About ninety top-flight pilots are in Salina to compete in the 2022 U.S National Aerobatic Championships beginning this Sunday.

Contest director Mike Heuer and Tim Rogers Executive Director of the Salina Airport Authority joined in on the KSAL Morning News Extra with a look at how the aerobatic completion will roll out.

Heuer says the aircraft are specially designed to fly fast with precision – right side up and upside down.

According to the International Aerobatic Club, during the championships pilots compete in five categories: Primary, Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, and Unlimited in both power and glider aerobatics. Pilots in each category fly at least three routines:

Known: where all competitors fly a pre-published set of maneuvers.

Unknown: the sequences of aerobatic figures are presented to the pilot 12 hours before.

Free Program: pilots create their own routine based on maneuvers allowed in their category.
Some of the best aerobatic pilots in the nation will be flying their airplanes in loops, rolls, dives, stalls and turns. Each flight is thoroughly planned to ensure the highest levels of safety while testing the abilities of both pilot and airplane.

FREE Public Viewing from Fossett Plaza will be available.

The final event is scheduled for Friday, October 7 from 1pm to 3pm with a number of pilots performing free style flights that will last about 4-minutes with the aerobatic stunts and smoke used in the routine.

Photos courtesy U.S National Aerobatic Championships Facebook page.