That is a spade or shovel and has several purposes on an aerobatic airplane. The most important is that they help to make the ailerons lighter providing a sort of power steering. On the Edge, the all important spades are part of the aileron counter balance system, which keep the ailerons from fluttering. Spades or shovels can also be used as a way to trim the ailerons, making the airplane fly straighter. Spades come in different shapes and sizes and can be adjusted on the arm.

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Photo by Mike Shore

The FAA has a few requirements that every air show pilot must meet. The first item on the list is a private pilots license, you would also need a commercial license if you plan on charging the air show organizer. You will be evaluated for a low altitude competency card, issued by an ACE, also know as an aerobatic competency evaluator. This progressive evaluation allows the pilot to move from an attitude of 1500 ft toward the surface, based on the pilots ability and the number of air shows flown. More importantly, it is helpful to have flown in competition aerobatics and to have years of experience flying aerobatics. That usually means having a good coach, instructor or mentor and being instructed in a 2 seat aerobatic airplane.

To fly a captivating show takes years of experience and tons of training.  Kirby’s very first aerobatic lesson was with Duane Cole, two-time National Aerobatic Champion and a member of the Cole Brothers Airshows. Five-time United States National Aerobatic Champion, Kirby uses his competition background to bring precision and structure to his performance. Kirby enjoys flying shows because of the close proximity to the crowd, the ability to reach out to fans and the future generation of pilots. Kirby says, “If I can impact someones life in a positive way through my flying, then I feel like I have accomplished something lasting!”

http://members.iac.org

http://www.icasfoundation.org

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.”
~J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

2. Cub

3. DC-3

4. Corsair

5. Beech Staggerwing

There are so many taildraggers that Kirby would love to add to this list, but we’ll stick with just five!

Photo courtesy of Dalibor Maksimovic

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