Almost everyone left the 3rd South Moravian Aerobatics Cup (JMPAL), held at Břeclav Airfield, with a mosquito bite or two. But we’re not here to talk about insects. We’re here to look at the competition through the eyes of the organisers (Libor Babák), the judges (Jiří Duras), and, most importantly, the competitors (Jan Jílek, Jakub Krajňák, Kateřina Machula, Jakub Měkota, Pavel Procházka).
From an organisational standpoint, Wednesday, 27 August 2025, was dedicated to arrivals, training flights, accommodation, and briefings. The competition itself took place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning across three categories: Sportsman (5 participants), Intermediate (7 competitors), and Advanced (3 pilots). The event drew aerobatic pilots from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, who flew their sequences in seven different aircraft (One Design, Super Decathlon, Extra 330SC, Extra 300L, Zlín Z-50M, Zlín Z-50LX, and Xtreme Air). Performances were evaluated by a panel of five judges and five assistants. Refreshments were provided by an excellent catering service, with chilled drinks and ice pops from the local bar, as well as an above-ground pool (which reached a peak water temperature of 27°C on Thursday).
You’ll read more about the whims of the weather in the interviews below, but luckily, the rain held off until Sunday.
On Saturday, 30 August 2025, Lukáš Pařízek put on a thrilling non-competition display in the Břeclav skies. After the results were announced (you’ll find a summary at the end of this article), the JMPAL participants gradually departed for home, bidding farewell with beautiful fly-pasts. Hopefully, all the wine and *burčák* (a young, fermenting wine popular in Central Europe) made it home safely.
Let’s hear from some of the people we met day in and day out at Břeclav Airfield. First up is Libor Babák (Chairman of the Břeclav Aeroclub).
Where did the idea for an aerobatics cup come from?
“Back in the 90s, we started by organising the Czech National Glider Aerobatics Championship on Blaník gliders, holding two events in 1993 and 1994. In 2016 and 2018, we hosted the Czech National Power Aerobatics Championship here at Břeclav Airfield (LKBA). We were good at organising these events, so in 2019, we teamed up with the then-president of the Aeroclub of the Czech Republic and CIVA (the FAI Aerobatics Commission) to host the World Intermediate Aerobatic Championship (WIAC 2019). That was the biggest competition ever held here. After COVID and some disagreements between the new leadership of the Czech Aeroclub and CIVA, the planned World Unlimited Aerobatic Championship didn’t happen. We started to miss competing, so after some discussion within the aerobatics community, we decided to fill a gap in the calendar for cup-style competitions. That’s how the JMPAL was born three years ago, supported in all its editions by the City of Břeclav and the South Moravian Region.”
Do you still organise glider aerobatic competitions?
“No. Our airfield isn’t very large—not just the runway, but the surrounding area too—and when there are too many gliders, arranging everything is complicated due to their size. That’s one of the reasons we focus on power aerobatics. We know that 14 aircraft can fit in the main hangar and another 3 in the smaller one. We move our club aircraft elsewhere, pack the gliders into their trailers, and park our powered aircraft outside on tie-downs to make room for the competition machines under a roof. This year’s seven aircraft are no problem at all.”
How do you choose the location for the aerobatic box?
“It was permanently established before the World Intermediate Championship, and now we mark it out in the same place every time. It has to meet the parameters set by CIVA. We had to find a spot on the ground that works well for accessibility and visibility, while also suiting the judges’ positioning.
Lukáš Pařízek also used the marked box to practise his aerobatic sequence outside the competition.”
Pilots have their own frequency here.
“We requested it from the national telecommunications authority, and pilots use it while flying in the aerobatic box. This way, they aren’t distracted by communication on the standard frequency and can concentrate on their performance. The special frequency is monitored by the Chief Judge and the radio operator so they can warn a pilot in case of a potentially dangerous situation.”
How do you handle bad weather? Is there a buffer in the schedule for flying the sequences?
“Saturday morning serves as our time buffer. We fly what the weather allows. It can happen that if meteorological conditions are poor, the competition won’t be officially completed, and we can’t declare winners because not enough competition sequences have been flown.”
Who has the final say on flying if the weather deteriorates?
