The 1st FAI-WACL
Formation Aerobatic
Challenge (FAC)
        Zhengzhou, China - 29th April to 1st May 2017
The twelve teams selected for the first FAI Formation Aerobatic Challenge were selected on merit from around the world, and performed both Classic and Signature programmes on each of the three show days. The classic eight-figure sequences were designed by each team to incorporate five mandatory figures plus three others and the turn-around manoeuvres, while the Signature programmes presented their formation air show routine re-designed to fit a free-style judged duration of 11-12 minutes.
To comply with Air Sports Federation of China (ASFC) requirements imposed for this event, the FAC organisers were obliged to reconfigure the status of this event from a competition to an Air Show at rather short notice. For all pilots and teams the Classic and Signature programme formats remained unchanged, and were flown in accordance with published CIVA Section 6 Part 5b Regulations for Formation Aerobatic Challenge events.
  Teams Aircraft     Nation

 

The Yakovlevs

Yak 52

6 Ship

 Great Britain
 

The Raptors

Vans RV7/8

4 Ship

 South Africa
 

The Hawks of Romania

Extra 300

4 Ship

 Romania
 

Pioneer Team

Pioneer 330

4 Ship

 Italy
 

The Blades

Extra 300

4 Ship

 Great Britain
 

The Global Stars

Extra and CAP

4 Ship

 Great Britain
 

Team Xtreme

Xtreme 3000

4 Ship

 South Africa
 

Presidential team ‘ANBO'

Yak-50

3 Ship

 Lithuania
 

The Captens

CAP-10

2 Ship

 France
 

The Red Barons

Pitts and Extra

2 Ship

 Australia
 

First Flight

Sukhoi 29

2 Ship

 Russian Federation
 

Double Aces

Sukhoi + Extra

2 Ship

 Spain

Official scrutiny by FAI / CIVA officers of all safety related elements at this event continued throughout as planned, though as required by ASFC the observations of and formal output from the judging panel was not employed to provide an official set of results. The listing above is derived from unofficial CIVA scoring.

Even though a formal crowning of the winning Formation Aerobatic Challenge Team could not be made as originally planned, the event itself was a tremendous success and has provided an excellent basis from which to carry this exciting new format forward to other locations for future truly competitive "Formation Aerobatic Challenge" events.