatory.
 
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David-aviator said:
In a recent post you mentioned a RV-9 was one 4 RV's to show up that day.

Considering Van's comment on the airplane -

"Think about the kind of flying you really do. Is the RV-9/9A a good match? If you?re a hard-core aerobatic type, perhaps not....."

- is the RV-9 OK under the Rules of Competition?

Just wondering about it.
Click to expand...

Here is what the Rule Book says:

"Aircraft Structural Standards - Experimental (Amateur-built and Exhibition): The IAC cannot and does not purport or attempt to regulate or require aircraft structural standards for participation in the sport of aerobatics. Each competitor is solely responsible for insuring that his or her aircraft is structurally and mechanically safe and capable of performing whatever maneuver the competitor intends to fly. The Technical Committee shall promote conformity to FAA standards of construction and maintenance."

A copy of your Phase II Operating Limitations must be presented at the time of your technical inspection. While no tech inspector has ever read my Operating Limitations, if they did they would note that "the aircraft may only conduct those aerobatic flight maneuvers that have been satisfactorily accomplished during flight testing and recorded in the aircraft maintenance records....". I have noted the specific maneuvers tested and authorized with an appropriate notation in my log book.

So, any experimental aircraft can be flown in IAC competition if it meets the aforementioned criteria. Is the RV-9 a good match for IAC competition? I would say that it is an excellent match at the Primary level of competition and, in the right hands it may be a credible performer at the Sportsman level. The limiting factor is the utility category (+4.4/-1.75 G) at less than 1600 pound gross weight. Refer to the IAC Official Contest Rules, chapter 2.2 for more detailed information on aircraft/pilot requirements.

Let me tell you about Randol Webb. He is 79 years young and flies an unmodified 75 horsepower J-3 Cub in the Sportsman category. He has to take a legal break several times during competition flights because his carbureted engine stops during inverted flight and he needs to climb to continue the routine. Randol doesn't win contests but he sure has fun and has been a real inspiration to me. My guess is that Randol would kick butt if he flew a RV-9!
 
ronschreck said:
4. Practice. You should have your buddy coach you from the ground. If you try doing it without coaching you will only become very proficient at doing it the wrong way!
Click to expand...

As you asked... .

I think above is my personal barrier.

We don't have an acro box close to the airport (N40) and even though my schedule usually does allow me to fly once a week for a few hours it's difficult to predict when.

So organizing a knowledgeable ground observer is very very difficult for me.

So my biggest problem really is to get from just going through the motions like today:

http://www.spatscheck.com/oliver/Primary11_15_2015.mp4

to something actually worth while performing at a competition ... .

Now I do try to use technology to compensate for some of that e.g.:

- I put a GPS in my wing tip (so I get reception inverted) which allows me to check if my loops are round.
- I can check heading and altitude in my Dynon logs to check if I am straight enter/exit at the same heading.
- I can check vertical G load versus roll angle in my Dynon logs to see if I fly my roll as I should (0 G at +-90 and -1G at 180)

even though I think above analysis has improved my flying I still have no clue how that looks from the outside... . In addition doing the off line analysis above is actually quite time consuming compared to somebody just telling you what's wrong... . Trying to automate some of it but that takes time too... .

I would like to fly the primary next year ... .

Any suggestions welcome... .

Oliver
p.s. Thanks Eric for answering all my emails.... .
 
spatsch said:
As you asked... .

I think above is my personal barrier.

We don't have an acro box close to the airport (N40) and even though my schedule usually does allow me to fly once a week for a few hours it's difficult to predict when.
You don't need a box.
?91.303 Aerobatic flight.
No person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight?

(a) Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement;

(b) Over an open air assembly of persons;

(c) Within the lateral boundaries of the surface areas of Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E airspace designated for an airport;

(d) Within 4 nautical miles of the center line of any Federal airway;

(e) Below an altitude of 1,500 feet above the surface; or

(f) When flight visibility is less than 3 statute miles.

So organizing a knowledgeable ground observer is very very difficult for me.
Find a buddy that can watch you over a stretch of straight road. Use Google Earth to map out a 1000 meter (3300 foot) stretch of road to simulate the acro box dimension.

So my biggest problem really is to get from just going through the motions like today:

http://www.spatscheck.com/oliver/Primary11_15_2015.mp4

to something actually worth while performing at a competition ... .

Now I do try to use technology to compensate for some of that e.g.:

- I put a GPS in my wing tip (so I get reception inverted) which allows me to check if my loops are round.
- I can check heading and altitude in my Dynon logs to check if I am straight enter/exit at the same heading.
- I can check vertical G load versus roll angle in my Dynon logs to see if I fly my roll as I should (0 G at +-90 and -1G at 180)

even though I think above analysis has improved my flying I still have no clue how that looks from the outside... . In addition doing the off line analysis above is actually quite time consuming compared to somebody just telling you what's wrong... . Trying to automate some of it but that takes time too... .

I would like to fly the primary next year ... .

Any suggestions welcome... .

Oliver
p.s. Thanks Eric for answering all my emails.... .
Click to expand...

Oliver, I looked at your video. There is little or no float at the top of the loop so it is obviously "e" shaped or pinched on top. A ground coach will pick up on this. During your loop you are looking forward all the time. When the horizon dips below the nose there is nothing to see but blue sky. Look at the wing tip until the horizon becomes visible behind your head. Your loop to inverted 45 (half Cuban 8) is too shallow before and after the half roll. The 180 and 270 turns look OK except for the burble coming out of the 270. Video is somewhat helpful but I doubt that the Dynon data will help much as it will become unreliable after the gyro gets tumbled around a bit.

I hope you will give the Primary a try next season. I'll help as much as I can and you should find lots of help from IAC chapter members in your ares. Good luck!
 
Ron,

thanks for the comments. I actually did try looking out the side on other flights and my problem then is that I tend to slightly rotate into the direction I am looking. If I look straight at least I get out straight... . Something to practice ... .

As for the 45deg I noticed that too on the video. Guess need to put some markings on my canopy.... . Know there already is a thread on that topic somewhere.

My comment of not having an acro box close by wasn't a legal issue it's more a practical issue. If you look around N40 I need to fly quite a bit to fulfill below (easy with the speed of an RV-8). So if I want a ground observer I have to ask them to make a substantial road trip .... .

Thx

Oliver
 
practice and critiques

Oliver,
One of the things I do is plan to arrive at a contest a day early. Usually the box is open a week before, and they will have experienced judges and/or aerobatic pilots that will critique you. I'm sure the aerobatic pilots in your area and IAC chapters will have weekend practices through out the year where you can be critiqued, and they would love to have you. By the way, I use the lightest stick on automotive window tint tape on the outside canopy to mark my vertical and 45 degree lines.
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower Alabama
 
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