“Discussions about whether to fly or not take place between me as the Contest Director, the Chief Judge, and other officials. However, the pilot always has the final word. Even if we say it’s flyable, if a pilot isn’t comfortable with the conditions, they don’t fly. This also happens in cases where, for example, a pilot arrives at a competition with an aircraft they have fewer flight hours on and don’t feel fully confident yet; they might skip certain sequences to avoid unnecessary risks.”
What about the judging team?
“The team isn’t fixed; it changes, although we see most of the same faces every year. I leave it entirely up to the Chief Judge, Jiří Duras, to select his team. Sometimes, several events coincide, and we have a slight overlap. For instance, the National Glider Championship is happening now, but we managed to assemble teams so that both competitions have judges.
We have an international team, with one Slovak judge and also Galina Suprunenko and her assistant, both from Ukraine. I have immense respect for Galina for coming; her bus journey here from the war zone in Kyiv took 22 hours.”
In our last conversation, we touched on the increased noise levels for the surrounding area. How is it during the JMPAL?
“As soon as training began on Wednesday afternoon, we received two noise complaints. We understand that engine sounds can be disruptive, but we are confident we are not exceeding any limits. The competition happens once a year, with most of the flying on weekdays, and it concludes on Saturday morning. We also try to minimise noise by designating specific areas for aircraft to climb.
On the other hand, we also get calls from people who enjoy aerobatics and ask if they can come and watch. We have a designated area for spectators—though attendance is usually small—as it’s important to popularise aviation sports.”
How do you promote the competition?
“From two perspectives. Promoting it among competitors is easy; the community is connected on WhatsApp, so information is shared instantly. For the public, we promote the event on our website and Facebook page. During the competition, we use Facebook to inform spectators about things like flight interruptions due to weather, so they have up-to-date information on what’s happening and when.”
The JMPAL is open to all categories, but one wasn’t flown. Why?
“The Unlimited category was announced, but it didn’t meet the minimum requirement of three competitors. The only pilot present who can fly Unlimited, Jan Jílek, competed in the category below, Advanced. I think the competition is especially important for pilots in the lower categories—Sportsman and Intermediate—who started flying relatively recently and are at one of their first competitions where they can get feedback from judges and share experiences with others.”
How does organising an airshow differ from an aerobatics competition?
“A competition is much simpler to organise. It’s an event where competitors largely have to look after themselves. We provide accommodation within the airfield’s means; some sleep in the main building, others in a tent or caravan, and some stay in nearby hotels.
From an organiser’s perspective, it’s about managing the airspace, marking out the aerobatic box, providing facilities, arranging catering for competitors and judges, prizes for the winners, and so on. Compared to an airshow, we need far fewer personnel to run the entire event.
The stress also subsides much sooner. By the second day, I know everything is running smoothly: the judges know where to sit, the pilots know where to fly, the organisers know their roles, the food arrives on time, and I’m only dealing with minor details. Once the competition is over, we have to restore everything to its original state, but that’s a minor task.
Preparations don’t take as long, so we’ll set the date for the next competition soon. Basically, after the 2026 airshow ends, we’ll take a short break and start preparing for the next JMPAL.”
Aren’t you tempted by aerobatics yourself?
“No. My aerobatics experience ended with spins and stalls in a Blaník glider, and that was quite enough for me. I enjoy watching, I admire the people who fly it, and I appreciate aerobatic aircraft from a technical standpoint. But if someone offered me an aerobatic flight, I would politely decline.”
The international team of judges was expertly led by Jiří Duras.
What are the duties of a Chief Judge?
“The Chief Judge has two main roles: to help assemble the judging panel and to ensure the competition is as fair as possible, providing all competitors with the same conditions in the box. Because there’s never a surplus of judges, the Chief Judge also scores during Czech competitions, which isn’t typical for international events. There, the Chief Judge is solely responsible for organisation, verifying zeros, and performing other duties stipulated by aerobatics regulations.
While the scoring judges focus only on individual figures and have relatively ample time to do so, the Chief Judge must also handle organisational matters. It’s crucial to have a capable assistant who can take over some of these tasks.”
You mentioned that competitors should have the same conditions, but that’s not entirely possible due to the weather. For instance, the wind was quite strong on Thursday. Do judges take that into account in their scoring?
“It’s impossible to fully account for it because that would introduce a human factor into the scoring, and objectivity would go out the window. Everyone flies in the conditions that exist at that moment.
