Jett Bennet won the Victorian State Aerobatic Championships in 2024.
Photo by
Supplied
Can you imagine flying in a loop in an aeroplane, hanging upside down simply by your seatbelt?
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
For many, the thought is terrifying but for 20 year-old Jett Bennet, it’s just another day.
Australia’s youngest professional aerobatic pilot, Jett returned to the Victorian State Aerobatic Championships at Tocumwal Aerodrome from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26.
Having won the competition in 2024, Jett arrived with the intention to defend his title.
Unlike an air show display, competition aerobatics is a highly technical form of flying.
Pilots must perform set routines before a panel of judges, who assess the accuracy and precision of every loop, roll and manoeuvre.
Different manoeuvres can include spins, vertical pushes, stall turns and snap rolls, making precision and control crucial.
Jett said training could be “pretty full-on”, completing at least three flights a day for several weeks before a competition, coached by his father, Australia’s top aerobatic pilot Paul Bennet.
The physical demands of aerobatics can be intense, with pilots experiencing significant G-forces throughout their routines.
“It does hurt sometimes if you haven't done it for a while and if you don't relax enough, you do blow some blood vessels in your head because all the blood's gone to the top of your head... but you’ve just got to tell yourself to relax,” he said.
Jett has been flying solo since he was 15 years old.
Photo by
Supplied
Jett is now a professional pilot with Paul Bennet Airshows, performing solo displays in the Wolf Pitts 360.
Originally from Newcastle, Jett was introduced to flying by his father at a young age.
“On my first birthday we went for a loop and a roll and I suppose the journey started from there,” he said.
“I was jumping out of aeroplanes, pretending I was flying and then finally my legs could reach the pedals ... I started flying lessons when I was just under 10 and went solo on my 15th birthday.”
Jett said Tocumwal was his “second home”, having trained and competed there for four years.
“The weather is always great and the field that we fly over always stands out, the runway is beautiful,” he said.
As Australia’s youngest professional aerobatic pilot, Jett hopes to inspire the next generation of pilots.
Photo by
Supplied
“Tocumwal is definitely the best venue to compete in by far.”
What Jett loves most is the adrenaline of aerobatics, describing flying straight as “boring”.
“The thrill of adrenaline and hanging upside down by your seat belt, like I can't fly at a straight level, it's pretty hard for me,” he said.
“Going upside down and vertical is just awesome.”
Jett said he hoped to inspire the next generation of pilots, a goal passed on to him by his father.
“I also want to eventually compete in the worlds,” he said.
12°C