Observations from My First Nationals
Updated: Oct 21
A step in my own aerobatic journey
By Clint Davies, IAC 11035
Last week, I returned from my first National Aerobatic Championships in Salina, Kansas. I came home with a deeper appreciation for the people who make Nationals possible and the friends who helped me along the way. I thought fellow IAC 35 members might enjoy a few observations from a first timer’s perspective.
I had been reading about Nationals in Sport Aerobatics since 1984. Once I became active in aerobatic flying and competition, I heard firsthand accounts from friends in our club who had participated. This year, I was able to make it happen. My goals were to experience Nationals, expand my horizons, and fly my best without embarrassing myself.
Preparing for the trip
Before leaving, I asked as many friends as possible about their experiences. I also read the IAC Nationals publications, Bulletin 1 and Bulletin 2, which explain contest procedures and operations. They are available on the IAC Nationals page and are updated in the months and weeks before the event. The previous year’s bulletins gave me a useful early look at what to expect.
Many pilots arrange practice opportunities on their way to Nationals. I was fortunate to join friends in Warrenton before continuing to Salina. Thank you to Steve Fiegel for the invitation.
Arriving and practicing in the box
I arrived in Salina on Thursday evening, a little before sunset. As at our regional contests, the aerobatic airplanes were easy to spot on the ramp. Students from Midwest collegiate programs were there to help move airplanes into the hangars.
John Shavinsky had given me an important piece of advice: reserve a practice slot in the Salina aerobatic box. I learned that there are both informal and formal practice slots leading up to the contest. The practice schedule influenced my arrival plans.
These 10-minute slots are managed by members of the key volunteer team. Gary Debaun, who has run the practice for years, was essential in adjusting slots when needed and helping pilots secure an opportunity to practice.
Like at our regional contests, each pilot and airplane must pass a technical inspection before practicing. This was done the following morning in time for my mid-morning Friday practice.
The Nationals box is well marked, with all four corners and centerlines clearly identified. Judges typically work from the east side in the morning and the west side in the afternoon. The operating and flight procedures are explained in the bulletins and reviewed in briefings led by the assigned Chief Judge before each flight.
Schedule, Weather, and Volunteers
The contest schedule was prepared and shared in advance. It is based primarily on the number of pilots advance registered in each category. Weather made this year particularly challenging. As someone who lives and flies in New England, I felt right at home.
Sunday was the first scheduled contest day, and we could not fly at all. Low ceilings in the morning affected Monday and Tuesday, and thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoons and evenings later in the week. It was the toughest weather in eight years.
Contest Director Shad Colson worked hard to fit in as many flights as possible. WhatsApp served as the official communication channel, keeping everyone informed about briefings and schedule changes throughout the week.
Over the week, I gained sincere appreciation for the volunteers who keep Nationals running and who manage the challenges that arise. There are many ways to help. Alice, the Volunteer Coordinator, explained to me how she balances competition pilots’ preparation and flight efforts with volunteer needs on the ground. She arranged for me to assist on the judging line after my category had flown.
Competition
After three days of weather delays, we finally flew our first Intermediate competition flight on Wednesday. Having been scheduled and prepared to fly each day prior, it was time. The random draw had put me second to last of 17 pilots to fly in our category.
Like at our regional contests, I focused on getting my head in the right place, working hard not to rush, and flying the sequence as practiced. I had already walked it every day in the competition box we had taped onto the conference room floor. My goal was to fly as cleanly as possible, apply what I had learned, and avoid hard zeros.
Our friends wished me well and the starters were great. Finally diving into the box felt good and the flight came together as I had walked it. Exiting the box downwind, with no screw-ups that I knew of, was the best moment of the experience.
Preliminary results were posted quickly, and an 80+% score had me in second place for the flight. Better than I expected!
Finishing the day as an assistant on the judging line added to my perspective. It also expanded my appreciation for the knowledge and experience our fellow IAC members from across the country bring to this sport. It got cold quickly on the judging line as sunset approached. The forecast for the last two days was not encouraging.
Affirming the “C” in IAC
At his first briefing Shad made a point of reminding us the “C” in IAC stands for Club. There was an intentional effort and focus on advancing the camaraderie and social aspects or our being together at Nationals.
Starting with a pancake breakfast the first morning, on-site food truck for lunches, and social gatherings in town every other evening, there were plenty of opportunities to connect with friends and meet new people during the week.
Conversing with people I had read about in Sport Aerobatics was a highlight for me. Dropping in on a hangar flying session was always easy and comfortable. As it worked out, I would not make it to the Friday evening Banquet.
A decision and the journey home
Having traveled extensively by general aviation, I enjoy planning cross-country flights, visiting small airports, watching the country roll by, and working through weather and airspace decisions along the way. Traveling in aerobatic airplanes adds an element of adventure all its own.
Thursday brought more flight delays and afternoon thunderstorms. With unsettled weather both in Kansas and moving north along the East Coast, I decided to leave late afternoon while I had a workable VFR window to begin the trip home Thursday before sunset. That meant missing a possible second competition flight for our category.
Our aerobatic airplanes bring their limitations to the journey. Planning, patience, and deliberate decision making all mattered as I travelled home to New England and the coast of Maine.
The intermediate category ultimately completed its second flight Friday morning. Departing when I did was a sound aeronautical decision, but I still have mixed feelings about cutting my Nationals experience short.
The people make the experience
What stands out most is the opportunity to spend a week with friends who share our passion for aerobatics and work together to make the contest happen. That spirit was clear in everyday conversations, mutual help, and the social activities throughout the week.
I have heard it said that we come together for the flying and airplanes, but it is the people who keep us coming back. By the end of the week, I understood that more fully.
I hope these observations are helpful and pass along some of the encouragement I received before my first Nationals. If you are thinking about going and would like to talk about planning or the process, please let me know.
Thank you to my friends, mentors, and the many volunteers who helped make this step in my aerobatic journey possible!
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