GC demonstrating how light the new Xtreme Sbach is

Wickenby’s Gerald Cooper has joined the Xtreme Air Team, just being announced as the official UK agent for the Sbach.

The aerobatic crowd are all talking about the new aircraft from Xtreme Air.   It’s the creation of Philipp Steinbach of Germany, and he has been flying it competitively since 2006.  He explained “My first idea to design an aerobatic plane started in 2003 after flying the Extra 300S and getting lots of ideas about how to improve things regarding flying and maintenance.  The best is, you have a definite design goal: Make the plane win in competition, and you will have the attention of the market!”

Gerald so likes the product that he’s investing in an Sbach 300 with his friend and trainer Eric Vazeille, World Aerobatic Champion in 2000.  Make way for an Sbach at Wickenby shortly!

Loop TVs air test of the Sbach
Xtreme Air website

Gerald Cooper and all his trophies!

Sywell Airfield in Northamptonshire was the setting for the National Aerobatic Championships 2009, one of the best on record according to the BAeA.

Gerald had an exceptional competition winning all his flights and taking away two trophies, winning the Neil Williams Sunday Telegraph Trophy and the David Perrin Trophy.

2009 has easily been his best competition year to date, winning Bronze medal at the World Air Games in June, and finishing 7th in the World Aerobatic Championships in August. We wish him lots of luck for 2010!

For more information about the Nationals at Sywell visit the British Aerobatic Association website.

Eric receiving the bronze medal

Congratulations to Eric Vazeille who won Bronze at the World Aerobatic Championships this month.  Most club members and locals to Wickenby have enjoyed watching our ‘froggy’ friend practising his freestyle programme relentlessly this year, in preparation for the championships which were held at Silverstone Race Circuit last week.

Despite training the British Team all season, and commercially flying for Air France, Eric has found time to perfect  his performance and launch himself again on to the international competition circuit.  Having been crowned world champion in 2000, Eric has spent nine years away from aerobatic competitions, so this is a great achievement for him and we all wish him lots of luck at future championships.

You can view his practise sequence below:

Mazda Team GB Unlimited

Other achievements at WAC – Wickenby’s Gerald Cooper finished 7th overall, an improvement of one place from his success at Granada in 2007.  Team member Mark Jefferies came  10th, falling two places. Team GB, as a whole, took fourth place and we extend our congratulation to you all for your sterling efforts!

Visit the WAC2009 website for the complete breakdown of points.

Below is an excellent video taken from G-OGBR during the Freestyle competition, by Airsports TV.

View the daily blog from WAC 2009 by Mike Heuer (President of FAI Aerobatic Commission)