Twenty-two pilots have flown in from around the country and Canada to take part in the aerobatics competition at Salem’s Leckrone Field.
Contest Director Bruce Bellew says judges on the ground are watching the formations of the pilots in the air.
“Each figure has a criterion, loops and hammerheads, things like that. So they are out judging that. Everyone starts with a ten and get deducts for lines and loops that aren’t just right. They score those. It gets put into a scoring program. Results get published after each flight. We’ll also have the cumulative.”
Annual champions are based on points earned in competitions across the country.
The flights will continue until dusk Saturday night and will resume early Sunday morning with final awards to be given around eleven am or noon.
Anyone is welcome to bring a lawn chair and come watch the activity free of charge.
Bellew says the Salem Tourism Board and the City of Salem have been very helpful in putting together the annual event.
Some of the planes involved in the aerobatic competition at the Salem Airport on Saturday. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
