Aerobatic training in 8KCAB Super Decathlon N878AC.

At Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO) in Northern Virginia (Washington DC area) you have a pretty unique opportunity to not only being able to learn how to fly aerobatic maneuvers, but also to be able to rent a 8KCAB Super Decathlon solo and go out and practice without that extra weight in the back seat (also known as a Flight Instructor). Ask around, and you will find out that it is pretty hard to find a place where you will be able to rent an aerobatic airplane solo.

It only takes about 10 minutes to fly from Leesburg away from the SFRA, Dulles class Bravo airspace and congested areas to an area appropriate for aerobatic maneuvers. The parachutes required for such flights are included with the rental of the Super Decathlon.

We typically fly maneuvers around what is required for the Sportsman achievement level of the International Aerobatics Club (IAC). That includes maneuvers like:

• Aileron Rolls
• Loops
• Competition Turn
• Spin recovery
• Barrel Roll
• Slow Roll
• Inverted Flight
• Immelmann
• Split S
• Cuban 8
• Hammer Heads

You can look up the definitions of those maneuvers on the pages of the IAC web site at https://www.iac.org/.

You would be amazed how easy it is to do an aileron roll or a loop, which are typical maneuvers for introduction of aerobatic training. On the other hand you might think that a slow roll would be an easy maneuver, which might be the case in a F-16, but in a Super Decathlon you have to work to make it perfect. This maneuver is a display of the ability to control all input (rudder, aileron and elevator) simultaneously.

You might be surprised that flying aerobatics is more about precise coordinated flight that moves your pilot abilities to a new level, than it is about crazy g pulls that reminds you what you had for lunch.

For spin training specific to a CFI spin endorsement, see more here: http://www.flythedecathlon.com/cfi-spin-endorsement-training/