THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
WWW.REDBULLAIRRACE.COM
PORTO, SEPTEMBER 12&13
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RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
insight
the content
hello and welcome to…
Pure performance Absolute precision
OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER
W W W. B R E I TLI N G .C O M
Chrono-Matic A tribute to the first selfwinding chronograph (1969), bearing the Uma homenagem ao ever primeiro cronógrafo automático da história (1969), Breitling signature. Officially chronometer-certifi ed by thecado COSC. com a assinatura Breitling. Cronómetro oficialmente certifi pelo COSC.
Cover Photomontage: Red Bulletin/ Creative Retouching: Lee Laughton; Cover Photography: Markus Kucera, Red Bull Air Race via AP Images; Photography: Russell Cheyne/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images, Markus Kucera (2)
the penultimate race of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
04 GALLERY
The best pics from the Budapest race
12 BULLEVARD
Looking back at the last race and forward to the next… and what's going on in Pete McLeod's head?
18 HERo
Flying is on Glen Dell’s mind 24/7, but what about the bigger questions
in life? Check out our philosophical challenge
20 PoRtRAit
A Rookie is actually
supposed to observe, learn and join the back of the pack. Matt Hall isn’t like that, however. Meet the Australian who is busy planning and making his way to the top
26 intERViEw
Paul Bonhomme’s life changed completely in February this year. Find out why one of the strongest title contenders doesn’t attack the track that aggressively anymore
30 tEcH-tALk
Behind every successful pilot is a professional team pushing their
flying technology forward. We talk to three top technical brains
36 cHARitY
To
support the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation, some of the pilots have donated very personal items and cool days out. Check them out and place your bids for a good cause
38 PRofiLEs
Close-ups of all 15 Red Bull Air Race pilots
detailed look at the mechanics of the MXS-R plane and get the pilot’s view year
48 tHE RULEs
explanation of the format an exciting Race Day
42 tHE PLAnE
44 tHE cockPit
46 cALEnDAR
A
Take a seat in a race
Find out where the races take place this
More about the regulations governing the race, as well as an
50 LocAtion
All you need to know about the location for
Looking at this season, so much has changed since last year. We have a bigger pilot line-up, a new race format and new rules. The minimum weight of the plane is now 540kg, there is a 12G limit, a clear no to asymmetric wings and a must-have to engines with a 10:1 compression ratio. Many of the planes have been modified to the max during the off-season and also in between races to squeeze more performance out of the aircraft. As the official Red Bull Air Race World Championship magazine, we’re here to keep you up-to-date with every development. We bring you behind-the-scenes insights, as well as fresh and exciting interviews and features with the pilots and their teams. You can download all issues, including the latest, of the magazine online at www.redbullairrace.com. In this, the fifth issue of this race season, you’ll discover more about Matt Hall, find out what changed Paul Bonhomme’s attitude to life and you’ll learn how many tweaks need to be made by the top three pilots’ technicians in order to create a championship-calibre plane. Plus, we’ll show you the planes and explain the rules and the format of this breathtaking motorsport. This season definitely was, and still is, an extremely thrilling one. The first four rounds have shown that the Red Bull Air Race has made another big leap forward since last year. Join us and celebrate competition, excitement and fun. The editors
imprint THE RED BULLETIN GMBH, Heinrich-Collin-Straße 1, 1140 Vienna, Austria e-mail: redbullairracemagazine@at.redbulletin.com Managing Directors Karl Abentheuer, Bernd Fisa Project Director Bernd Fisa Editors in Chief Robert Sperl, Nadja Žele Editor Matt Youson Chief Sub-editor Nancy James Contributor Corinna Schwiegershausen Art Directors Erik Turek, Markus Kietreiber Designers René Andritsch, Claudia Drechsler, Dominik Uhl ˇ Illustrators Almut Becvar, James Greenhow, Dietmar Kainrath, Seso Media Group Producers Michael Bergmeister, Photo Editor/Photographer Markus Kucera Wolfgang Stecher Lithography Josef Mühlbacher, Clemens Ragotzky Printed by Offset 5020, Bayernstraße 27, A-5072 Siezenheim www.redbulletin.com red bull air race magazine
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Gallery
Precision To slingshot a plane through an Air Gate only a few metres above the water demands exceptional pilot skills. Only the world’s best are capable of doing it.
Photography: Tom Lovelock/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images
Michael Goulian, Budapest, hunGary, auGust 2009
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Power
At a speed of 370kph, on the way to a 10G-plus turning manoeuvre, it’s total commitment all the way from man and machine in the Red Bull Air Race. Horsepower and good navigation are key to success.
Photography: Russell Cheyne/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images
Paul Bonhomme, BudaPest, hungary, august 2009
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Fans
650,000 enthusiasts came to cheer on their heroes. The Budapest race, with the start gate under the Chain Bridge, was this season’s European opener.