Of course, everyone wants to fly in ideal conditions, meaning no wind. They like the morning air but don’t want to be the first to fly because they can’t learn from the mistakes of previous competitors. This is all part of various tactics, especially at international competitions. It’s important to remember that the whole point of competition flying is to present the figures to the judges in the best possible way. Judges look for errors, and pilots try to mask them with various tricks. A judge who has flown aerobatics has an advantage because they know the other player’s hand. But even someone who hasn’t competed will eventually learn to recognise who is cutting corners where and how, and score them accordingly.”
There are five judges (plus five assistants) at the JMPAL. Does it matter if the number is odd or even?
“An odd number is better, but the scoring software can handle other configurations. The more judges there are, the better the accuracy, of course, but the number is also influenced by the organiser’s budget, as they have to feed and accommodate them. Five is optimal; it guarantees both objectivity and is manageable for the organiser.”
What about the aerobatic box and how it’s marked out?
“The boundaries of the box are first determined on the ground by the organiser, who then briefs everyone, including the judges. The judges then visually confirm the box’s location so we understand how it’s positioned in space and can measure altitudes as responsibly as possible. It’s something you can learn relatively quickly. The box measures 1000 x 1000 x 1000 metres, and for safety, the lower altitude limit, or ‘floor’, is staggered. In the Czech Republic, the base for general aerobatics is 600 m, above which anyone can fly without special consent. For competitions, the Intermediate floor is 300 m, Advanced is 200 m, and Unlimited is 100 m. We’re always talking about altitude above the airfield. As pilots progress to higher categories, their coach or a supervising instructor must officially log the altitudes at which they are permitted to fly. This is also used at airshows, where it’s up to the supervisor to determine a safe base altitude over the airfield.”
What exactly is being judged?
“Aerobatic flying is about precision. It’s judged in 5-degree increments across all axes. We have horizontal flight, vertical flight, inverted flight, vertical uplines and downlines, and 45-degree lines up and down. Every 5-degree deviation from the ideal line results in a one-point deduction. Competitors must fly precisely, but it’s another matter how the judges perceive it. Not every angle can be judged accurately from a single point, so it comes down to the competitor’s skill in presenting the figure to the judges. When it’s windy, they have to account for it and adjust their flight path. More experienced competitors know how to handle this, making the flight look ideal to the judge. Competitors must be able to work with perspective, think ahead, and know how to manage their position relative to the judges—and do it quickly and proactively.
Positioning is also judged—for example, whether a figure is performed exactly in the middle of a line. If it’s not, half a point is deducted for every aircraft length it’s off-centre.
A figure always starts from horizontal flight (either upright or inverted), and the competitor can enter the box wherever they choose. They can also interrupt their sequence at any time, which they signal by rocking their wings, but they receive penalty points for doing so.
The visual appearance of the aircraft helps a lot. Professional pilots might have a black underside, a red-and-white top, and stripes along the fuselage and wings to make it clear what’s straight. Trying to spot a blue aircraft against a blue sky can be nerve-wracking.
For a while, aerobatic biplanes were in vogue, but that’s not the way forward. It’s hard to tell when they are upside down, and their boxy shape makes them difficult to judge.”
If a competitor disagrees with a score, can they file a protest?
“There is a set procedure for that. The competitor must submit a deposit, and a jury is appointed at every competition to handle protests. Fortunately, there aren’t many. I’ve seen a few where ego triumphed over reason. We all strive for the same thing: to make the competitions as fair as possible and not discourage the competitors.
More often, pilots approach us after the competition because they want to learn. Thanks to the online scoring system, competitors can download their scores during the event and compare their own impressions with the judges’ marks while it’s still fresh, which is very helpful and educational. Feedback is always important; at international competitions, entire flights are even recorded, and today many competitors have cameras in their aircraft as well.”
What about the sequences?
“In principle, the first sequence is a ‘Known Compulsory’ one (always the case for the Sportsman category). This is a sequence that someone (usually a coach, in this case, me) designs and publishes, and it’s flown at all competitions for the entire year. This used to be the case for higher categories too, but to ensure variety and allow for more individual expression, now only the compulsory figures are published for higher categories, and competitors can add their own to fill out the sequence. Pilots usually create one sequence for the entire season, possibly with minor changes. They submit their sequences to the organiser in advance, who processes, prints, and distributes them to the judges.
