What sets the Australian Aerobatic Academy apart from the rest?
We don’t just train pilots, we train aviators!
The Australian Aerobatic Academy is a CASA-approved Part 141 flight training organisation dedicated to providing Sydney with high-quality primary flight training, aerobatic training, advanced handling and adrenaline-charged joy flights.
The Academy’s mission is to provide our customers with the best possible training and customer service in a fun, friendly and supportive environment. Our team of highly skilled instructors and pilots are experienced and dedicated professionals who have qualified themselves beyond the minimum required standards to provide you with a higher level of skill.
We don’t believe in the concept of producing masses of minimum-standard pilots in the minimum possible time or budget with instructors meeting the minimum experience requirements. Accordingly our small team of dedicated, experienced instructors guarantee to provide you with personalised, high quality tuition.
Why Aerobatics?!
Often we are asked “why is aerobatics a necessary component of flight training?” Put simply; without it, you don’t really know what an aeroplane is capable of in flight!
Modern cars have many protection systems to ensure the safety of their occupants:
anti-skid braking, airbags, electronic stability control, electronic brake force distribution, smart braking systems, the list is almost endless! Most general aviation and light sport aircraft have NO advanced protection systems. Those that do are usually so expensive that they are beyond the budget of most training organisations or recreational pilots.
Modern airliners are equipped with flight envelope protection systems… but they can and do fail. When they do, it is still the job of the PILOT to maintain control of the aircraft. Sadly, loss-of-control remains to this day the leading cause of aircraft accidents – a trend we are dedicated to reversing.
Any and every pilot must be completely comfortable in the three-dimensional airborne environment and, more so, able to CONTROL it in all three dimensions with precision and confidence. That’s why we INSIST on incorporating basic aerobatics, spinning and Upset Prevention & Recovery Training (UPRT) as an integral part of our learn-to-fly course! Whether you regularly use these skills or not, someday you might need to call upon them to save your life, and the lives of your passengers. Exposure to loss-of-control events in a controlled and risk-averse environment in early training is a far better outcome than encountering them unprepared later on.
Here’s a great clip of one of our graduates, having learned the skill, precision and freedom of aerobatic flight:
“Aerobatics” is the art of precisely controlling an aircraft in three-dimensional flight.
Sometimes referred to as “acrobatics”, it is precision “sky dancing” – rather like gymnastics or figure skating. Aerobatic manoeuvres are carefully planned and executed, follow a specific profile and require skill and discipline to achieve correctly. Aerobatics provides even the straight-and-level pilot a degree of precision and control afforded only to those who can perform aerobatic flight… and it’s great FUN!
“Upset Prevention & Recovery Training (UPRT)” is a flight discipline which uses aerobatic manoeuvres to demonstrate the recognition, prevention and safe recovery from unexpected loss-of-control in-flight (LOC-i) situations.
“Aerobatics” and “UPRT” are intertwined disciplines. Both increase traditional “stick and rudder” or manual handling skills by providing a greater awareness of aircraft capability and confidence in the ability to recognise and react appropriately to unexpected adverse aircraft control events.
All Australian Aerobatic Academy initial courses include BOTH Aerobatics and Upset Prevention and Recovery Training as an integral part of the course in order to make you the safest, most proficient pilot you can be!
Competition Aerobatics
Ever wondered where Red Bull Air Race pilots like Matt Hall started? Most began in competition aerobatics! The skills involved in perfecting aerobatic flight at low altitude start with basic competition routines at higher levels. The Australian Aerobatic Academy maintains a close relationship with the Australian Aerobatic Club (AAC), and encourages AAA graduates to enter competitions to maintain and refine their skills. AAA provides coaching and critiquing by current and experienced competitors who have been consistently involved in aerobatic competition flying and coaching for over 20 years.
No other aerobatic school in Australia can provide you with this level of competition experience! Our RESULTS speak for themselves!
Academy Training Philosophy and Overview
Why do we teach the way we do? Because it WORKS! The document link below explains our training philosophy and addresses such questions as:
- Why aerobatics?
- The importance of high-quality initial training.
- Using a training aircraft for training!
- Disturbing trends in recent aircraft accidents.
- The Academy’s commitment to customer service and flight safety standards.
Australian Aerobatic Academy Training Philosophy
Experimental aircraft transition and continuation training
Are you looking to build or purchase an Experimental aircraft such as the Vans RV series? Our instructors are skilled in the art of flying high performance light aircraft and can provide you with training on your aircraft to enhance your aircraft handling skills and flight safety. We can even provide you with an initial tail wheel endorsement in order to get you on your way!
Learning to fly – the basics
For general information on the steps involved in learning to fly, please see the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia website: www.casa.gov.au