Photography: David Blundell/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images
Nigel lamb, budapest, HuNgary, august 2009
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Scenery That’s what it looks like when action comes to town. Racing in the heart of the city is truly amazing, and the Parliament building makes a stunning backdrop. Kirby Chambliss, budapest, hungary, august 2009
THE PORTUGUESE ORGANIZATION OF RED BULL AIR RACE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD LIKE TO THANK:
Photography: Tom Lovelock/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images
Águas de Gaia / Alfândega do Porto / ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal / Associação de Comerciantes da Zona Histórica do Porto / Associação Empresarial de Paços de Ferreira / Autoridade Nacional de Protecção Civil / Barcadouro – Sociedade de Turismo Fluvial e Terrestre Lda. / Batalhão de Sapadores Bombeiros do Porto / Cais de Gaia / Câmara Municipal da Maia / Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos / Câmara Municipal de Paços de Ferreira / Câmara Municipal de Vila Nova de Gaia / Câmara Municipal do Porto / Companhia de Bombeiros Sapadores de Vila Nova de Gaia / Condomínio do Edifício Douro (Gaia) / Condomínio do Edifício Infante (Porto) / CP – Comboios de Portugal / Diário de Notícias / Douro Acima / DouroAzul - Sociedade Maritimo-Turistica, S.A. / Estradas de Portugal / Força Aérea Portuguesa / Gaianima / Global Notícias / Governo Civil do Porto / Governo de Portugal / Grupo Controlinveste / Helitours - Douro - Transportes Aéreos, S.A. / INAC – Instituto Nacional de Aviação Civil / IPTM – Instituto Portuário e dos Transportes Marítimos / Jornal de Notícias / Marinha Portuguesa / Metro do Porto / Ministério da Administração Interna / Ministério da Defesa Nacional / Ministério da Economia e Inovação / Ministério das Obras Públicas, Transportes e Comunicações / NAV – Navegação Aérea de Portugal / Nespresso / O Jogo / Polícia de Segurança Pública / Polícia Municipal de Vila Nova de Gaia / Polícia Municipal do Porto / Porto Lazer / PT – Portugal Telecom / Residentes de Vila Nova de Gaia / Residentes do Porto / RFM / Rota do Douro / Sapo.pt / Secretaria de Estado da Defesa / Secretaria de Estado da Protecção Civil / Secretaria de Estado das Obras Públicas e Comunicações / Secretaria de Estado do Turismo / Secretaria de Estado dos Transportes / SIC – Sociedade Independente de Comunicação / STCP / TMN – Telecomunicações Móveis Nacionais / Turisdouro – Transportes Fluviais, Lda. / Turismo de Portugal / Unicer / Via Douro AND ANYBODY ELSE INVOLVED WHO WE MIGHT HAVE ACCIDENTALLY MISSED OUT
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BULLEVARD
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS Pos
REVIEW
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
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RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
14:05
Wild Card. With a great run (1:13.43) and a dash of luck, Yoshihide Muroya sneaks into the Top 12 session. Lamb manages it as well. McLeod struggles because of his heavy truck. Dell and Rakhmanin are all disqualified for exceeding the speed limit.
Points
Edge 540
42
2
Hannes Arch
AUT
Edge 540
41
3
Nicolas Ivanoff
FRA
Edge 540
28
4
Mike Mangold
USA
Edge 540
24
5
Matt Hall
AUS
MXS�R
24
6
Kirby Chambliss
USA
Edge 540
23
7
Nigel Lamb
GBR
MXS�R
21
8
Michael Goulian
USA
Edge 540
18
9
Sergey Rakhmanin
RUS
MXS�R
17
10
Peter Besenyei
HUN
MXS�R
12
11
Alejandro Maclean
ESP
MXS�R
9
12
Matthias Dolderer
GER
Edge 540
8
13
Glen Dell
RSA
Edge 540
3
14
Yoshihide Muroya
JPN
Edge 540
1
15
Pete McLeod
CAN
Edge 540
1
15:46
Super 8. An all-but-super runtime of 1:15.41 is enough. Sixth place for Mike Mangold and his weak horse. “I'm here to take advantage of others' mistakes.”
16:26
Final 4. Air Gate number 5, a 2-degree declination and unlevel flight leads to a penalty for Hannes Arch. He gets bounced back to fourth – 1:13.83 won’t beat Chambliss’ 1:13.53.
