International Aerobatic Club Announces AirVenture 2016 Theme

April 6, 2016 - The excitement continues to build for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016, with the IAC announcing its Grass Roots to the Top of the World theme for this year. An exhibit with 18 panels will be displayed in the Vicki Cruse Educational Pavilion, which serves as IAC headquarters during AirVenture. The Grass Roots to the Top of the World theme will take an in-depth look at the following subjects:

The history of aerobatic figures: Who performed the first spin in the USA? What is the history of the roll? Who did the first snap roll (was it on purpose)? What about the hammer head, the first double hammerhead, and the torque roll? Was the Cuban eight flown by a pilot from Cuba?

Our aerobatic heroes: There are colorful stories of aerobatic pilots from Lincoln Beachey and Frank Price to Leo Loudenslager and Bob Hoover. Modern heroes like Sean Tucker, Rob Holland, Patty Wagstaff, and Debby Rihn-Harvey have also contributed to the sport. Learn more about what made these pilots famous and how have they influenced our sport.

When was the IAC founded and why: Learn about the history of aerobatic organizations in the United States leading up to the formation of the IAC. The IAC has since performed a critical role in the development of sport aerobatics both nationally and internationally.

The history of competition: What is Aresti and how does it work? When were boundary judges first introduced? Where/when was the first U.S. contest? What were the first sequences flown there? How do they compare to today’s competitions?

The family tree of aerobatic airplanes: The Stephens Akro inspired today’s Extra. The Pitts is iconic, but let’s not forget that there are other aerobatic biplanes. What about the Super Decathlon, the clipped wing Cub, and the Stearman?