Tucson Aerobatic Shootout 2009
October 8, 2009 | AZPM
Story and photographs by Christopher "Buzz" Conover
The skies over Avra Valley are filled with airplanes as more than 60 pilots from around the world take part in the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout 2009. The pilots, however, don’t sit in the cockpits because the planes are remote controlled. The planes are not small, most have wingspans of three meters and are 40% of the size of the planes they are built to emulate.
The four-day competition is similar broken into two parts. On the first day, the pilots fly what are called, knowns. That is when the pilots fly a set course, which often is published up to a year before the competition. At the end of the first day of competition the pilots are given the course for the next day, those courses are called the unknowns. The third and fourth day of competition pilots fly in the freestyle competition. Freestyle is a no-holds barred, four minutes of pure adrenaline choreographed to music.
Pilots range in age and experience. Some of the pilots have been flying for years others are new to the sport. One of the pilots at this year’s competition is five year flying veteran Spencer Norquist, but Spencer stands out in the Shootout more than many of the other pilots because he is only 11 years old. His father, Kevin is his spotter and says Spencer is a natural pilot. At this point though, Spencer says he has no plans on making the jump to full size aircraft.
The Tucson Aerobatic Shootout is the largest competition of its type in the world. Pilots are competing for $100,000 in prize money. Finals are on Sat., Oct. 10th 8a-4p and Sun., Oct 11th 8a-3p.
Tucson Aerobatic Shootout 2009
