Course Goal
The AFTA IAA-approved aerobatic course is offered to train qualified licence holders to perform aerobatic manoeuvres safely and qualify for the issue of an EASA aerobatic rating. New EU Regulations mean that holders of a pilot licence for aeroplanes, TMG or sailplanes shall only undertake aerobatic flights in EASA aircraft if they hold an aerobatic rating. There will be no requirement to hold an aerobatic rating to fly aerobatics in non-EASA aircraft (e.g. Tiger Moth, Chipmunk, homebuilt aircraft etc).
To qualify for the addition of an aerobatic rating to an EASA licence, one must have flown a minimum of 40 hours post PPL issue and do an approved course. There is no formal flight test and no renewal procedure.
Flight training is carried out on the Bellanca Super Decathlon, an ideal aerobatic training machine fitted with full inverted fuel and oil systems as well as an injected 180HP engine fitted with a variable pitch propeller.
Course Syllabus
THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE (8 hours)
Human factors and body limitations
- Spatial disorientation
- Airsickness
- Body stress and G-forces, positive and negative
- Effects of grey- and blackouts
Technical subjects
- Legislation including environmental and noise issues
- Aerodynamics of slow flight, stalls and spins (incl flat and inverted)
- Type-specific technical instruction
- Airframe and engine limitations, including G limits & rolling G considerations
Aerobatic manoeuvres
- Rolling manoeuvres
- Looping manoeuvres
- Combination manoeuvres
- Sequencing of manoeuvres and positioning
- Entry and recovery from incipient, developed and inverted spins
Emergency procedures
- Recovery from unusual attitudes
- Aerobatics and engine failures
FLYING TRAINING (min 5 hours)
The exercises of the aerobatic flying training syllabus will be repeated as necessary until the student achieves a safe and competent standard. Having completed the flight training, the student pilot should be able to perform a solo flight containing a sequence of aerobatic manoeuvres. The aerobatic exercises will comprise at least the following practical training items:
Confidence manoeuvres and recoveries
- Slow flights and stalls
- Steep turns
- Side slips
- Spins and recovery
- Recovery from spiral dives
- recovery from unusual attitudes
Confidence manoeuvres and recoveries
- Slow flights and stalls
- Steep turns
- Side slips
- Spins and recovery
- Recovery from spiral dives
- Recovery from unusual attitudes
Aerobatic manoeuvres
- Chandelle/wingover
- Lazy Eight (two chandelles joined together)
- Rolls – including aileron rolls, barrel rolls, slow rolls, hesitation rolls
- Loops
- Inverted flight
- Stall turns (also known as a “hammerhead”)
- Combinations of the above
- Basic aerobatic sequences
Atlantic Flight Training Academy will issue a certificate of satisfactory completion of the instruction for licence endorsement.
