NOVEMBER 2007 OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB VickiVickkii Cruse:CrCCruse:russe:ee: : 20072020072007 UnlimitedUnlimitednlimiitedteedd NationaNationalNatioonnaall ChampionChC U.S. National Aerobatic Championships • Awards Roundup • Advanced Team Selection NOVEMBER 2007 • VOLUME 36 • NUMBER 11 • IAC SPORT AEROBATICS CONTENTS FEATURES 6 The 2007 U.S. National Aerobatic Championships in Review Directing the main event – Bob Stark, 2007 Contest Director, U.S. National Aerobatic Championships 14 Profile of a Champion Vicki Cruse is the best of the best at the 2007 U.S. National Aerobatic 6 Championships – Scott Westover with Vicki Cruse 18 Recognizing Excellence The IAC 2006 Non-Flying and 2007 Flying Awards of Merit 24 2007 U.S. National Champions Meet the 2007 National Champions 26 2007 U.S. Advanced Aerobatic Team Meet the American pilots COLUMNS 3 President’s Page – Vicki Cruse 28 Tech Tips – Vicki Cruse 30 Mishaps – Bruce Johnson 14 DEPARTMENTS 2 Letter from the Editor 4 Newsbriefs 29 Calendar of Events 32 Member Profile THE COVER 18 2007 U.S. Unlimited National Champion Vicki Cruse flying her Zivko Edge 540. Photo by: Mike Terry of Aviation Legends Judson Bartlett OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB Publisher: Vicki Cruse LETTER from Executive Director: Lisa Popp the Editor: Scott Westover EDITOR Art Director: Phil Norton Dir. of Publications: David Hipschman by Scott Westover Managing Editor: Kathleen Witman Copy Editor: Colleen Walsh Contributing Authors: Vicki Cruse Bruce Johnson Bob Stark couple of times each year Sport Mason-Dixon Clash in Farmville next Scott Westover Aerobatics focuses on competi- month!” I have no doubt there will tion flying. This month the be a celebration, and that Bryan will IAC Correspondence A International Aerobatic Club, P.O. Box 3086 focus is on the U.S. National Aerobat- not tire of sharing the stories of his Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 ic Championships and the more than adventure just as his fellow pilots Tel: 920.426.6574 • Fax: 920.426.6560 100 competitors who displayed their and contest volunteers will not tire of E-mail: [email protected] unusual attitudes in Denison, Texas. hearing them. Advertising Director A handful of champions emerged The U.S. National Aerobatic Cham- Katrina Bradshaw Tel: 920.426.6836 from this group, and many of these pionships matter because they belong E-mail: [email protected] fliers were vying for a spot on the to all of us. If you have any doubt Representatives: U.S. Advanced Aerobatic Team. You about that, I suggest you make the Northeast: Allen Murray will meet the team and the cham- trip. You will find that the entire Tel: 856.229.7180 Fax: 856.229.7258 pions in this issue, and I would like aerobatic spectrum is represented, E-mail: [email protected] Southeast: Chester Baumgartner to take this opportunity to point out and you are sure to find a pilot that Tel: 727.532.4640 Fax: 727.532.4630 why all of us should care about the reminds you of yourself. While there E-mail: [email protected] annual buzz over Texas. is always an impressive collection Central: Gary Worden During the contest I received a of Unlimited airplanes, there are far Tel: 800.444.9932 Fax: 816.741.6458 gang e-mail from the world-famous more “modest” airplanes reminiscent E-mail: [email protected] Mountain & Pacific: John Gibson newsletter editor and webmaster of of the flightline at your last local con- Tel: 916.784.9593 Fax: 510.217.3796 IAC Chapter 19, Kent Misegades. It test or Young Eagles event. E-mail: [email protected] read, in part, “Congratulations to The pilots that fly them have picked Europe: Willi Tacke Bryan Taylor for finishing 7th overall their way across the country, many Tel: 498969340213 FAX: 498969340214 E-mail: [email protected] in his first-ever Nationals contest in times testing and strengthening their Denison, Texas, yesterday! He finished flying skills by planning unfamiliar Mailing: Change of address, lost or 10th on Tuesday, 7th on Wednesday, fuel stops and remaining strapped in damaged magazines, back issues. EAA-IAC Membership Services and 6th on Thursday; not bad for a little longer than the hometown Tel: 800.843.3612 Fax: 920.426.6761 his first year of competition and in practice session requires. These pilots E-mail: [email protected] his new Giles.” Celebrating seventh- had the dream of participating in this place in the Sportsman category is a spectacle, and they actually did it. The International Aerobatic Club is a division of the EAA. little unusual. At least it seems that They have that rare attribute of set- way until you stop and think about ting and reaching goals. That is some- the small percentage of pilots who thing to cheer on from the tarmac or fly aerobatics and the far smaller