Aerobatics is the practice offlying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aeroplane" and "acrobatics".^[1][2] Aerobatics are performed inaeroplanes andgliders for training, recreation, entertainment, and sport. Additionally, somehelicopters, such as theMBB Bo 105, are capable of limitedaerobatic manoeuvres.^[3] An example of a fully aerobatic helicopter, capable of performing loops and rolls, is theWestland Lynx.

Most aerobatic manoeuvres involve rotation of the aircraft about its longitudinal (roll) axis or lateral (pitch) axis. Other maneuvers, such as aspin, displace the aircraft about its vertical (yaw) axis.^[4] Manoeuvres are often combined to form a complete aerobatic sequence for entertainment or competition. Aerobatic flying requires a broader set of piloting skills and exposes the aircraft to greater structural stress than for normal flight.^[5] In some countries, the pilot must wear a parachute when performing aerobatics.^[6]

Aerobatic training enhances a pilot's ability to recover from unusual flight conditions, and thus is an element of many flight safety training programs for pilots. While many pilots fly aerobatics for recreation, some choose to fly inaerobatic competitions, a judged sport.^[7]

In the early days of flying, some pilots used theiraircraft as part of aflying circus to entertain. Maneuvers were flown for artistic reasons or to draw gasps from onlookers. In due course some of these maneuvers were found to allow aircraft to gain tactical advantage during aerial combat ordogfights between fighter aircraft.

Aerobatic aircraft fall into two categories—specialist aerobatic, and aerobatic capable. Specialist designs such as thePitts Special, theExtra 200 and300, and theSukhoi Su-26M andSukhoi Su-29 aim for ultimate aerobatic performance. This comes at the expense of general purpose use such as touring, or ease of non aerobatic handling such as landing. At a more basic level,aerobatic capable aircraft, such as theCessna 152 Aerobat or theR2160 Acrobin, can be dual purpose—equipped to carrying passengers and luggage, as well as being capable of basic aerobatic figures.

Flight formation aerobatics are flown by teams of up to sixteen aircraft, although most teams fly between four and ten aircraft.^[8] Some are state funded to reflect pride in thearmed forces while others are commercially sponsored.Coloured smoke trails may be emitted to emphasise the patterns flown and/or the colours of a national flag.

Aerobatic maneuvers flown in a jet-powered aircraft are limited in scope as they cannot take advantage of the gyroscopic forces that a propeller driven aircraft can exploit. Jet-powered aircraft also tend to fly much faster, which increases the size of the figures and the length of time the pilot has to withstand increased g-forces. Jet aerobatic teams often fly in formations, which further restricts the maneuvers that can be safely flown.

Aerobatics done at low levels and for an audience is called "stunt flying". To enhance the show effect of aerobatic manoeuvres, smoke is sometimes generated; the smoke allows viewers to see the path travelled by the aircraft. Due to safety concerns, the smoke is not a result of combustion but is produced by thevaporization offog oil into a fineaerosol, achieved either by injecting the oil into the hot engine exhaust^[9] or by the use of a dedicated device^[10] that can be fitted in any position on the aircraft. The first military aerobatic team to use smoke at will during displays wasFleet Air Arm702 Squadron "The Black Cats" at theFarnborough Airshow in September 1957.^[11]

Aerobatics are taught to military fighter pilots as a means of developing flying skills and for tactical use in combat. Many aerobatic manoeuvres were indeed developed in military conflicts, e.g. theImmelmann turn orSplit S.

Aerobatics and formation flying is not limited solely to fixed-wing aircraft; theBritish Army,Royal Navy,Spanish Air Force and theIndian Air Force, among others, have helicopter display teams.

All aerobatic manoeuvres demand training and practice to avoidaccidents. Accidents due to aerobatic manoeuvres are very rare in competition aerobatics; most of them happen when performing formation flying or stunt flying at very low levels atairshows orair racing. Low-level aerobatics are extremely demanding and airshow pilots must demonstrate their ability before being allowed to gradually reduce the height at which they may fly their show.

In the EU, flying aerobatics requires special training and a rating. In Canada, no licence is required to perform aerobatics, but to carry passengers during aerobatics a pilot must have at least 10 hours dual flight instruction of aerobatic manoeuvres, or 20 hours of total aerobatic experience.^[12]

Aerobatic flying competitions are a worldwide phenomenon, rather like the Olympic games, and are governed by the FAI Aerobatics Commission (CIVA)

Competitions start at Primary, or Graduate level (in UK "Beginners") and proceed in complexity through Sportsman (in UK "Standard"), Intermediate and Advanced, with Unlimited being the top competition level. Experienced aerobatic pilots have been measured to pull ±5 g for short periods while unlimited pilots can perform more extreme maneuvers and experience higherg levels -possibly up to +8/−6 g.^[13] The limits for positive g are higher than for negative g and this is due to the ability to limit blood pooling for positive g maneuvers, but it is generally accepted that +9 g for more than a few seconds will lead to loss of consciousness (also known asGLOC).^[13][14]

Aerobatics are most likely to be seen at publicairshows in the form of stunt flying. Aerobatic competitions usually do not attract large crowds of spectators since the manoeuvers are flown at safe altitudes to avoid accidents.

• Cloud Dancer – 1980 drama film starringDavid Carradine
• The Great Waldo Pepper – 1975 film starringRobert Redford,Bo Svenson,Susan Sarandon, andEdward Herrmann.

• Ace Combat – Flight action video game series
• AeroWings – 1999 video game
• Flight Unlimited – 1995 aerobatic flight simulator video game
• Flight Simulator X – Flight simulation computer gamePages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• X-Plane (simulator) – Flight simulator produced by Laminar Research
• VRChat Flight Communities

• List of air display teams
• List of aerobatic aircraft
• Aero GP
• Aerobatic maneuver
• Aerobatic pilots
• Aerobatics (radio-controlled aircraft)
• Air racing
• Aresti Catalog
• Competition aerobatics
• Flight dynamics
• Flypast
• HASELL

• Audio of an aerobatic ride with air show performer Brett Hunter in a Pitts S-2C
• Audio of an aerobatic ride with air show performer Michael Mancuso in an Extra 300L
• Aerobatics and formation in New Zealand