SIEGFRIED “SIGI” ANGERER

AUGUST 2, 1948 - OCTOBER 3, 2022

If you’ve ever had the thrill of visiting Hangars 7 and 8 in Salzburg or witnessing the Flying Bulls at the Living Legends of Aviation’s European celebrations, at an airshow, or online, you know what a breathtaking, heart stopping experience the Flying Bulls are. Sadly, and poignantly, both halves of the irreplaceable dynamic duo that made the Red Bull Aviation magic possible Flew West in 2022. Siegfried “Sigi” Angerer, born in Austria in 1948, was already flying independently by the age of 15; first in gliders, later in the de Havilland Dash-7 for Tyrolean Airways, and eventually in a multitude of pristinely restored historic vintage aircraft. Sigi sourced and saved dozens of vintage aircraft from all over the globe and was committed to restoring them back to airworthiness. In 1991, while doing some scenic flying, Sigi met his match in Dietrich “Didi” Mateschitz, who shared Sigi’s passion for preserving and flying these aviation masterpieces. Together they formed a partnership and in 1999 the Flying Bulls were born, with the apt tag line, “Passion Gives

You Wings”. Some of the notable aircraft Sigi collected and flew included the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a North American B-25J Mitchell, the last Douglas DC-6B to be produced that once belonged to Yugoslav Marshal Josip Broz Tito and a Chance Vought F4U-4 "Corsair", which became the iconic logo for the Flying Bulls. In addition, Sigi amassed an impressive collection of helicopters, including the Bell Cobra and two BO 105s, the world's only helicopter approved for helicopter aerobatics. Adding to the excitement, Sigi was delighted to acquire two Alpha Jets, which were the first of their kind to be approved for civilian use. To house these incredible flying machines, the stunning Hangars 7 and 8 were built at the Salzburg Airport. Sigi was Chief Pilot for the Flying Bulls, a reign he held for 45 years, flying more than 24,000 hours in 70 different aircraft types. Those who knew Sigi said he flew these aircraft like no other, noting, he “taught us to revere the history of the aeroplanes and look into their souls.”