through cyberspace. WWW.IAC.ORG WWW.EAA.ORG number of those who ever attempt If we let it, the Nationals remind competition. Then think about the us that working toward our goals EAA® and SPORT AVIATION®, the EAA Logo® and Aeronautica™ are registered trademarks and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these trademarks and sliver of our community that makes is important. Maybe it’s just mak- service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohibited. Copyright © 2007 by the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. All rights reserved. it to a Nationals competition, and ing it to Denison, or perhaps it is The International Aerobatic Club, Inc. is a division of EAA and of the NAA. you begin to realize that a seventh- representing the United States on A STATEMENT OF POLICY place finish on that level is huge. the world aerobatic stage as a team The International Aerobatic Club, Inc. cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy of the material presented by the authors of the articles in the magazine. The pages of SPORT Kent knew that Bryan represented member. It’s nice to be reminded AEROBATICS are offered as a clearing house of information and a forum for the exchange of opinions and ideas. The individual reader must evaluate this material for himself and use it as the entire chapter when he flew, and that we have the power to work he sees fit. Every effort is made to present materials of wide interest that will be of help to the majority. Likewise we cannot guarantee nor endorse any product offered through our advertising. cheering on a friend defines the very toward achieving our dreams and We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. SPORT AEROBATICS (USPS 953- best part of competitive aerobatics. that we will more than likely have 560) is owned by the International Aerobatic Club, Inc., and is published monthly at EAA Aviation Center, Editorial Department, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Periodical Postage is paid The e-mail ended with, “We sure people cheering us on along the at Oshkosh Post Office, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and other post offices. Membership rate for are proud of you guys and hope way. Here’s to seventh place in the the International Aerobatic Club, Inc., is $45.00 per 12-month period of which $18.00 is for the subscription to SPORT AEROBATICS. Manuscripts submitted for publication become the to celebrate a bit with you at the Sportsman category. property of the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. Photographs will be returned upon request of the author. High resolution images are requested to assure the best quality reproduction. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SPORT AEROBATICS, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. PM 40032445 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to World Distribution Sport Aerobatics is your magazine. To submit news, comments, articles, or article ideas, please send them to: Services, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5, e-mail: [email protected]. IAC, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086; or email them to tookyfl [email protected]. 2 • NOVEMBER 2007 PRESIDENT’S PAGE by Vicki Cruse • IAC 22968 E-mail: [email protected] U.S. Nationals Competition with a little adventure and great people his issue highlights IAC’s most the Unknown). Matt’s wife, Perdita, The U.S. Air Force Academy prominent event for competi- and their son, Mitchell, joined him showed up in full force to domi- Ttors, the U.S. National Aero- in the States. Matt said he made his nate the Sportsman and Intermedi- batic Championships. The event plans months ago and was not disap- ate glider categories. These guys are showcases the best flying in the pointed. He found a well-run con- always happy to be in Texas and United States and brings together test, great atmosphere, and friendly help out whenever asked, making people with a common interest in people, many of whom will be life- the world’s greatest volunteer coor- flying. This year 102 pilots arrived long friends. dinator, Ann Salcedo, very happy. in Texas to test their skills in front Some adventures prevented Jason Stephens and Klein Gilhousen of a panel of judges. Winners were would-be competitors from arriving joined them in the Unlimited glider everywhere and not limited to those at all. One hopeful Advanced cat- category. Jason and Klein were fresh who took home trophies or medals. egory competitor experienced a par- off their showing at the World Glider In fact, some of the biggest winners tial engine failure just before leaving Aerobatic Championships in Austria didn’t take home material things, for Nationals. The accident resulted where hope was renewed in U.S.