Svetlana Kapanina – Queen of the Skies, Multi Titled Pilot

There are many things that set Svetlana Kapanina apart from other aerobatic pilots. For one, she is a world-renowned champion, having won first place at the World Aerobatic Championship in 2010. She is also an accomplished instructor pilot, having taught aerobatics to pilots from around the world.

What’s more, she started flying when she was a child, and has been performing acrobatics for over 30 years. She is a fearless pilot who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries and attempt tricks that most people wouldn’t even dare but he’s also a thorough professional who has won countless titles in the women’s category of international competitions.

Best Female Titled Pilot

Svetlana Vladimirovna Kapanina was born on December 28, 1968 in Shchuchinsk, Republic of Kazakhstan. She has an extensive career as an aerobatic pilot and aerobatic flying instructor.

She studied pharmaceutical sciences at medical school with the attention of becoming a pharmacist, but she also enjoyed gymnastics and parachuting. For a while she considered becoming a paratrooper.

In 1988 she took up aerobatic flying which she pursued as a hobby. It wasn’t long before she gained a reputation of being the best female participant. By 1991 she was a member of the Russian Aerobatic Joint Crew and in 1995 she graduated from Kaluga Aeronautical Technical School. She now trains with the Russian National Team near Moscow.

Kapanina, nicknamed the “Queen of the Skies”, flies exclusively the Russian manufactured Sukhoi aerobatics aircraft and has competed using the Su-26, Su-26M3 and Su-31 models.

She is married, has two children, and lives in Moscow.

Svetlana Kapanina Aerobatics Titles

She is the most decorated female aerobatic pilot in the world. To date Kapanina has achieved the following:

• Soviet Union Champion (1991)
• United States Champion (1995)
• The only pilot awarded the title of Overall World Aerobatics Champion a record six times (1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007)
• Overall World Air Games Champion (1997, 2001)
• Overall European Aerobatics Champion (1997, 2006)
• Overall Russian National Aerobatics Champion (1991, 2001)
• Awarded with 38 Gold medals in World Aerobatics Championships
• FAI World Grand Prix Champion (2007)
• FAI World Grand Prix Silver medals (2007)
• Al Ain international aerobatics Champion (2007)
• FAI World JK Aerobatics Formula Silver medals (2008)
• Awarded with FAI Centenary Medal
• Awarded with FAI Sabihi Gokchen medal as the only fivefold World Cup winner
• Silver medals at the World Championship (1995, 2003, 2005)
• Bronze medals at the World Championship (1995, 2000)
• Team gold medal team in the 16th FAI European Aerobatic Championships 2008

In addition she has received two honors from her homeland; the Russian Medal for Service to the Motherland in 1995 – a military award for high performance, as well as the Award of Honor in 2002 for high achievement in professional sports. She is an unwavering advocate for increased recognition of competitive aerobatic flying in Russia.

You can find more information about Svetlana Vladimirovna Kapanina and her accomplishments on the website, www.kapanina.com. You can also find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/svetlana_kapanina/

World Aerobatic Champion

In order to become the world aerobatic champion, one must be dedicated to mastering the skill of flying aerobatics at competition level. It takes years of practice and hard work to be able to perform advanced aerobatic maneuvers to the strigent standards expected by the judges.

In addition, one must have a strong understanding of the aircraft’s performance and limitations, and the ability to combine all this knowledge with the prevailing wind conditions on the day of competition.

There are many caerobatics ompetitions held around the world where pilots can compete and hone their skills. The most prestigious event is the FAI World Aerobatic Championships, which is held every four years. Pilots from all over the globe come together to compete in a variety of categories including solo, pairs, and team.

Many pilots who go on to become a world aerobatic champion come from countries where aviation is more heavily encouraged, since they have had more access to resources needed to become proficient at this skill set.

Russian National Aerobatic Team

The Russian National Aerobatic Team is one of the most renowned teams in the world. They have been competing in the FAI World Aerobatic Championships for many years, and have won numerous medals. The team is made up of some of the best pilots in Russia, and they are constantly working to improve their skills.

In order to compete at the highest level, the Team relies on advanced aircraft and equipment. They also have a team of dedicated coaches who help them train and prepare for competitions. The pilots are highly skilled, and are able to perform a wide range of maneuvers.

The Russian National Aerobatic Team has a proud history of success, and they continue to be one of thetop teams in the world.

Aerobatics

Aerobatics are a series of aerial maneuvers in which pilots fly in such a way that they explore the aircraft’s performance envelop and demonstrate the pilot’s abilities. Aerobatic pilots must be highly skilled in order to control the plane during these maneuvers, and they must also have a strong understanding of how the plane will respond to different inputs. Because of the challenges involved, aerobatics is considered to be one of the most difficult sports modalities.

However, ask any two pilots if they would enjoy some aerobatics and the chances are that the first will say “Yes please!” while the other pilot might say ‘No thank you!“. It’s not to everyone’s taste and many if not most pilots never bother to explore the sport.

In the realm of world sports aviation doesn’t figure as much as it should, yet air racing and aerobatics attract huge crowds and a considerable amount of commercial sponsorship.

Aresti Aerobatic Figures

Aresti figures are a type of aerobatic diagram used by pilots to plan and execute aerobatic maneuvers. The figures show the location of the aircraft in 3D space, as well as the direction and magnitude of forces acting on the aircraft. Aresti diagrams are named for their inventor, Spanish pilot Julio Aresti.