In addition to these, ‘Unknown’ sequences are flown. These are created on-site, so competitors can’t practise them beforehand. Everyone can suggest a figure that suits them and might challenge their opponents. The jury selects several figures, and the competitors use them to create their own unknown sequence.
In the Sportsman and Intermediate categories, pilots are generally not yet able to assemble a sequence that makes sense in terms of energy and positioning, so we create it for them, and they have to fly what’s drawn.”
What would you recommend for someone attending their first competition, who may lack experience or confidence?
“Nothing can replace a competition. You can have ten training sessions, but half an hour at a competition will teach you far more. To ensure a safe start, a pilot can request their own or an organiser-appointed safety pilot to fly the sequence with them. An instructor can tell you a lot, but when you experience something firsthand—like when the wind blows you off course—you’ll remember it forever.”
Do judges have any training?
“We do have judge training sessions where we also watch and score sequences. The idea is to get people familiar with the process, to realise what to look for and how many points to award. A judge must be able to defend their score. We’re all human, we can all miss something, which is why there are always multiple judges to minimise the probability of a bad call.
There is also an international rating system for judges. Simply put, judges are rated on how well they judge. In my opinion, this isn’t a good thing. It sometimes leads to people wanting to be rated well, to be popular and invited to competitions, so they adjust their scores to fit within the rating.”
How does one become a judge?
“It’s an advantage if the candidate is or was an aerobatic pilot, but it’s not a requirement. However, they must be interested in aerobatics. Usually, they have a connection to a judge who invites them as an assistant. They start gaining experience under supervision and then move into a judging role.
It’s a somewhat thankless job. Sitting in a field all day looking at the sky is tiring, and it becomes more demanding as you get older; your eyes aren’t what they used to be… It’s important to recognise when you still have the physical and mental capacity to judge and when you don’t. Competitors invest a lot of energy and money into the sport; they know when they’ve made a mistake, and if the score doesn’t reflect their performance, they take it very personally.
On the other hand, our work is rewarding. It helps pilots improve and push their skills forward.
I would be very grateful for new judges. Just come and talk to me or another colleague; we’d be happy to invite interested individuals to competitions and share our experience.”
What would a competition be without competitors? I had a chat with some of them (listed alphabetically).
Jan Jílek flies Unlimited but didn’t compete in that category in Břeclav. Why?
“I would have been flying Unlimited by myself, and that’s no fun,” he laughs. “Besides, I’m sort of on holiday here. This is my second time at JMPAL.”
How come you’re the only one from the Future Vehicles Aerobatics team competing here?
“This year, we all needed some time to sort out personal matters, which I think we’ve managed. Lukáš was moving and dealing with a family situation, Petr was focusing on navigation competitions and air rallies—the weekend before JMPAL he was preparing for the World Rally Flying Championship in Italy—and I was dealing with some business matters and finishing my ATPL theory. We’ve flown relatively little this year. Last year, we had around 80 hours on the Extra by this time; this year, it’s 35.
The European and Czech National Championships didn’t take place, so we flew some airshows and the Karlovy Vary Cup. I went to Germany for my first Unlimited competition. This season has been, let’s say, unusual.”
How was flying at Břeclav (LKBA)?
“I really treated this as a holiday; I’d accumulated a lot of fatigue. The Saturday before JMPAL, I overdid it a bit. We changed a tyre in the morning, I didn’t eat, then I flew flat out for 30 minutes straight. I was already feeling unwell on the way home, and by the afternoon, I was down with a fever and chills. I couldn’t manage any more flying at my home airfield, so I was counting on my Wednesday slot in Břeclav. I missed my original 2 PM slot due to a work delay, so I did one quick hop in Jaroměř, arrived in Břeclav at 6:45 PM, dropped my bag, and was in my 7 PM slot to get my bearings. For the first time in five years, I got lost on a downline here. It’s almost unbelievable; you’d think you can see the ground. But we hit a period where everything on the ground looks green from the air, and there are no distinct landmarks like a concrete runway. In one direction we found some water, but it was relatively far away. It wasn’t until my third flight that I noticed some solar panels.
Things didn’t go perfectly for me here. I was thinking that Petr Františ, who’s been dying to beat me, would have had a great opportunity here without even trying too hard.” (laughs)
What went wrong? Surely flying a lower category should be easier?
