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Plane Aerobatics | What it is & the Best Aerobatics Flight Locations in Australia
What is Plane Aerobatics?
Plane aerobatics is an extreme sport that involves the practice of flying manoeuvres (eg. rolls and dives), spectacular flying feats and unique plane orientations that are not used in normal flight.
Aerobatics is often performed in small airplanes (eg. a warbird) or gliders for pilot training, recreation, entertainment and sport. It can be done by a single aircraft or in a formation with other planes. For example, as part of an air show.
My Experience Doing Aerobatics for the First-time
My goodness.
There are NOT enough words to describe my first aerobatics experience.
Right now, the only words I can think of to describe it is that I LOVED every second of it (as you’ll see in the video).
It was one of the most exhilarating and enlightening moments of my life.
The adrenaline rush you get when the plane loops, dives and spins is out of this world. Especially when hovering upside down and you can see the scenery of beaches and houses beneath you.
One of the things I will never forget is the funny “child giggle” I seem to share when feeling a mixture of fear, excitement and pure joy.
If you haven’t witnessed it, well I guess you can look forward to that.
If you’re not sure of whether aerobatics is for you, definitely check out my video below.
It will give you a great insight into what to expect when you do you first aerobatics flight in Australia.
Is Plane Aerobatics Dangerous?
Yes and no.
Just like all extreme sports, Aerobatics doesn’t come without its risks. However, with the right training and equipment it is actually quite safe.
Professional Aerobatic flight experiences for the public (ie. With a qualified instructor) are generally safer than aerobatics performed at air shows.
This is because pilots tend to fly at higher altitudes, which contrary to what you’d think, gives the pilot more time for recovery in the event of something going wrong.
At flight shows, however, pilots tend to push the limits and fly at lower altitude levels. This can pose a greater risk.
Like all things in life, accidents do and will continue to happen, whether it’s:
- Driving a car
- Riding a horse
- Going swimming at the beach or even
- Climbing a tree
Aerobatics is no different.
The only thing you should be afraid of is the state of your PANTS at the end of your flight!
Some of those turns and flips can really get you…
At some points, you may even be asked to squeeze your abdominals to counteract the power of the G-Force.
Again… not helping the bowel situation.
The best way to stay safe when doing an aerobatics flight in Australia, is to choose a company that has:
- a good reputation
- a great track record and
- qualified aerobatics instructors
The Top 5 Common Aerobatic Manoeuvres
Most Aerobatics flights consist of these five basic manoeuvres including:
- Loops
- Rolls
- Spins
- Lines (both horizontal and vertical) and
- Hammerheads
Manoeuvres 1-4 are pretty straight forward, as the action is very much as the name suggests.
A Hammerhead, however, is performed by pulling the aircraft up and pointing its nose straight up into the sky. Then as the airspeed of the aircraft starts to slow, almost to a complete stop, the pilot rotates the aircraft 180 degrees to face the ground where it quickly regathers speed.
Sounds fun, right!!
How Much Do Aerobatics Flights Cost in Australia?
Similar to most extreme sports, aerobatics does not come with a small price tag.
Given the insurance, equipment and fuel required, there are naturally some added costs.
In my opinion, there is nothing else you can do quite like it. Especially if you’re after one of the greatest thrills of your life!
Most Aerobatic flights in Australia can cost anywhere between $250 – $700.
Yep, it’s definitely not a cheap sport. But, the price tag does depend a lot on the:
- Flight time
- Location
- Type of plane
- Type of flight
For example, an aerobatic flight in a World War 2 aircraft or stunt plane will naturally be more expensive than a generic plane because of the uniqueness of the experience.
Similarly, a 35-minute flight will cost a lot more than a 20-minute flight, given the extra plane fuel required.
My best recommendation is to choose an experience that best fits with your budget and location, but that also gives you as much flight time as possible.
The flights are so short that time FLIES… literally.
Pardon the pun.
The Best Locations to do an Aerobatics Flight in Australia
In Australia, there are quite a few locations where you can try and aerobatics flight in Australia. I personally did mine with Warhead Adventures in Barwon Heads.
There are however, various different companies and locations you can check out for an aerobatics flight.
Here are some of the popular locations people choose to do an aerobatics scenic flight.
Soon, I will link some actual experiences for you to check out – Coming Soon!
NSW
- Sydney
- Camden
- Blue Mountains
- Cessnock Airport
- Belmont Airport
- Bankstown
- Rutherford
- Armidale
VIC
- Moorabbin Airport
- Barwon Heads Airport
- Point Cook
- Essendon Airport
QLD
- Caboolture
- Archerfield Airport
WA
- Jandakot Airport
How to Try Plane Aerobatics
The best way to do plane aerobatics as a beginner is to fly with a reputable pilot and company. That way you can sit back, relax and enjoy the ride as they keep control and fly the plane.
This is the company that I flew with: Adventure Flight Co.
It you’re interested in giving aerobatics a go in Melbourne, definitely reach out to them.
Ok…maybe you won’t feel very relaxed at the time, but you will definitely have fun!
To do aerobatics on your own (ie. Flying the plane yourself), you would require significant training and expertise.
As an example, to become an aerobatics pilot you would need to:
- Study the job profile of an existing aerobatics pilot
- Get your PPL (private pilot license)
- Enrol at an aerobatics school or organisation so you can build up your flight time and flying skills
- Join A Local Acrobatic Flying Chapter and Enrol in Stunt Flying Competitions
- Attend air shows
- Get more certifications
Given the amount of work and time it takes to become an aerobatics pilot, you can trust that your pilot will be one of the best aerobatics pilots out there.
They are truly experts and connoisseurs in what they do.
I hope this article has helped to give you an insight into plane aerobatics and what it is. I also hope that it helps you to take a leap of faith and try it for yourself.
Who knows, It could even become on of the most incredible memories and experiences of your life.
