Salina residents may want to keep an eye on the sky later this month.

The 2026 U.S. National Aerobatic Championships are returning to Salina Regional Airport from Sept. 20 through Sept. 25, bringing competitive aerobatic flying — and some unusual sights in the sky — back to the city.

This isn’t a traditional air show where pilots simply perform for a crowd. It is a national competition.

Pilots compete by flying precise aerobatic sequences while judges on the ground evaluate their performances. The International Aerobatic Club, a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association, sanctions the competition and hosts the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships.

The Flying Starts Before the Competition

Salina residents could begin noticing increased aerobatic activity before the championships officially begin.

Official practice periods are scheduled for Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, before competition begins Sunday, Sept. 20.

That means if you see an airplane climbing sharply, rolling, diving or seemingly doing something that would make most airline passengers very uncomfortable, there may be a perfectly good explanation.

Some of the country’s competitive aerobatic pilots are in town.

Several Levels of Competition

The championships include multiple levels of powered-aircraft competition, ranging from Primary and Sportsman through Intermediate, Advanced and Unlimited.

Glider pilots will also compete in several categories.

The differences between the categories aren't simply about who can make an airplane do the wildest thing.

Aerobatic competition is built around precision. Pilots perform prescribed figures and sequences inside a defined area of airspace, with judges evaluating how accurately those maneuvers are flown.

In other words, looking impressive is only part of the job.

Doing it correctly is what wins.

Then There’s the Four-Minute Free

One category on the official 2026 contest listing should be particularly interesting for spectators: the Four Minute Free.

This is the more performance-oriented side of competitive aerobatics, where highly skilled pilots put together individual freestyle routines.

For someone who doesn't know a loop from a Lomcevak, that may not matter much.

It is still an airplane doing things airplanes don't normally do.

Why Salina?

Salina has become a familiar home for the national championships.

The International Aerobatic Club says this year's event will again operate from Hangar 509 at Salina Regional Airport, continuing the city's relationship with the competition.

Salina hosted the championships in recent years as well, with the airport working alongside the IAC and other local partners to accommodate the pilots, aircraft, judges and volunteers needed to conduct a national competition.

The combination of airport facilities, surrounding airspace and Salina's aviation infrastructure makes the community a natural location for an event centered around airplanes.

Mark the Calendar

The U.S. National Aerobatic Championships run Sept. 20-25 at Salina Regional Airport, with official practice scheduled to begin Sept. 18.

So, for about a week this September, Salina residents may occasionally hear an airplane overhead and look up to see it climbing straight into the Kansas sky, rolling upside down or pointing toward the ground.