Aerobatics...
 

Hi guys, as I just started my PPL I know its very early days. However, I absolutely LOVE aerobatics, and would want to do it a lot more in the future. Does anyone know of any qualifications there are that I can do? I did a basic search on Google but didn't really find anything conclusive.

Thanks :)

Ah! Excellent. Thats probably just the thing I need to get me started. Cheers :ok:

Hi tim, you could go to a BAeA event, which is designed for beginers, you just missed one at Wellsbourne Mountford, they will provide instruction and plane, well worth the day out. Try the web link for details.

Home page for the BAeA website

Cheers Will.

If you don't have an aerobatic aircraft then I suggest the Loop beginners days. The next one is at Little Gransden.

Regulations for the Loop Beginners Day at Little Gransden 2008

They are great fun and the aircraft and instructors are provided (at a very resonable fee).

See here for the report on the last one

The Loop Leicester Beginners Event - 2008

ZA

I would suggest that before doing even a beginners comp. you do the AOPA cert, or at least some training for it, I would recommend Ultimate High - Flying School, Air Displays and corporate entertainment ,but there are loads of schools out there and your own may even do this - and you do not even have to wait until after your PPL, the hours still count:ok:

All good points. The only thing to add is that there is no formal Aerobatics Qualification from the CAA/JAA. Legally you can just hop in an aerobatics aircraft they day after you obtained your PPL paperwork and do a few loops.

Obviously that would not be wise and that's where AOPA, Ultimate High, BAeA/Loop beginners day and so forth come in. My club also has a lesson plan, separate checkout and a fancy certificate for anyone who wants to do aerobatics.

And as the previous poster has said, if you learn aerobatics from a licensed instructor, the hours count for your PPL. But remember that since there's no formal license for aerobatics, the person who teaches you aerobatics does not have to hold an FI ticket.

Just to nitpick, this is correct after your PPL, but before that, if you want the hours to count, then he/she will need an FI ticket, and if the person teaching you does not have a FI ticket, unrestricted for aeros, then you really need to know who they are and why they will be OK to show you how to go about it.:eek:

Instructing ... by whom?
 

My copy of the ANO saids that a PPL may only give flying instruction if they also hold an instructor rating; FI or CRI etc.

The purpose for which the instruction is given is not specified so all instructing without the required rating is prohibited.

Homeguard, that's probably because anything that happens in an aircraft that's not intended for a rating or qualification is not "instructing" in the legal sense.

There's "instructing" and "coaching". Both are (very) reliably available at White Waltham if that's what you want.

Tim, you don't say where you are in the UK, but if you are anywhere near London I would advise you most strongly to go and look at White Waltham and also contact the BAeA as they have, amongst other things, a buddy system for people who are learning.