The Green Mountain Aerobatics Contest is the main event hosted by the New England Aerobatics Club. We are actively planning for the 2024 event which is scheduled to run from Friday July 12 through Sunday July 14. We will post more information here as plans develop.

One bit of useful information that will pertain to all contests this year, not just those sponsored by IAC 35 is that "technical inspections" are back. The following information has been received from IAC headquarters:

From: Sport Aerobatics Editor
Sent: Tuesday, March 5, 2024 10:16 AM
Subject: The IAC Tech Inspection forms have been updated

Tech Inspections are Back!

On January 24, 2024 the IAC Board of Directors approved updated versions of the Aircraft Technical Review Form (formerly the Aircraft Review Form), and the Pilot Document Review Form (formerly the Document Review Form). These are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Tech Inspection" or "getting teched." This is a part of the registration process required before a competitor may fly in the contest practice waiver at any sanctioned contest. These forms, along with the Official Contest Entry Form, contain a great deal of information about competitors and their aircraft, but also reinforce the long tradition of the IAC as an organization focused on education and safety.

While last year's forms somewhat streamlined the tech inspection process through observed self-certification, the board received feedback that reflected concerns about safety and contest official oversight. As a result, a subcommittee of the board looked at the best elements of the old (prior to 2023) and new (2023) forms in an attempt to bring together the best of all ideas. The committee looked to other aviation groups, including gliders, and looked into how technical inspections are done at car and motorcycle events, and even boat racing!

The new forms require participation and certification from both a contest official and competitor to ensure both will be active and engaged participants in the process. The Board also wanted to reemphasize the IAC's long-standing focus on education and safety. The changes to the forms are an attempt to support these purposes. One need look no further than our core values, which read in part;

A Passion and Responsibility to Educate and Share our Knowledge both inside and outside the IAC. A Commitment and Responsibility to Safety and Excellence in every aspect of our Sport. https://www.iac.org/who-we-are

The Board's thinking went beyond this—if we already have a reserve of technical knowledge and expertise, why not make the "inspection" more of a conversation and open the potential for information exchange? The pilot of an individual aircraft may be as knowledgeable or more knowledgeable as the contest official looking over the airplane, but the contest official may have a fresh set of eyes or an experience level that is beneficial to the pilot.

Since WE—the competitors, judges, and volunteers—are the IAC, we all need to take part in ensuring our safety, vibrancy and success as an organization. There is so much technical and aerobatic knowledge that can be shared and the IAC has always been an organization that thrives on that knowledge transfer. Tech inspections don't have to be mundane, they can be a vehicle for supporting the very things that make this a great organization.

I would like to thank members of the committee; Doug Bartlett, Craig Gifford, and John Ostmeyer, as well as EAA General Counsel Kristine Philgren, and the rest of the Board for their thoughtful engagement on this issue. I would also like to thank the many members, Contest Directors and Chapter Presidents that provided input on this process.

Let's have a great 2024 Contest Season!

Phillip Gragg IAC Class II Director _______________________________________________________________
Lorrie Penner
Editor, Sport Aerobatics
EAA 712942 | IAC 431036

Looking back at our 2023 season, the 2023 GMAC ran from July 14 through July 16, 2023 at Hartness State Airport (KVSF) in Springfield, VT. This year, 21 pilots flew in 4 categories. Sadly, we had no Primary category entries.

Weather was a big problem this year. Friday's start was delayed until about 2PM while we waited for low scattered clouds and mist to clear the Aerobatics Box. We were able to complete the first, Known, flight for all pilots. Saturday was a similar, frustrating, weather situation where once again, we waited until the afternoon for the weather to clear sufficiently to fly. We were able to complete the second, Free-style, flight for Intermediate, Advanced and Unlimited categories. Unfortunately, it started raining hard in the middle of the Sportsman category and we were unable to complete the category. It was hoped that the predicted washout for Sunday would hold off to permit completion of the Sportsman category, but alas, it rained all day and the three flights completed before the rain on Saturday had to be disregarded. Thus, the Sportsman category results are based on only the Known flight while the Intermediate, Advanced and Unlimited results are the total of both Known and Free-style flights.

We thank our many volunteers who contributed to a smooth contest! Our 2023 Pilots and Volunteers are pictured here.

Our 2023 KFC Pilots and Volunteers are pictured here.

If you are interested in other contests around the country, Click here for the IAC contest list.

If you've never flown an aerobatic contest before, it's a lot of fun. You'll meet all sorts of pilots with all sorts of backgrounds and experience levels; we have among us distinguished professors, fighter pilots, master showmen, aspiring sportsmen and hard-working volunteers who keep everything running through the weekend.

Each pilot chips in as well, and together we can make it happen like clockwork.

Competitions are organized so that pilots of all levels of experience and ability can have a rewarding challenge, and we are dedicated to helping to grow the sport for the future.

Each contest day begins with the morning briefing (or practice, if it's Thursday or Friday morning), followed by a series of flights ordered by category.

You are welcome to come by and check it out - you can be a part of it in no time. There are all sorts of nice people in attendance that would like to show you around introduce you to the sport.

IAC 35 member Greg Dinning has posted a video that features his competition flight at the 2021 GMAC. It begins with a description of the maneuvers as shown on the 2021 "Sportsman Known" sequence card and talks you through the sequence as it is flown. You get a clear view of what it looks like to fly aerobatics, from the cockpit! View it here. The flying portion of the video was recorded from the cockpit of his Christin Eagle biplane during his winning Sportsman Sequence at the 2021 GMAC. It finishes with additional information and photos of IAC35 practice sessions and how to get started in aerobatics.