The contest rules for the
World Aerobatic Championships

There are few sports that demand as much physically and mentally from the participants as sport aerobatics. The competition sequences, as the flights are called, must be flown with split-second timing, precise speed and altitude control, constant calculation for such variables as wind and temperature, and very precise planning on the pilot's part. Any wrong turn, misplaced pullout, and or roll in the wrong direction can put the pilot out of the running because of a zero score by the judges. World level Unlimited aerobatics pushes the physical limits of the human body with the tremendous G (gravitational) levels achieved by modern high-power aerobatic aircraft.

The Box

Sequences are flown in an aerobatic zone, commonly called the "Box", over an airport. This box is an area 1,000 meters square, with the top set at 1,000 meters AGL (above ground level) For the World Aerobatic Championships (WAC), the bottom of the box is set at 100 meters AGL.

Flights

WAC contestants fly three flights, or programs: Known Compulsory, Freestyle, and Unknown Compulsory. At the Unlimited level, these sequences are the most complex and difficult sets of figures of all flown by competition pilots. Contestants must fly an extremely high performance aerobatic aircraft capable of flying the required figures.

Judging

In the WAC, flights are graded by a team of ten judges who are assisted by two people each; an assistant judge and a recorder. These judges grade the execution of each individual figure of the sequence, as well as how well the sequence was positioned in the box. The figures are graded on such factors as precision of the lines and angles, symmetry of the figures, and other factors as defined in the official rule book created by CIVA, the international commission responsible for all aerobatic activities in the world. (CIVA is a commission of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the international organization based in Paris, France, which governs all aviation sporting disciplines throughout the world.)

Scoring

The judges grade each figure on a scale of 0 to 10. The K factor and grade are multiplied to derive the points for that figure. A computer program then adjusts the total to account for judging bias. Since 1988 the FAI Aerobatic Catalogue has been in use as the authoritative guide for the judging of all figures. Judging aerobatics incorporates many of the characteristics of judging figure skating, gymnastics, and platform diving.

Aresti

Each judge holds a copy of the sequence of figures the pilots will fly. These FAI Catalogue figures are graphically represented by symbols. The system of graphically depicting the figures was devised by José Luis de Aresti of Spain in the early 1960s and it came into use at the WAC in Bilbao, Spain, in 1964. In addition to the symbol, each figure is assigned a difficulty coefficient or "K factor", based on the difficulty involved in performing the figure. Accompanying is a basic key to the FAI Catalogue figures. Combinations of these figures are used to make up sequences. This is what the observer sees pilots fly in competition. The dot signifies the beginning of the figure and the slash indicates the end of the figure.

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