Our Own Private Airshow

So this was really cool.  After the safety seminar indoors about loss of control of an aircraft, the instructor had us all come outside and stand on the ramp.  They closed the airport for about 15 minutes and he took off in his high performance acrobatic aircraft and demonstrated all the things about aircraft control that he had spoken of in the sky, right over our heads! We had our own private airshow!  In this first shot, you can see from the smoke coming from the aircraft that the airplane is not flying forward, toward the propeller.  It is falling sideways toward the ground!  Just one of the out-of-control situations the instructor had spoken of.  Then the pilot added power, regained control and flew on.

This is the airplane the pilot flew.  It is relative small, but very powerful, with a 340 HP engine!  Normally and aircraft of this size might have a 100 HP or a 160 HP engine.

Here the pilot is finishing up a loop, where the airplane climbs up, makes a complete circle up and over, and comes down the back side.

Some of the spectators viewing the aerobatic performance from the edge of the airfield.