The small South African harbour town of Mossel Bay will host the country’s National Sports Aerobatics Championships from 16 to 19 July, and the Yak 52 Intermediate World Championships from 26 November to 3 December, 2014. Here’s an overview of the sport in South Africa. For more about Mossel Bay, please go to www.visitmosselbay.co.za

1. The Sport Aerobatics Club of South Africa

2. What are Aerobatics?
Aerobatics can be described as the extreme manoeuvring of an airplane in three dimensions.
They were first performed as early as 1908 (initially as mistakes) and have evolved dramatically
since then. Aerobatic competition commenced in the 1920s when millions of people flocked to
air shows across the world.
Recently aerobatics has made a huge come back, as evidenced by the millions of people who
watch the Red Bull Air Race series annually.
For example - After football, airshows are the second largest live watched sport in the UK. Over
one million people watch aerobatics at airshows across South Africa annually.
There are four broad practical applications of aerobatics –
• Flight safety – teaches pilots to control aircraft in unusual attitudes
• Military – used to out-manoeuvre an opponent
• Air displays – to inspire future generations of pilots
• And the most advanced application of the discipline- competition aerobatics

3. What are Competition Aerobatics?
If air safety training, military application, and air displays are be regarded as the applied maths of
flying…
…then competition aerobatics can be regarded as the pure maths of flying in that the objective of
aerobatic competition is to perform the most technically precise and artistic flying possible.
Competition aerobatics are a pure art form, but they are also highly technical. It is from this pure
source that all other aerobatics applications emanate. It really is the foundation-stone of flying.
International aerobatic competition falls under the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale -
World Air Sports Federation). Competition aerobatics commenced in the 1920s and has grown in
stature since then. Today aerobatics are regarded as the most physically and mentally demanding
motor sport .
Qorld championships are held annually in different countries.
Victory at a World Championship provides great prestige for the winning nation

4. There are five classes in aerobatics. In order of increasing difficulty, they are –
1. Graduate
2. Sportsman
3. Intermediate
4. Advanced
5. Unlimited
To date only the top two classes (Unlimited and Advanced) compete at an international level,
with the other classes competing only at regional and national levels.
The contest in Mossel Bay will be the first Intermediate Competition held internationally, and we
will combine it with another international competition that focuses on one aircraft type - an ex-
Soviet design called the Yakovlev or Yak. This international competition enjoys great support
from all Eastern European and former USSR nations, as well as a host of other countries.
Holding both competitions together (Intermediate and the Yak) will ensure a greater number of
participants and officials form across the globe.
What are Competition Aerobatics? (2)

5. Competition Aerobatics in South Africa
In South Africae we fly all five competition classes: 1. Graduate, 2. Sportsman,
3. Intermediate, 4. Advanced, and 5. Unlimited.
We hold one national competition and approximately six regional competitions annually in
South Africa.
Approximately 50 pilots actively participate in competitions, and for those who do not have
the benefit of military training, competition is the best way
to gain access to the active South African air show circuit.
Competition aerobatics started in this country during the mid 1960s, and it is currently
experiencing a resurgence.
South Africa is fast becoming a recognised force within aerobatics

6. South Africa in International Competition
South Africa first sent a representative to the world championships in 1964.
We made regular appearances at international competition through out 1960s, 70s and 80s, but
we generally finished in the lower half of the field - the main reason for this being that
competitors were (and still are) individuals who fly as self-funded amateurs, whereas nations
such as France, Russia and others saw (and see) aerobatics as a source of great national pride
and hence fund their teams of full-time aerobatics professionals.
But from 1995 things changed when South Africa hosted the first Advanced World
Championships in Cape Town, and we earned our first top ten placing in the world.
Since then South Africa has become a respected participant in the international arena with a
world championship win in 2004, and a second place in 2010.
We now often have top ten finishes.

7. www.aerobatics.co.za