Ascent is delighted to be supporting the British Open Aerobatic Championships this summer – particularly as our own Nick Riddin, Deputy Prefect Chief Pilot at Cranwell, will once again be competing, flying his self‑built Rihn DR-107 aerobatic aircraft.
The Championships, hosted at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire, are organised by British Aerobatics and represent the pinnacle of UK competition aerobatics.
The event features five competitive categories, beginning with the Beginners class for aspiring competition pilots, progressing through Sportsman, Intermediate and Advanced, and culminating in the prestigious Unlimited category.
Competitors from Sportsman level upwards will fly up to four sequences, assessed by a panel of ground-based judges. As the categories advance, so too does the complexity and intensity of the manoeuvres on display.
As an open competition, the Championships welcome pilots from outside the UK, reinforcing their international standing.
This year’s event will take place at Sywell from 21–26 July and the final day promises a particular highlight, an additional four‑minute freestyle sequence flown by the Unlimited category pilots. This crowd‑pleasing finale allows pilots full creative freedom, using smoke, music and dramatic manoeuvres in a display reminiscent of an air show.
Category winners will be awarded the title of British Champion or Open Champion, and we wish Nick every success as he competes in the Advanced category.
