Aerobatics course

[Gavilan]

Hi there!
I´m thinking to do an aerobatic course but i have no idea where it´s a good school to do it in London,any help?
Thanks:ok:

[Human Factor]

West London Aero Club, White Waltham. Alan Cassidy is your man.

[BackPacker]

Ultimate High at Kemble has a good reputation, and ads in every magazine. But the truth is that your aeros course are only going to be as good as your instructor. So if you can find someone who loves to do and teach them, and find a suitable airplane, you can do them anywhere.

AOPA has an example syllabus which anybody can use, and there's also a suggested syllabus in David Robsons book.

As an introduction, there are "Loop Beginners Days" organized by the BAeA, which you can attend with no aerobatics experience up front. They take you up in a suitable aircraft, teach you the basics and then you fly a mini-competition based on the BAeA "known" Basic sequence. More information about this on the BAeA site, Home page for the BAeA website (http://www.aerobatics.org.uk).

[Gavilan]

Thanks a lot!
But do you know if it is something in Elstree aerodrome??

[ClippedCub]

Recommend reading Duane Cole's book, 'Roll Around a Point'. Only after you've memorized it, advance to Neil Williams', 'Aerobatics'. Neil fills some stuff in, since Duane's book is for absolute beginners. picked up keeping the power in on the down side of loops and hamerheads, from Neil's book, to keep the energy state up, and using g to control speed.

When you have that knowledge floating around in your head, the instructor will line it all up for you. You'll progress faster and get more for your money. Stay away from the sym for this, aerobatics are tactile; control forces and response, wind and engine noise, g forces, the smell of oil dumping out the breather, the feel of the skin moving on your face, loss of peripheral vision and color sense under heavy g onset rate, on....and on.

Good luck and Have Fun.

[Lightning6]

What CC said...Neil Williams 'Aerobatics' book is excellent, even for basic aero's, read the the theory then do the practice, enjoy.

Link to Neils' book :-

Aerobatics : Neil Williams (http://www.flyingbooks.co.uk/acatalog/Aerobatics.html)

[Zulu Alpha]

I recomend Alan Cassidys book Better Aerobatics

Better Aerobatics: v.1: Vol 1: Amazon.co.uk: Alan Cassidy: Books (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Better-Aerobatics-v-1-Vol-1/dp/0954481402)

or
Better Aerobatics Book by Alan Cassidy (http://www.worldaerobatics.com/Books/better.htm)

Its very good on the basics but has a lot of depth if you want to go past the basics.

I found Duane Coles book only covered the basics.

Neil Williams book has a lot of interesting info other than how to fly aerobatics so is an enjoyable read.

Alans book is really only about aerobatics so is the best of the 3 in my opinion.

ZA

[JohnV85]

I did my PPL at Elstree, but haven't been there for a while.

Firecrest Aviation were talking about picking up a 152 aerobat at the time but I don't know if they followed through with this.

The problem with Elstree is all the surrounding controlled airspace and altitude limits and a big part of any sortie will be getting out to somewhere where you cam climb above 3,000ft, etc. without busting airspace. I would also suggest the 152 aerobat is not the most capable plane.

If you're looking for a course I would think Kemble or my pesonal reccomendation, APS Training (if you fancy going a bit further), would be very good places. They are both staffed by ex military fast jet pilots and I think you would be hard pushed to find better. Aircraft are the Extra 300 or I think Kemble has a Bulldog too.

Other than that, as suggested maybe get in touch with Alan Cassidy at WW.

[stickandrudderman]

Certainly AC at WW is a convenient place to start, although as a beginner I found his book a little heavy going.

[foxmoth]

Firecrest Aviation were talking about picking up a 152 aerobat at the time but I don't know if they followed through with this.

I would say do NOT learn earos on the 152, there are people who do aeros well in a 152 but to me it is far from an ideal aeros trainer, in many ways the Pitts and Extra are too far the other way and too easy (in the air for earos) and you miss learning some bits because of this, plus they are very expensive, the Bulldog, Robin 2160 or CAP10 are all good machines, being more than capable of the basics without being TOO easy. I can only speak for Ultimate High who fly the Bulldog (and the Extra, so you can have a go at it and see just what an amazing machine that is), all the instructors here have very high experience levels and a lot of enthusiasm.

[Zulu Alpha]

I heard that they have stopped 152 aerobats from aerobatting. Don't know if the restriction is going to be lifted. They are getting quite old now.

ZA