All aerobatic competitions in the UK are run under the authority of British Aerobatics, the national governing body for both powered and glider aerobatics. Their General Rules set out how competitions are organised, how pilots are classified by level, and how flights are judged and scored.
These rules ensure fairness, consistency and safety across all events – whether you’re flying your very first Sports sequence or competing for a national title. They cover everything from contest organisation and pilot eligibility, to sequence design, penalties, judging standards, and safety procedures.
As a competitor, you don’t need to memorise every detail before your first event, but it’s useful to understand the overall structure and what the judges are looking for. Your contest director and instructor will always brief you on the key points relevant to your level.
For your first competition, it's important to note rules around pilot eligibility, licensing and aircraft requirements, minimum height limits and sequence specifications.
You can download the latest British Aerobatics General Rules (2025 edition) here:
👉 British Aerobatics General Rules (PDF)
