Many people dream of flying; some wish to make it an art. Compared to the more than 350,000 commercial airline pilots believed to be active worldwide, only a small number of certificated pilots will choose aerobatics – an aviation discipline that relies on precision, physical and psychological fitness, plus quick decision-making, all of which determine not only the success of their performance but also their survival.
Aerobatic pilots do more than simply fly. They test the limits of physics, skill and endurance in ways few others do. While most pilots focus on getting from one point to another safely, aerobatic flying is about pushing the boundaries and anticipating challenges.
However, this is not an area that can be entered into on a whim. Aerobatic pilots need to be familiar with aerodynamics and the nuances of aircraft control during different maneuvers, but they must also prepare for enormous physical and physiological stress.
Some maneuvers generate extreme gravitational forces, making the pilot change their weight from +800 kilograms to -800 kilograms or even more within fractions of seconds. Without proper preparation, such loads can cause a loss of consciousness due to reduced blood flow to the brain or due to dangerously high blood pressure levels.
Here, AeroTime explores aerobatic flying, looking at how it differs from commercial aviation, the technical and psychological skills aerobatic pilots must have, and the risks associated with this unique discipline.
Aerobatics: entertainment or skill?
Before World War I, aerobatic maneuvers were demonstrated both as a form of crowd entertainment and as a means of testing aircraft capabilities. With the development of military aviation, aerobatic maneuvers became crucial during aerial combat, also known as dogfighting, and were thus introduced into military pilot training. Nevertheless, aerobatic flying is not a mandatory part of every pilot’s training.
According to SNS Insider data, the aerobatic aircraft market is anticipated to grow to $1.294.2 million by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% from 2024 to 2032. North America is expected to lead this market. Data from Stellar Market Research confirms this trend, noting that, in 2020, the United States had the highest number of licensed aerobatic pilots.
Igoris Lobanovas, a Lithuanian airline pilot, captain and instructor, with almost 8000 hours of flying experience on more than 50 aircraft types, spoke with AeroTime about his experience combining commercial flying with sports aerobatics for more than 10 years.
“I started flying gliders from the age of 15,” Lobanovas said. “While I was flying them, I practiced aerobatic maneuvers secretly from the aeroclub administration and already knew I wanted to become an aerobatic pilot. It seemed to me that this is the narrowest niche in aviation that was challenging to enter, and I wanted to pursue it.”
Lobanovas began his aerobatic career in 2014 with the Yak-52 aircraft. His first competitions took place in Lithuania, where he earned gold medals in the Primary and Sportsman categories. He has since flown many aerobatic aircraft, including the Yak-55, the Extra-300, Extra-330SC, the GenPro, the Su-26M and others.
Currently, he flies the ‘Sbach 342’ (Xtremeair XA42) aircraft at the Vilnius Darius and Girėnas aeroclub. In 2020, Lobanovas, together with his aerobatic colleagues, founded the Iron Wolf Aerobatics, which gathered local professional pilots to form a modern aerobatic team. He made his debut a year later at the World Advanced Aerobatic Championship 2021.
How aerobatic flying differs from commercial aviation
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines aerobatic flight as a pilot abruptly changing an aircraft’s angle in relation to the ground, taking an abnormal position (such as flying upside down), or accelerating abnormally. As Lobanovas explained, a commercial pilot’s main job is to ensure the safety of everyone on board, whereas aerobatics focuses on showcasing piloting skills.
“The essence of aerobatics as a traditional sport involves flying a specific sequence of maneuvers in the air as accurately as possible, with as few mistakes as possible,” Lobanovas said, adding that aerobatics is expensive and only attracts a small number of enthusiasts.
Stellar Market Research indicates that pilot error accounts for more than 50% of accidents involving aerobatic aircraft. However, Lobanovas said that accidents are rare during competitions due to strict regulations, especially within the top league, called the Unlimited category, in which he has been competing since 2023.
Unlimited pilots perform the most complex and difficult sets of maneuvers among all competition pilots. They must fly an extremely high-performance aircraft capable of executing the required figures, at heights as low as 100 meters over the ground in competitions and even surface levels at airshows.
“There are no random people in the Unlimited category of aerobatic flying,” Lobanovas said. “The Unlimited level is pretty safe as long as there’s no improvisation and everything is done according to the sporting code. The real danger in aerobatics comes not from the competition itself, but from the shows and stunts performed.”
Lobanovas pointed out that, unlike competitions, aerobatic shows are among the most dangerous activities in the world. This is mainly because of the temptation to make an impression. However, there is one main rule: keep a safe distance from the audience.
“My coach, Eltonas Meleckis, reminds me before every show: ‘Stunt flying is like dicing with death’,” he said. “There’s no system to catch a pilot’s mistake except his own judgment and abilities. In commercial aviation, thousands of people work behind the scenes to prevent critical errors.”
What makes aerobatic aircraft unique
The general requirements for aerobatic aircraft are that they must be extremely robust and maneuverable, but in reality, high-performance aerobatic machines are very different from any other type of aircraft, with symmetrical airfoils, huge control surfaces and other modifications making them do what normal category aircraft can’t, Lobanovas explained. Neither large commercial nor small private aircraft are designed to endure such stresses.
“My ‘Sbach 342’ [Xtremeair XA42], which I fly most of the time, is certified for a G load of +10G / -10G,” Lobanovas said. “This means that if the aircraft mass is 800 kilograms with a pilot, it weighs eight tons at +10G, and minus eight tons at -10G.”
