international panel of judges unveiled for al ain int’l aerobatics championship’s $100,000 solo discipline
The panel of judges has been revealed for the forthcoming Al Ain International Aerobatics Championships – the four-day ‘Garden City’ spectacular which is held under the patronage of the HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
With ‘Chief Judge’ Quinton Hawthorne of South Africa leading the FAI Aerobatics Committee ‘CIVA’ nominated three-man panel, the participating trio will decide which of the world-class professional solo pilots – from eight countries – will be awarded three cash prizes which total $100,000.
In what is a truly international panel, the UK’s Graham Bell and Sweden’s Lors Jorn Arfedson fill the other two judges’ chairs.
Scored on innovation and entertainment criteria, the judges will rely on sensor controlled electronic timers, as well as personally controlled chronometers, to award the winning cash prize of $50,000 to the competition’s best.
The pilots will fly a combination of classic aerobatics – a series of unlimited classic manoeuvres performed against the clock, known as ‘AR,’ or Aerobatics Race – and a three-minute freestyle section referred to as ‘AF’, or Aerobatics Freestyle.
The scores received for the ‘AF’ are converted direct to seconds and subtracted from the pilots’ ‘AR’ programme times. The pilot with the lowest aggregate time wins the day’s flight, and the pilot with the lowest time from the two days of competition flights wins the overall championship.
“The Al Ain competition promises to be a tightly contested affair, and spectators can except a thrilling display of aerobatics from some of the best solo pilots in the world,” said Hawthorne.
The Al Ain International Aerobatics Championship 2008 has attracted a high-profile sponsorship line-up including Etihad Airways and ADNOC Distribution as Platinum sponsors; Pilatus, Etisalat, Al Ain Mineral Water and Abu Dhabi National Hotels as Gold sponsors, and Al Ain Mall as Silver sponsor.
Jointly organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, and in conjunction with the World Air Sports Federation, the Championship will also be organised in co-operation with the Department of Municipalities and Agriculture – Al Ain Municipality, Al Ain Police Directorate, Al Ain International Airport, and Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.