“The scores for the figures are fine, but the zeros I received were due to orientation issues. The lack of practice affected my muscle memory, but my main focus was on whether I could maintain my position under any conditions, be where I wanted to be regardless of the wind, and keep things under control. Surprisingly, I find the figures in Advanced harder to time because in Unlimited I’m used to constantly doing something, whereas here there’s more time, which can paradoxically lead to a lapse in concentration. Then you easily make a silly mistake, which usually stems from not spending enough time on ground preparation. Also, I have to be 100 metres higher, as the floor in Unlimited is 100 m above the airfield, while in Advanced it’s 200 m. In Unlimited, we’re used to flying at 150-200 m to have a margin, which is the minimum in Advanced. So, out of habit, I naturally end up at the minimum, and it’s only a matter of time before a judge says that from their perspective I was, say, 50 m lower. That’s something I really need to watch.
You always have to go into a competition knowing what you expect from it. I’m here to relax, have fun with the guys, and get some flying in. If we had a training camp here and flew for a week straight, things would look very different. :)”
How do you feel about interrupting a sequence?
“I’ve used it. If something goes wrong, I rock my wings. It’s no big deal; it’s a competition, and I think it’s good to set an example that interrupting isn’t a bad thing—it’s a normal and safer decision. Safety is paramount. You interrupt, you get an 80-point penalty, and you set up for the next figure. Once you’re in the correct direction and position, you rock your wings again and continue with the sequence. You get a ‘hard zero’ if you perform the wrong figure—for example, you’re supposed to do a positive spin but do a negative one—but you continue competing and your subsequent figures are scored. If my figure scores were consistently around 5-6, something would be wrong. If I have good scores but ruin my total with zeros, that’s okay. Right now, with three zeros, I have a score of 66%. If I had 66% without any zeros, that would be a problem. When a flight looks decent, the score should be 72% or higher.”
Are you not disappointed with the result, though?
“I never thought I’d say this, but here, I really don’t care what place I finish in. I’m very happy that Adam Ondrejka and Míra Černý (both in Advanced) are flying so well. They are capable of flying a nice sequence and holding their position against the wind, and I hope it motivates them for the World Championships in Hungary, which they’re preparing for. I’d love for them to win a medal.”
Jakub Krajňák was the only international participant, and he had someone following him everywhere. Who was it?
“Whiskey, my six-year-old West Highland White Terrier. He won’t be qualifying as an assistance dog anytime soon, but he’s here as my emotional support. My wife and little one are away, and there was no one to look after him, so he’s in Břeclav with me. He’s slowly becoming the JMPAL mascot. I kept him on a lead at first, but he’s old enough to know better, so he stays away from the noisy things. Plus, he’s addicted to cuddles, which he’s getting more than enough of here. I’m a little worried he won’t want to fly home with me; I think when it’s time to leave, he’ll just hide and pretend he’s not here.” (laughs)
What category and aircraft are you flying?
“I’m flying in the Intermediate category in a Zlín Z-50LX. I had a break from 2019 to 2023 while flying in the Sportsman category due to a back injury. I returned in 2023 and have been flying Intermediate since 2024. This is my second competition ever in this category.
So far, it’s not going too well. If I weren’t flying my sequences backwards, it might be better.” (laughs)
What went wrong?
“I’ve been telling everyone that I basically took a navigation flight to Kyjov during my sequence because the wind blew me so far off course. I got a bit lost on Thursday, came to my senses about a kilometre outside the box, and had to interrupt.
It’s different when you’re flying at your home airfield versus an unfamiliar one. I only had one training flight on Wednesday, and that probably wasn’t enough. The fields around here all look the same, and there’s a motorway nearby that isn’t perpendicular to the box but at about a 38-degree angle. That would have been a good reference point. The problem is, you start anticipating where you’ll see things, you’re trying to hold a line in the wind, everything is offset by 30-40 degrees, and after a turn, all your angles get messed up.
Just yesterday, Jan Jílek mentioned that the moment you’re ready to move up to the next category is when you can manage your position relative to the judges.”
Do you take advantage of the knowledge sharing here?
“We all try to help each other improve. We give each other advice and watch one another fly. I don’t think there’s any tactical game-playing or protesting scores, a tactic sometimes seen at the international level. We’re not into that here. We all just want to fly our best and land safely.
