With the introduction of the new aircraft we will work together with YO Mi Camara to obtain the most spectacular footage. The YO Mi camera is a state of the art product, specially tailored for use in the most extreme circumstances. All we need, I would say…..
This camera is without a doubt the best product around for use in any extreme sport. It can be mounted just about everywhere and is very easy to use. The camera is small and with the built in laser it can be set very accurately.

And the latest development is the YO Mi 3D camera. Does it get any better? We will keep you updated on our findings….

Starting the 2012 season Bose Aviation is supplying the team with the new A20 Aviation headset.
The A20 headset features breakthrough innovations to reduce more noise and provide greater comfort, without compromising the clear audio you expect from Bose. It also includes an auxiliary audio input and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

We will of course use this headset in the most extreme circumstances and are very happy that we can rely on the superior quality of Bose!

After years of flying the Pitts Special, the time has now come to fly a different, more versatile aircraft. During 2011 most of the work has been concentrated on obtaining this aircraft, creating ideas and making sure we can make a spectacular contribution to aerobatics and aviation. final result will be announced early 2012, so stay tuned…

For now, we would like to wish you a merry Christmas an a very happy new year!!

Like aerobatics, being a good instructor is an art. Instruction can be very rewarding but also presents quite some challenges for the instructor.
But after the initial instructors course there’s often not a lot of guidance on how to do the job right.

In the manifest I’ve written I hope to give you some answers to instucting, but also to managing other people in a more effective way. You can download this manifest for free by clicking on the page in the sidebar. I hope you enjoy the read and would really appreciate your comments.

Aerobatics is one of the most advanced forms of aviation. It has many different aspects, from precision flying in front of judges to low level airracing and airshows. It is one of the most challenging sports and draws thousands of spectators worldwide.

Frank van Houten has been an aerobatics and display pilot for many years.

“Pushing yourself and your aircraft to the limits is something that never becomes dull and with today’s technology never ends. Aerobatics goes above and beyond the laws of normal aerodynamics and demands the maximum of both man (or woman) and machine”.

When training new instructors I often ask myself the question “what makes a good instructor?”
Over the years I’ve seen many instructors doing the job for the wrong reasons.

A good instructor should leave his ego at home!! They should be dedicated to improve their trainee’s performance. Apart from the actual flying most of this is achieved by effective briefings and debriefings.

The art is not to tell somebody what he did right or wrong, but to analyse the underlying cause, make sure the trainee understands this and then give the trainee tools to improve. This is hard work but it’s also why instructing in aviation is very rewarding. And it makes you a better pilot too, which is maybe something to help your ego….

Accidents in aviation often make it to the front pages of the media. Quite often because it’s an unusual event. Aviation is very safe. Mishaps in aviation are still unusual events. Why?? Because pilots train…. a lot. Not only in simulators, but also on the aircraft, in smoke trainers, underwater trainers, low pressure chambers etc. We train to prevent things to go wrong, but also to manage a situation when it goes wrong.

In professional aviation we don’t blame the individuals but we try to learn lessons from why things went wrong and how people got into the situation. In a culture like this, the people involved want to honestly share their experiences to prevent fellow crew members to make the same mistakes. Quite often there is a chain of events causing a mishap. We evaluate those factors, share the lessons and adjust our training and procedures to prevent them from happening again.
We learn pilots to have confidence, to have contingency plans and to say “no” when things don’t look right, even when the pressure is high.
This is why many accidents are prevented. This is why we are safe!!

When flying on the job, in an autopilot environment, I’m still amazed how people with small aircraft flying background make a difference. Doesn’t matter if they flew or still fly gliders, tail draggers or helicopters. It shows. You can just tell from the way they operate. This is why it is very important that general aviation stays alive. It’s the perfect breeding ground for really skilled pilots.