Introduction

The Mantra of

Vintage Aerobatic World Championship

VAWC gives these fabulous old-timers a new sense of purpose, and do re-ignite their proud owners and pilots. VAWC unites the competitive and social SPIRIT and gives you personally a sense of going somewhere, rather than retreating

– Hardy Vad, VAWC 2016 champion in category “Rolling the Circle” (KZ8) created a Mantra of VAWC:

Vintage Aerobatic World Championship 2023

August 24-27

St. Michaelisdonn Airfield  north west of Hamburg. Hosted by one of the oldest German aeroclubs, the Dithmarscher Luftsportverein e.V.

Dear fellow
Vintage Pilot

Our beloved vintage airplanes are capable of performing the most beautiful manoeuvres in the sky. Add the sound of a Gipsy Major, Renault or Tigre … or a radial. We can do air-ballet, soaring towards our piloting dreams and romantic flying desires.

Every one of us loves to fly! Let’s do it together! Let’s connect and have some fun. Teach some old dogs new tricks, and give some young pup’s useful tips. Build some fun-flying relations. If you own a vintage airplane capable of aerobatics, please read on. If you don’t, read on anyway, we might need you on the judging line and/or in the bar! Many type of aircraft is welcomed and able to join – Tiger Moth, Chipmunk, Bücker Jungman, SAAB Safir, KZ-2, KZ-8, Klem 35, Stearman, Zlin, you name it.

To respond to many participants desire for learning new “stuff” and improve their flying elegance and precision we will arrange for a “Teaching the Tricks” flying/coaching day the day before the competition. Experienced pilots and judges will coach aerobatic rookies. Please just reach out for someone to coach you.

At VAWC 2022 we will build on the success of the special free-style-flight flown to music of your choice (please insert this during your registration). For 2023 we will again have “The Performance” split in two sub-groups: SoloPerformance and TeamPerformance. The “scoring principle” will still be based on selected pilots and judges functioning as a collective judging team. Great fun and socially intense! Please be aware that pilots flying “The Performance” shall explain/”dance” their Performance Flight at the bar-room floor the evening before the flight… allowing their judges to know and understand their creative intention with the air ballet. (and choice of music??!!)

TimeWinder competition:
Try to BEAT CLAUS! (again!)

We will invite to a social competition for the award evening: Who – pilot or team – can dress up to their plane? (..and time-age). Special judges will be hosting this great-fun-competition… actually with an ambition, that we will end up in a fantastic HangarParty!!!

Categories

Vintage category

Airplanes with type certificate (or alike) before 1955 and a least 65 years old.

Classic category

Airplanes with type certificate (or alike) before 1975 and after 1955, and a least 45 years old.

Replica category

Replicas of Vintage or Classic airplanes. Re-engined/modified vintage- and classic airplane

NB: Both powered planes and gliders are welcome. ( Glider pilots should arrange for tow-planes themselves. Often provided by the local organizer, however. Check out “contact” and reach out… )

Borderline cases will be accepted or denied by the steering group of VAWC

Flight categories

Please note that flying elegance and refinement is valued highly at VAWC… on par – or higher – than complexity. There will be three flight categories – you decide which suits your level of ambition.

(…select category in the registration form. Select only one category. Add your personal version of “The Performance” if you desire)

Know programs for VAWC 2023

Looping the Loop

Barrel roll (right), half cuban, loop, wing over, half reverse cuban, barrel roll (left), 270dg horisontal turn. NB: Flyable in “all” low powered airplanes. Remember you ARE allowed to dive for speed.)  

Looping the Loop Piktogram

Dancing the Cloverleafs

Horisontal roll, half reverse cuban, loop, stall turn/hammerhead, 1/4 clover (up), 1/4 clover (down), 1/4 clover (up), 90 dg horisontal turn, half cuban.

NB: (Flyable in most low powered airplanes. Remember you ARE allowed to dive for speed)

Dancing the Cloverleafs Piktogram

Rolling the Circle

4 point horisontal roll, Immelman/top roll, horisontal eight push down (2/4 on second downline)(half roll on third down line) stall turn/hammerhead (2/8 down), pull humpty (1/4 down), avalanche, half cuban, 45dg up, 180 dg. rolling turn (2 roll outgoing), two point roll, 90dg rolling turn (inside)

Rolling the Circle

 

You can choose to participate as…

1. You can complement your choice of known program by participating in The Performance either as SOLO flight or TEAM.
2. If you desire, you can compete alone in The Performance (team or solo)
3. You can compete in as well The Performance team, and The Performance solo

The

performance

Free-style performance by individual pilots or teams (two categories, two winners). Showcase the unique qualities of your aircraft. Include creative elements like manoeuvres, rhythm and music. It’s in your hands! The sky’s the limit! Please note: If you are not familiar reading the ARESTI pictograms, please do not interpret these graphics too “specifically”. Corners shall NOT be “sharp corners”, a dotted line in what could look like a half loop means a horizontal turn etc. In case of ANY doubt please do not hesitate to reach out for chief judge or Søren Dolriis.

PLEASE NOTE following: Participants in The Performance must register in this category before the competition starts, and it is also a “must” that participants do prepare and present their flight (intentions, creative design (incl. music) and flight programme) at the briefing. Also please note the new time limitation of the Performance Flight to 6 min (SOLO Performance) and 8 minutes (TEAM Performance) (Do NOT feel obliged to use the maximum time :-))

Experienced

judging line

Judgeline will consist of judges with huge experience from aviation as well national and international aerobatic competitions.

Chief Judge Thore Thoresen from Norway assisted by Søren Dolriis

Phil Lawton (UK/FIN) assisted by Hanna Räiha (Finland)

Reiner Scheler (Germany) assisted by Uwe Suthau (Germany)

Experienced competition management:
Contest Director Claus Cordes (Germany)

Scoring + assisting CD Hanna Räiha (Finland)

Jury: Hanna Räiha, Thore Thoresen, Søren Dolriis 

Our
ambition

THINK BIG! We – the organizing team – will listen and reach for the stars, and plan for a GREAT future for VAWC as a recurring event, with public interest. But we will INSIST on keeping the social/flying ambition balance. Please pre-register already now, and please do SPREAD the world in your social network. (PS: Spouses and “Ground Team” really make an important part of the atmosphere at VAWC. Please bring your “team” to St. Midhaelisdonn Airfield.

Søren Dolriis VAWC Founder