Duel in the Desert Returns 2025: CD’s Report with Editor’s Notes
by Brooks Mershon, IAC 440213, and Taylor Mershon, IAC 442603
IAC Chapter 49 rebooted itself this year and collaborated with Chapter 26 to host Duel in the Desert Returns 2025 at General William J Fox Airfield in Lancaster, CA. Susan Bell’s carefully curated stockpile of contest materials from previously-hosted contests at Redlands and Delano in California provided a tremendous head start in making the contest go. Bell’s “contest-o-matic kit” allowed all the clipboards, tables, chairs, radios, and what seemed to be half the stock of a big-box stationery store to be immediately available to us to conduct the contest with local volunteer help. Most of the local volunteers and pilots are working or retired aerospace engineers. When you hang out with these folks in jeans and a plaid button down shirt at Fox field, think NASA. Think SkunkWorks. Scaled Composites. Hypersonic test vehicles. Orange suits with lots of zipper pockets. Remember the opening scene to Top Gun: Maverick? These guys do stuff like that.
The chief judge for the contest, Bob Meyer, happens to have flown the SR-71 Blackbird. Pretty darn neat. The aerospace background of the contest location and the people who make Chapter 26 go adds an understated vibrancy to Duel in the Desert. The rookie contest director starring in the event was Brooks Mershon, running around in the weeks ahead of time and throughout the contest learning how to keep things going and to actually conduct an IAC contest.
Photography by James Roslansky
Weather on Wednesday moving into the official Thursday practice day was clear but windy, with a front moving through the coast that certainly presented early arrivals looking to fly in the box with an unfamiliar challenge. Fox field tends to have fairly laminar flow winds closely aligned with the runway, keeping crosswind components under IAC limits for all categories, but the total wind made taxiing challenging for everyone and I am proud of each of the 21 pilots who made their own go-no-go decisions during practice to fly within their limits.
Nonetheless, early arrivals on Wednesday enjoyed many practice flights, with solo pilots and those with a safety pilot riding behind them learning to fly in well over 30 knot winds at box-altitudes. These efforts to fly in challenging winds were rewarded during the scored contest with obvious efforts in Sportsman and Intermediate category competitors to fight the mostly X-axis wind and maintain respective presentation in front of the judges. Unlimited pilots who have seen these conditions before, either at their home airport in Dunfee’s case, or at Nationals last year at the very least, were largely unphased by the wind.
Photography by James Roslansky
Some pilots who turned their attention to their sequence cards during their flights made their lapse in box awareness obvious as they began to blow downwind into the next county. Said CD Brooks, “I personally have never had much experience flying in such winds and a week after the contest I was humbled when I went out to try these same wind conditions for myself in my Sukhoi SU-26. I am all the more impressed at the level of airmanship I saw across all competitors, as I certainly found myself bewildered by the confusing effects of 40+ knots at 3,000 feet as I tried to bash my way through the 2025 Advanced Known with Chris Rudd cringing on the ground.”
Tragically, it was just before noon on practice day (Thursday) when news broke of Rob Holland’s fatal aircraft crash, which was devastating to not only those who were at the competition but also pilots making their way to Fox field, including a couple of pilots who learned the news just seconds before takeoff from their home airports to Fox Field. The remainder of the day was an ambiance of mutual shock, grief, and community support. To wrap up the difficult day, an issue with the registration software caused many of the volunteers and those running the competition to have to stay at the FBO preparing the next day’s competition scoring paperwork for the judges until nearly midnight.
Photography by James Roslansky
CD Brooks Mershon sent a message of heartfelt encouragement to the Duel in the Desert group on Friday morning, the first day of competition flights. Here is a segment of what he said:
“Good morning intrepid aerobats,
I am proud of each and every one of you safely arriving this week to share this sport with one another. Some of you had to fight harder than others to battle winds and lower clouds to get here and make serious decisions about how and when to pull it off.
In light of the unfortunate news of Rob's accident that affected each of us yesterday, I really hope that like me, you all wake up having had the opportunity to process emotions throughout yesterday. Today is a new day. Speaking for myself: being around wonderful aviation friends yesterday reminded me of the romance of aerobatics and general aviation. I was having a hard time yesterday, but I also found myself feeling fulfilled and happy last night and certainly this morning to be here in the thick of this sport, and to be fortunate to have the opportunity of being a rookie Contest Director. I encourage you all to process and feel and talk; but don't forget to reflect on the good of this sport and remember the positive ways it has helped you grow as a pilot and beyond. My life has certainly been enriched by this sport and the people that it attracts.”
