A Manitoba pilot has created a new competition aimed at engaging local pilots while improving their skills and broadening their horizons. Chris Unrau, who flew his Cessna 210 to Europe a couple of years ago, says the Manitoba Flyball event will challenge pilots to plan and execute a complex trip to 19 airports in southern Manitoba on Oct. 5. It’s patterned after similar events he saw in England. He told his local paper the event encourages “camaraderie and getting people together to go flying, but also doing it safely while encouraging proficiency in aviation.”

The Flyball is essentially a race to see who can get to all 19 airports the fastest but there are additional challenges waiting along the way that pilots can use to add to their points total. Among those airmanship challenges is effective communication with air traffic control. “There will be a whole lot of air traffic,” Unrau said.

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