AOPA Aerobatic Certificate

AOPA is actively involved in encouraging pilots to achieve added competence, and the AOPA Aerobatic Certificate course was specifically designed for those pilots who are interested in obtaining skills in aerobatic manoeuvres.

A number of AOPA Corporate Flying Training Organisations in the UK are registered to conduct courses for the AOPA Aerobatic Certificate, which follows a specially designed syllabus of training.

Aerobatic Courses

There are three AOPA Aerobatic Certificate Courses, Basic, Standard and Intermediate, all of the courses cover learning various aerobatic manoeuvres. AOPA together with the British Aerobatic Association (BAeA) have designed these syllabi of instruction in order to encourage those pilots who wish to become proficient in aerobatic manoeuvres to undertake the right training through a properly structured formal course. These courses are also required if pilots want to take part in Aerobatic events organised by the BAeA.

An applicant may commence the course at any time after qualifying for a Private Pilot’s Licence or National Private Pilot’s Licence. There are no minimum pre-entry hour or time requirements to enter the course of training. The courses consist of dual flying with an instructor who is qualified to give aerobatic instruction and relevant theoretical knowledge training. (Pilots who already have some aerobatic experience may qualify for a reduction in the flying hour requirement of the course.)

Having completed the course and been assessed as competent to the required standard, the applicant will be signed off on an application form provided in the syllabus. Upon receipt of this form, we will issue an AOPA Aerobatic Certificate to provide evidence of competency.

Part-FCL Aerobatic Rating

With the exception of aerobatic flight in non-Part 21 aircraft by holders of pilot licences issued in accordance with Article 152 of the Air Navigation Order, solo aerobatic flights may only be flown by pilots who hold a Part-FCL Aerobatic Rating in accordance with FCL.800.

FCL.800 Aerobatic rating

(a) Holders of a pilot licence with privileges to fly aeroplanes or TMGs shall undertake aerobatic flights only if they hold an aerobatic rating in accordance with this point

(b) Applicants for an aerobatic rating shall have completed:

(1) after the issue of the licence, at least 30 hours of flight time as PIC in aeroplanes or TMGs;

(2) a training course at DTO or at an ATO, including:

(i) theoretical knowledge instruction appropriate for the rating;

(ii) at least 5 hours of aerobatic instruction in aeroplanes or TMGs flown with engine power.

(c) The privileges of the aerobatic rating shall be limited to aerobatic flight in either aeroplanes or TMGs flown with engine power, depending on which aircraft the requirements of (b)(1) and (b)(2)(ii) were complied with. This limitation shall be lifted upon application if a pilot has successfully completed at least 3 dual training flights in aeroplanes or TMGs flown with engine power, as applicable, covering the full aerobatic training syllabus.

The AOPA Basic Aerobatic Certificate course of training meets the training requirements of the Part-FCL Aerobatic Rating; however, ATO/DTO aerobatic training providers must advise the CAA if they are using the AOPA training syllabus for their aerobatic training course.

There is a separate syllabus for each of the three levels offered; Basic, Intermediate and Standard.

Training is offered by a number of Training Organisations who are AOPA Corporate Members and registered with AOPA to offer the Aerobatics Training. These are listed below.