In aerobatics, I can only be angry at myself; I was the one who turned in the wrong direction. The small consolation is that I won the first unknown sequence. I might be a bit disappointed now, but it also motivates me to train harder. The important thing is that no pilot or aircraft was harmed.”
Do you know what the judges dislike about your aircraft?
“That it’s a blue-and-white plane against a blue-and-white sky. But I’ve seen worse. At the World Advanced Championship in Dubnica, Yoshi Muroya was flying a silver aircraft. Back then, all you could see was an occasional glint of light. It makes you wonder if it’s a tactic.” (laughs)
“I’m glad we were able to buy the Zlín Z-50LX from Jiří Pospíšil from Rakovník. The aircraft has remained and will remain a competition machine. My coach, Lukáš Ponížil, will be flying it at the World Championships in Hungary. We’re continuing its legacy, and I’m looking forward to giving it a major overhaul and a new paint scheme—though it will be expensive—to make it look better for the judges too.”
Kateřina Machula took turns with her husband in the cockpit and with the kids. What’s it like having the whole family at the airfield?
“For me, it’s nice. Having the kids around keeps me calmer. We can balance childcare quite well; the kids wander around the airfield and have plenty of ‘uncles’ here. My husband also competes, so he understands the world of aviation and gets me.”
You’re flying the only high-wing aircraft among the aerobatic planes here. Tell us more about it.
“I fly a Super Decathlon. It’s an interesting American-made machine with a fabric-covered airframe, which makes it very light and, like most aerobatic specials, overpowered. Its undeniable advantage is that as long as its inspections are up to date, it can perform aerobatics indefinitely. Unlike Zlíns, for example, it has no airframe life limit on aerobatic hours.”
Did you use the option of a safety pilot?
“I did, because I only managed one training flight before the competition due to the kids, and the wind was very strong. Safety comes first.”
You mentioned the strong wind gave you some trouble. How did you cope?
“It was very challenging. We had a crosswind, which is generally unpleasant. With a high-wing aircraft, compensating for the crosswind component is very difficult, but I managed. I joked that since I haven’t trained much, I often pull crookedly, so the wind kind of saved me because, in the end, it was actually straight.” (laughs)
When you have a safety pilot, you’re heavier. Is that noticeable?
“Yes, but in a way, it’s an advantage; every kilo counts. I don’t weigh much, and if the plane isn’t fully fuelled, it’s difficult to get it into a spin. The second seat is right on the centre of gravity, so if someone is sitting behind me, it spins beautifully.”
I noticed you bring a cushion with you?
“I use a cushion behind my back so I can reach full rudder deflection and still have a few centimetres of reserve, ensuring my legs aren’t completely straight. It’s more comfortable for me. I use the cushion in all types of aircraft, including gliders.”
Do you take advantage of the mutual sharing of knowledge between pilots and judges?
“Aerobatics, although often presented as an individual sport, is definitely not one. Competitors need to discuss flight tactics, wind conditions, approach angles, and how to position the figures. The weather here has been beautiful, but sometimes we have low clouds and have to interrupt a sequence—a permitted interruption without penalty—and then it’s crucial to plan the flight correctly. The saying ‘two heads are better than one’ really applies.
I understand that judges see many flights a day and can hardly remember a specific one, but if they do, it’s great to debrief it with them. Even during training, we watch each other from a judge’s perspective. We don’t fly for ourselves; we fly for the judges, so the sequence needs to look good primarily for them.”
What’s it like being the only female competitor here among all the men?
“I’ve been flying aerobatics since 2016, but I didn’t compete between 2019 and 2024 because I had two children.
I would love to see more women in aviation and in competitive aerobatics. I wish they wouldn’t be afraid or feel shy around men. There’s a prejudice that a woman needs to be strong for aerobatics, but it’s more about technique. Even a petite woman can outfly a burly man.”
Jakub Měkota had a first of his own. What was it?
“This was my first time competing in the Intermediate category, and I was in a different aircraft, an Extra 300L, so it was all more of an introductory experience for me. A double debut, you could say.”
Did you get to share experiences with the other guys?
“Absolutely. Jára Čihák, Jan Jílek, and Lukáš Pařízek are incredibly helpful and always try to give me advice. A lot of things are done differently in this aircraft than what I was used to, and I’m grateful for all the tips. Likewise, I appreciate the opportunity to talk with the judges and hear what I’m doing wrong.”