“The XtremeAir XA42 has been successfully tested to withstand forces of +25G and -25G without structural failure,” he continued. “This means the airframe is incredibly strong, capable of handling forces equivalent to the sum of forces of around 40 tons. To put this into perspective, that’s roughly the empty weight of a Boeing 737, yet the XA42 remains light enough for extreme aerobatics while keeping its wings intact.”
Lobanovas added that another important requirement is for the aircraft to be responsive and controllable. Non-aerobatic aircraft cannot exceed their predictive flight envelope because they might not be able to recover from attitudes outside of it. For example, non-aerobatic aircraft are restricted from performing flat spins, as they are unable to recover from such maneuvers.
“Aerobatic aircraft must have as minimal control limitations as possible, allowing them to enter any attitude – absolutely any – and rotate without limitations on any axis. Only an aerobatic aircraft can get in and out of these challenging maneuvers,” Lobanovas explained.
Is aerobatic flying really for everyone?
In Europe, pilots wishing to fly aerobatic aircraft must hold a valid Private Pilot License (PPL) and have at least 40 hours of flight time as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) in the appropriate aircraft category after obtaining their license. To earn an aerobatic rating (FCL.800), a minimum of five hours or 20 flights of aerobatic instruction is required, covering basic maneuvers to ensure proficiency and safety. While these are the regulatory minimums, true mastery in aerobatics starts well beyond this initial phase, as highlighted by Lobanovas.
“Even a basic aerobatic certificate greatly enhances a pilot’s overall aviation IQ,” Lobanovas said. “Yet, this is rarely discussed in aviation, and such a mindset is not encouraged. But it should be the opposite.”
The most common type of aerobatics is so-called Recreational (or Gentleman) aerobatics, whereby pilots can legally perform simple maneuvers in their own aircraft in their free time. Lobanovas views this style of flying as a great way to broaden a pilot’s airmanship while not investing crazy amounts of time and money, as seen in sports aerobatics.
While many instructors can teach aerobatic flying, only a handful can train pilots for high-level competitions. Lobanovas noted that there are only about 10 to 20 aerobatic coaches worldwide who are able to do so. He emphasized that it’s only through sport can a beginner aerobatic pilot become truly skilled.
“As an aerobatic pilot, you have to develop your motor skills, handling, physical fitness, and mental strength,” Lobanovas explained. “Aerobatic flying requires proper physical training, as high loads on the body can cause fainting, vertigo, burst capillaries due to high blood pressure and other physiological issues.”
He suggested that the mental pressure of competing in aerobatics is incomparable to anything else. Aerobatic flying requires mental agility, as pilots must think about multiple factors simultaneously, maintain focus, and sustain that concentration for about four to five minutes, while the sequence lasts. However, those few minutes demand much more from the brain than it can typically handle, Lobanovas said.
12 hours of preparation for four minutes
“For example, in car racing, the driver can learn and practice the track before the race, but in aerobatics, it’s different,” he continued. “There are countless combinations of figures, so the pilot can’t practice every possible scenario, like in chess, he has to ‘feel’ the dynamics of the game.”
Competitions are mostly made of “unknown” sequences, where pilots receive a sequence of figures to perform just about 12 hours before the flight. According to Lobanovas, higher-level competitions typically include around 14 figures. Pilots dedicate these 12 hours of preparation to a routine that lasts only four minutes. Since complex aerial sequences cannot be physically rehearsed in advance, pilots must rely on mental visualization to perfect their performance.
“The pilot then has to envision themselves as flying the aircraft and practice the imagined maneuvers,” Lobanovas explained. “The majority of the work happens on the ground. Flying is more about technique. Of course it’s essential to perform all maneuvers correctly, but mental preparation requires much more effort.”
Psychological preparation
“A year before I participated in the World Unlimited Aerobatics Championship in August 2024, I began working with a sports psychologist,” Lobanovas said. “I realized that sports psychology is a broad field that helps me improve as an aerobatic pilot, a commercial pilot and a human being in general. It’s all about tracking peak mental performance, which means learning to think quickly and clearly when you need to.”
Lobanovas said that extreme situations are not the main focus of aerobatic flying: it’s more about learning to prevent them. As far as he’s concerned, the most dangerous and memorable experiences involve inventing and practicing new freestyle maneuvers.
“At times, you find yourself in a situation or attitude that you can’t quite understand. The aircraft may start spinning, and you’re losing altitude, meaning there are only a few options left to regain control. It’s tough psychologically, because your mind goes into shock.”
In these moments, the brain triggers the fight-or-flight response, often referred to in aviation as the Amygdala hijack. Lobanovas noted that when in shock, our brains are biologically wired to escape from that situation, which makes it hard to think clearly – something crucial in aerobatic flying.
“For every aerobatic pilot, it is important to understand this brain function and learn to reprogram yourself in dangerous situations,” he said. “Moreover, many aerobatic crashes happen because pilots rush the maneuver that they are not technically or mentally prepared for.”
“Aerobatics isn’t a solo sport. Just like in aviation in general, you can’t know everything or achieve something just on your own,” Lobanovas concluded. “It’s all about teamwork. A pilot must be open, trust their body and mind, but yet value the opinion and safety concerns of teammates.”
