Mason City Municipal to Host World's Top Aerobatic Pilots

The 2026 World Aerobatic Championship has been relocated to the Mason City Municipal Airport.

Competition flying will take place from August 24 through September 2, bringing more than 35 of the world’s top aerobatic pilots to north-central Iowa. The pilots will represent countries from around the globe and compete for individual and team honors.

“Mason City will be a great venue, with abundant hangars for aircraft and teams, limited airfield traffic, and direct air carrier service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport,” organizers said in a press release. “We’re incredibly grateful for the strong support from the Mason City community, whose enthusiasm and commitment to the event make this possible.”

The World Aerobatic Championship is the premier international competition in precision aerobatic flight. Pilots will demonstrate the extraordinary skill, discipline and precision required at the highest level of the sport.

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.