From First Loops to World Stage: Marco Bouw on Joining the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team
Earlier this month, some of the country’s most skilled aerobatic pilots gathered at the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships in Salina, Kansas. Marco Bouw took the opportunity to secure a spot on the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team—a first for him at the sport’s highest level.
He described the competition as one that is both technical and mental.
“We do three flights out of the week,” Bouw said. “The first flight’s a known—we know what we’re flying. These last two are called unknowns. We don’t get to practice them; we just go up in the box and do it in front of the judges.”
That final unknown sequence sealed his place.
“Flew it really good until the last figure,” he said, laughing. “The last figure kind of got me, but it was a good enough score to stay in contention.”
Path to the Team
Every two years, the National Championships also serve as the national team-selection event to determine who will represent the U.S. on the world stage. Scores across multiple flights determine who will represent the United States at the next World Aerobatic Championships.
The upcoming world contest, to be held next year in Batavia, New York, will draw roughly 80 pilots from around the world.
“The United States will bring 12 of their best pilots,” he said. “You’ll see people from France, South Africa, Japan, Germany, China, Brazil—every country that does aerobatics will be in this little town competing for the world championship title.”
From Airline Cockpits to Aerobatic Boxes
Bouw’s journey to the top tier of competition began well before Salina.
“I started in high school, got my pilot’s license, and carried on after that,” he said. “I was never really into aerobatics or anything—I was petrified of stalls.”
A chance introduction changed that.
“A local guy who was an airshow pilot and an unlimited team member kind of just introduced me to it,” Bouw said. “I was fortunate to get my own plane in my twenties, and that’s what set the hook.”
Over the last few years, Bouw said he started balancing a full-time airline career with competitive flying.
“This was just kind of a side gig that’s turned into a fabulous hobby,” he said.
Competition vs. Airshows
While aerobatic contests focus on precision and discipline, airshows emphasize showmanship. Bouw recently stepped into that world as well.
“My first airshow was a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “A lot of airshow pilots come from competition backgrounds—it’s a great way to learn presentation. How we present for judges isn’t that different from how we present for a crowd.”
Still, the two arenas differ.
“We fly higher-volume, higher-energy aerobatics in competition,” he said. “Some guys do more entertainment-type routines, like with a J-3 Cub. They’re different, but the discipline is the same.”
Training the Mind
Asked what sets aerobatic pilots apart from the average general-aviation flyer, Bouw pointed first to mindset. “There’s a great saying we have in aerobatics—all you’re doing in the air is verifying what you walked on the ground,” he said.
Preparation starts long before takeoff.
“We spend hours—hours—just walking on the ground imagining what the aircraft is doing,” he said. “Flexing in the Gs, using the stick, imagining what it’ll feel like doing plus-8 or plus-9 Gs, minus 6 or 7.”
That mental rehearsal, he said, defines the sport.
“We’re thinking about this flight 24 hours before we go up,” he added. “We’ve got five minutes to set a score, and every two years we get three flights to make the team. You want to make every flight count.”
The Machine Behind the Maneuvers
Bouw flies a Sukhoi SU-31, one of only five left flying in the United States. Built in 1995, his aircraft is both machine and history.
“It’s one of five left, only one flying in airshows and only one in competition,” he said. “I’ve had her for about three years. Born a few years after me, but I don’t hold that against her.”
The Sukhoi’s origins trace back to Cold War-era rivalry.
“In the ’80s, Russia wanted to win aerobatic competitions dominated by the United States,” Bouw said. “They built the predecessor to this, the SU-26, as a purpose-built aerobatic aircraft.”
Today, Bouw keeps that legacy alive. As he looked over his Sukhoi on the ramp—oil-streaked and still cooling from its latest flight—Bouw smiled. For him, the next challenge is already on the horizon, one that will test not only precision and endurance, but the mindset that brought him here in the first place.
Watch the full interview with Bouw and see the full SU-31 walkaround here.
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