Aerobatic

Organizers are already gearing up for the annual event that kicks off the airshow season, and this year they plan to welcome some special guests from abroad. The French Air Force demonstration team Patrouille de France (PAF) has confirmed it will perform at Sun ’n Fun International Fly-in & Expo 2017. The team will commemorate […]

Flying magazine’s Pia Bergqvist recently had the chance to fly the GB1 GameBird, a new two-seat aerobatic airplane from Game Composites. With some help from freestyle world aerobatic champion Rob Holland, we put the GameBird’s performance capabilities to the test — and we weren’t disappointed. Check out some photos from our test flight at AirVenture […]

It’s not often nowadays that a new airplane design has the potential to be a total game changer. But I would argue that German airplane designer Philipp Steinbach has created just that, at least for pilots who like to challenge their stick-and-rudder skills or “keep the green side up,” so to speak. Steinbach’s new, versatile […]

News of the death of legendary test pilot and aerobatics pioneer Bob Hoover this morning has brought grief to the aviation community. Hoover, known among his many fans as the “pilot’s pilot,” died at about 2 a.m. PT, according to reports. He was 94 years old. Hoover’s flying career began when he was a teenager. […]

The seventh Hollister Airshow at Hollister Municipal Airport in San Benito County, California, offered plenty of aviation excitement this year. The Father’s Day weekend event featured military jet fly-bys, airshow performances and aerobatic displays, highlighted by pilot Vicky Benzing in her 1940 Boeing Stearman. Check out the photos below and see what else the 2016 […]

Air show performer Kyle Franklin is an extraordinary aviator in his own right, but his flying roots span three generations. As Franklin’s Family Circus neared its 50th anniversary Flying magazine featured Kyle, who continues the legacy of his father, Jimmy, and grandfather Zip. Kyle learned to fly at 8 years old and went on to […]

Kyle Franklin was born to fly. The son and grandson of legendary airshow performers Jimmy and Zip Franklin, Kyle continues the tradition of Franklin’s Flying Circus, which marks its 50th anniversary during the 2017 airshow season. Flying magazine caught up with the third-generation airshow performer for an interview featured in our August issue. Kyle talked […]

At AirVenture 2016 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Flying executive editor Pia Bergqvist had a chance to experience a brand-new aerobatic airplane named the GameBird GB1, produced by Bentonville, Arkansas-based Game Composites. The GB1 is designed for versatility, with a 303 hp Lycoming engine spinning a four-bladed MT-Propeller prop, a range of up to 1,000 nm and […]

AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, featured a long list of terrific aerobatic performers, some well known, some less so. The same goes for the airplanes the daring pilots were at the controls of. One of those was an airplane that has the potential to be seen not only at airshows around the world but also as […]

Moody skies and the occasional downpour weren’t enough to dampen the spirits of AirVenture 2016 attendees Thursday. Highlights included military and warbird demonstrations and a performance by Red Bull Air Race champion Kirby Chambliss in his Red Bull Edge 540.