Seeking to Enhance Warbirds Evaluator Corps

December 7, 2017 - EAA and Warbirds of America met with FAA officials this week during the annual International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) convention in Las Vegas, focusing on the Warbird Aerobatic Competency Evaluator (ACE) program. With the continued popularity of warbirds at the nation’s air shows, enhancing this program will provide check rides for Warbirds of America members who need an aerobatic competency card to fly an aerobatic routine in air shows or even to perform basic aerobatic maneuvers during a warbird air show. 

“Warbird aircraft do not have the same flight characteristics as a purpose-built aerobatic airplane, so the EAA Warbirds of America, in conjunction with the FAA, developed the Warbird Aerobatic Competency Evaluator program, based on the successful ICAS ACE program,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “This meeting laid the groundwork for enhancing this important program, with more work to be done between now and the national Warbirds Operators Conference in February 2018.”

The Warbirds ACE program uses Aerobatic Competency Evaluators, most of whom are also ICAS ACEs and maneuvers are limited to loops, rolls, or any combination of the two at a minimum altitude of 250 feet. Surface level maneuvers require a checkout by an ICAS ACE.