On Friday, the dampened mood persisted, but the community pulled together and there was a sense of somber camaraderie in the action of the day’s events. The first competition day was both windier and colder than practice day had been, with stronger gusts and winds aloft. At one point in the afternoon Tom Myers raised concern at the upcoming hourly weather forecast which predicted 20 knots down the runway and gusts up to 35, which he thought warranted a conversation among those running the contest about whether it was prudent to proceed in those conditions.
Ekaterina Volkova walking her sequence, photography and edits by Taylor Mershon
“There’s two sides to it,” Myers explained, “One side thinks that if you’re here for the competition, you must be skilled enough to fly in these weather conditions too. And if you can’t, leave it to the pilot to make that decision independently. Then the other side thinks we should take the initiative to reduce risk and be as responsible as we can as contest leadership. They're thinking 'If we can prevent even one person from getting into a situation that is beyond their limits by making a conservative weather call, we’ve done our job'.” Myers encouraged Brooks to rely on his skills and make his own decision, since as contest director, the responsibility of making that call was his.
Adding an additional layer of pressure to the decision about whether to continue Friday’s flights despite the high winds was the impending forecast of rain for Saturday, with the chance percentage having gone up by that point to 80. After consideration, it was decided to continue going with the competition as long as the pilots were comfortable enough to keep flying, and at that point it was the Unlimited level competitors up next– the last line for the day.
Alexander Coats, Barrett Hines, and Joseph McMurray each do their ramp dances. Photography by James Roslansky.
Struggling against chaotic high winds, the Unlimited pilots exhibited stunning talent as they danced their birds around – masterful puppeteers, expert at their craft. A. J. Wilder’s flight in particular (as later reflected by his scores!) was aggressive and skilled and passionate, and it truly looked like he was flying his heart out up there.
As predicted, Saturday was a bust due to weather, and CD Brooks Mershon made the official call around ten in the morning. It was a dreary and sad day with rain drizzling intermittently, and the temperature had dropped significantly. There was a chance in the forecast that things would clear up enough for a quick flight in the afternoon, however. The Duel in the Desert participants had arranged a missing man formation flight to honor Rob Holland and they waited for their weather window so that they could fly the memorial flight.
Photography by James Roslansky.
The missing man flight was successfully performed Saturday afternoon. The flight of three included Matthew Dunfee in his grey and black 330SC, Alexander Coats in his white, black, and orange Edge 540, and Rob’s long-time U.S. National and World Aerobatic Competition teammate A.J. Wilder in his yellow, black, and white 330SC. Aerobatic contestant (and photographer) James Roslansky captured some stunning photos of the flight, one of which can be seen above. To go to the Duel in the Desert Missing Man formation flight page: click HERE.
The awards ceremony banquet was a mix of the usual making of new aerobatic friends, lively conversation about airplanes, and celebration about flying achievements that can be expected such an event and some bittersweet memory-sharing about Rob Holland. CD Brooks buzzed around the banquet space making sure everyone was fed and had a drink, and introducing people to each other. When it was time for awards, Tom Myers did the announcing and Taylor and Brooks gave out the medals and trophies.
Photography by Alexander Coats.
The first place trophies were custom made and donated by Ray's Aviation, and they are absolutely gorgeous! We wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to Ray's for sponsoring us in this way!
In the Primary category, James Roslansky won third place, Pratt Templeton won second place, and Michael Leonard won first place. David Fedors won third place in Sportsman, Justin Rhines came in second, and Conrad Schroeder brought home first. In Intermediate the third place winner was Casey Siebel, Jake Speidel won second place, and Joseph McMurray won first. Michael Hartenstine was the third place winner in the Advanced category, then Barrett Hines took second place, and Alexander Coats won first place Advanced. In Unlimited Ekaterina Volkova won third place, Matthew Dunfee won second place, and the first place winner was A.J. Wilder.
You can go to the scores page on the IAC website by clicking HERE.
Great job to everyone who came out to fly with us– you all worked hard and brought team attitudes to the contest which means we all were able to have fun and stay safe. Congratulations to all the winners!
Left and right photos by Taylor Mershon. Middle photo by James Roslansky.
We also want to thank Justin Rhines and Unhinged Aerobatics who made it possible for some of the pilots to compete through the decathlon rental he made available. Figure 1 foundation sponsored all first time competitors at this contest, and Ray's Aviation, along with having done the 1st place awards, also provided a race car trailer full of tools – complete with Ray himself onsite to personally fix any mechanical issues that might arise during the event. We can't thank you guys enough! Your contributions are what make events like this happen, and we really do appreciate your involvement in our contest.
And of course, we want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Tom Myers, Barrett Hines, AJ Wilder, Mark King, Daniel, Jamie Pittman, Pratt Templeton and everyone who stayed late to do clipboards Thursday night. And special thanks to AJ Wilder and Mark King for guiding Brooks through his first contest as CD.
Contest page: click HERE.
Photos by Taylor Mershon.
