Get Set to Loop the Loop on an Aerobatic Flight

Want to take to the skies like those magnificent men in their flying machines? You know, those ones who went tiddly up up and tiddly down down? An aerobatic flight is the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime experience where you’ll be flying upside down and looping the loop, just like those pioneers of the sky did a century ago.

From your seat alongside your pilot, you’ll see some of the most amazing scenery in the world high above Australia and New Zealand – all while trying to figure out what way is up, as the pilot takes the aircraft through a series of breathtaking manoeuvres.

Are you ready to rise to the challenge of an aerobatic flight? You’re guaranteed an unforgettable trip.

Reach for the Skies

Aerobatic flying is also known as stunt flying and these death-defying manoeuvres were actually first performed by the Wright brothers, those pioneers of flight. But it was the First World War that saw aerobatics developed into aerial combat as the pilots on both sides of the conflict learned how to shift their aircraft quickly and deftly during dogfights in the sky. Aerobatics were already well known with deft movements such as rolls and loops, stall turns and tail slides attracting thousands to air shows, and the wartime airmen quickly learned how to adapt these tricks to give them an advantage against their opponents.

After the war, all those experienced flyers put their skills on show at international aerobatic displays and competitive aerobatics was born, which remains as popular today with teams such as the British RAF’s Red Arrows among the most famous. The sport is one of precision and skill as each manoeuvre has to be performed at precise angles to keep the aircraft safe. Aerobatic shows can involve single aircraft or several aircraft all performing amazing routines in unison, creating a quite marvellous sight to behold from terra firma.

But you don’t have to be a pilot to enjoy the thrill of plunging at great speed through the air and spinning endlessly. With an aerobatic flight gift experience, you can take to the skies like the pioneering flyers of old, and enjoy a unique and unforgettable occasion.

It’s All Plane Sailing

The aircraft used in aerobatics are specially designed because they need to withstand different stresses and strains from aircraft used for conventional flying. The planes have perfect balance, allowing them to climb vertically at speed, duck and weave, loop and roll – all without a bump in the cockpit. Some of those used by commercial aerobatic flight providers are former military aircraft, such as the two-seater T67 Slingsby Firefly and the Bulldog, another two-seater. Both have been used extensively in Europe for training military pilots.

The de Havilland Chipmunk, known as the Chippie, has been used by the Royal Canadian Air Force since the post-war years and is a favourite of aerobatics pilots, while the World War II Harvard was another RCAF and USAF combat and training aircraft.

Bi-planes are still a popular choice for aerobatics and bring a marvellous vintage feeling to any flight.

Up and Down and Round and Round

When you take to the skies on an aerobatics flight, you better be prepared for a stomach-churning but exhilarating ride. You are about to experience something extraordinary – a flight where taking off and landing are the simplest procedures of all.

There are five basic manoeuvres in aerobatics – loops, lines, hammerheads, rolls and spins. Wind drift will dictate whether your pilot can perform a loop as the aircraft goes round in figures of eight. Lines are flown horizontally, vertically, or at 45 degrees. Hammerheads are stall turns where the aircraft will plunge towards the ground before the pilot rights it. Rolls and spins do exactly what they say on the tin – so be wary if your tummy is of the delicate variety! An aerobatics flight is not for the fainthearted, but if you are a thrill-seeker who wants to indulge in something you will never forget, this is the experience for you.

Australia Fair from the Air

Australia is blessed with some of the world’s most beautiful places, and simply perfect for an aerobatics flight. Imagine seeing the Whitsunday Islands from the most unusual angles, thousands of feet above the earth. Or, how about the iconic sight of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House? A biplane flight that reveals the city in all its glory is surely the ultimate in air travel. The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most scenic, but seeing it from the cockpit of a spinning aircraft will give you bar-room bragging rights forever.

Get a bird’s eye view of Adelaide and Melbourne as you try to keep your bearings while your aircraft spins endlessly in the sky. It’s easy to see the appeal of aerobatics flying when you have scenery as stunning as Australia’s laid out before you.

On the Edge of Heaven in New Zealand

Not for nothing is New Zealand called the adrenaline capital of the world; from bungee jumping to fjord kayaking, white water rafting to skydiving. So, it’s no surprise that aerobatics flying is embraced warmly in this marvellous outdoor nation. Those with nerves of steel can sign up for an aerobatics flight where they take the controls. And even if you don’t fancy channelling the Red Baron, you can take your seat behind the pilot for a sightseeing trip that will be simply unforgettable.

See Auckland from the skies, loop the loop over Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty and marvel at the beauty of the lakes and mountains of Queenstown. Fly over Kiakoura in whale-spotting season and see for real the immense size of the marvellous sea creatures, in a way those in the boat trips cannot.

Wherever you choose to take to the air, you are guaranteed the experience of a lifetime in an aerobatics flight. If you are looking for a gift that will knock the socks off the recipient, look no further. And, if you’re a daredevil seeking a new challenge, taking to the air in an aerobatics flight may be the ultimate thrill.