The strong wind, especially on Thursday, was a challenge for everyone.
“Since this was my first competition with the Extra, I decided not to fight the wind. The runway is quite short, landings are a bit trickier, you need to have the knack, and I didn’t want to push my luck. So I waited for better weather.”
Last year, you became the most active power aerobatics pilot in the Czech Republic.
“That was with the Decathlon in the Sportsman category. I won the Jiří Saller Trophy for the most active aerobatic pilot, and I also won the national championship in Kroměříž. I won here in Břeclav last year, too.”
The Decathlon and the Extra are very different aircraft.
“It’s a huge difference. The Extra is more powerful, faster, more agile, and less forgiving than the Decathlon, which will always have a special place in my heart.”
Pavel Procházka chose to sleep in a tent instead of a room. What led to that decision?
“I love camping, and that feeling when you wake up in the morning, open your tent, and look out over the airfield with all the planes—it’s priceless. When you walk out of a room, even one here at the airfield… well, it’s just not the same.”
You’re almost a local. Is that an advantage or a disadvantage?
“It’s definitely an advantage because, as a Moravian, I feel right at home here, and I’m closer to the wine, which I love. I always look forward to sharing a glass with the other pilots in the evening,” he smiles. “It’s a 20-minute flight for me from Brťov, but I’m ashamed to say that despite being invited, I rarely fly to other airfields for leisure trips outside of competitions. It’s on my to-do list, but I’d need a second lifetime to do everything I enjoy.”
You arrived on Thursday afternoon, which might have been a slight disadvantage as you didn’t see the other competitors fly and learn from their mistakes…
“A competitor always watches their rivals. That’s why we hate drawing the number one slot. Not only do you have the least time to prepare, but the judges are also ‘warming up’ on your flight, and everyone else is watching you, trying to learn from your mistakes. On Thursday, the deciding factor was the wind, so what I missed was not seeing how much drift there was on each manoeuvre. After the morning session, the organisers wisely suspended the competition for a few hours, so two of us finished our sequences in the evening. Everything that was scheduled got flown, and the experience of flying in strong wind aloft is invaluable. We all had the same conditions, and we all handled it. The judges took that into account—respect to them, they appreciated how we battled the wind.”
We were talking about the sequence Jiří Duras created.
“I’ve been flying Intermediate since last year. Our category is the largest, and the guys have either the Z-50M or the Z-50LX. The Z-50M can’t perform snap rolls, so the sequences are a bit simpler and don’t include those elements. But Jiří Duras always knows how to create a sequence that challenges us. In one sequence, for example, 5 out of 10 figures were push-manoeuvres (negative G). That’s incredibly ‘pleasant’, especially in this weather when you’re already feeling light-headed just from the heat,” he laughs.
Your aircraft (One Design) is one of the more powerful ones here.
“That’s right. It has an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Because it’s small and light, it’s actually overpowered for the Intermediate category; it could even fly Unlimited. I can take off and climb straight into the box without entering a holding pattern, which saves fuel and time.”
Does the culture of sharing experience and knowledge work here?
“Absolutely. All of us here fly for the love of it; we’re enthusiasts. This sport is expensive, and we bear the costs ourselves—we don’t have sponsors. There’s no reason for ego-tripping or looking down on each other. No one would refuse to give selfless advice to another pilot. It worked that way in Sportsman, and it works the same in Intermediate.
I want to sincerely thank the organisers. It’s not easy to put on a power aerobatics competition. It takes a lot of work and money, it’s a huge responsibility, and it can be thankless because this sport is noisy. People in the area perceive it that way and complain, and that falls on the organisers’ shoulders. So, a big thank you to them, and I look forward to next year.”
Who made it to the podium in Břeclav? As it turns out, “even a petite woman can outfly a burly man.”
Sportsman: 1st place Kateřina Machula
2nd place Ondřej Valach
3rd place Pavel Schor
Intermediate: 1st place Jan Valášek
2nd place Vladimír Machula
3rd place Pavel Procházka
Advanced: 1st place Adam Ondrejka
2nd place Miroslav Černý
3rd place Jan Jílek
Photos in the separate gallery by Pavel Doležal.