The race track over the Douro River, between Porto and Gaia is a real playground for speeders and Quadro haters – because of limited space a Quadro won’t fit here. In Order to win, the pilots will need a superstreamlined bodywork, a huge amount of engine power, the right chicane approach and a fast, but not too hard, turning manoeuvre. Most likely to be number ones are… Well, you never know, but Hannes Arch and Kirby Chambliss have a good chance. Budapest winner Michael Goulian is also a strong contender,
and let’s not forget Paul Bonhomme, the current leader! Rumours say that there will be a brandnew engine working under the cowling of the Brit’s aerodynamic beauty, the Edge 540, and he’ll definitely have an eye on the 12G limit, especially after all the drama he had to go through last season here in Porto: the over-G cost him the World Championship title. Get ready for an energy-loaded race! The crews are happy to be back in this fabulous part of the world and will enjoy the positive vibes of the fans to the full.
Photography: Daniel Grund, Markus Kucera
Top 12. Matthias Dolderer shows potential. Thanks to a new engine and great focus, the German Rookie pilot manages to get into the Super 8 and ends up in fifth place.
16:33
Plane
GBR
PORTO
15:25
Michael Goulian? Self-proclaimed experts were positive that either Chambliss or Arch would grab first spot. But Goulian produces proof to the contrary. “Thinking about where we came from in Abu Dhabi to where we are now – what a change in fortunes!”
Nationality
Paul Bonhomme
PREVIEW
Photography: Russell Cheyne/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images (1), Markus Kucera (2), Bela Szandelszky/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images (2)
What a surprise, what a race, what a crazy track, what a pilot, what a plane, what an engine! Michael Goulian is the brilliant winner of the Budapest leg, Red Bull Air Race’s counterpart to the Monaco Formula One race. "This has been four years in the making. It’s been so hard to get the right machine, with the engine working the right way. It feels amazing, it’s a great win,” the American commented on his first career victory in front of 650,000 race fans. Is a runtime of 1:12.51 around the 6.6km course, with outside temperatures of over 30 degrees, and the temperature in the cockpit even higher an impressive one? Yes, on Race Day, but no, in Qualifying. The top time of 1:10.76 is Kirby Chambliss’ work, rewarded by one championship point. Why couldn’t he repeat this performance on Race Day? “I definitely wanted to be first and I really thought we could pull it off,” said Chambliss after a disappointing 1:13.53. “I knew my luck was going to run out. When I set the fuel and air mixture, maybe I leaned out the mixture too much and that might have dropped the horsepower.” An unexpected result made Paul Bonhomme’s Race Day a great day. “With the times we’ve been having all week I didn’t expect to be second, I’m chuffed to bits! But we need more power, we need to sort our engine out.” And where was the 2008 World Champion hiding? Hannes Arch failed to crack Goulian’s time because of a tiny mistake, resulting in a two-second penalty and with that a chanceless 1:13.83. “I heard that I got a penalty, but I really can’t imagine where. I did a safe, clean run and was happy. I thought it must have been at least second or third place.” It was Air Gate number five, a level gate, that he had crossed incorrectly by 2 degrees … It can happen.
Beaming winner Michael Goulian. Bonhomme second, Chambliss in third place.
Pilot
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bullevard
Pete Mcleod Where’s your head at? The Red Bull Air Race is a sport for mature minds. Pete McLeod is only 25 years old, but then again, he has been in the air since he was a child – so, what’s in his head? Ontario, It’s still home for me. I live in London, I end up so , road the on time of ton a d and I spen year. But per Lake Red spending one or two weeks in s you know body every . like.. it’s , there when I go back but g, racin the t abou there, they are really excited s place r othe of lots in eas wher , Pete I’m still just e whol a in be to nice I’m the race pilot now. It’s always did; community where you can exist as you s me to allow yle lifest plus my family’s resort and our a few for lf myse by be and body every get away from ble. valua more and days, which I've found more
FLoat and ski pLanes
I still love this kind of flying. I’m so lucky to be able to do it; all these guys here at the Red Bull Air Race would love to do something like that. Most people don' t get exposure to this kind of flying, but I was quite lucky when I was growing up. There are thousands of lakes and you can just go cruise, fly anywhere you want, look around and see the wildlife. I got up to Red Lake recently. Left my laptop and BlackBerry in London, went up north for five days, took a float plane to one of the lakes and just totally relaxed. I haven’t flown skis in a while, and all this warm weather stuff, going where the sun is shining, has thinned out my blood pretty good, I think. I’ll have to dress warm when I fly the plane on skis next time.
aerobatics
not competing Unfortunately, I’m ar at all. It’s the ye s thi in aerobatics , if you want same as with hockey ve to focus. ha lly rea u to do it, yo little more. I’m Aerobatics takes a nal race pilot, sio fes pro currently a ent, but the fer the aerobatics is dif to be the nt wa u yo ; se ties are clo fun. Even for it best and not just do on, there as se s thi es rac with just six nning, pla g, tin is so much media, tes m fro ay aw ne pla the working on ch mu ve ha n’t the races that you do time, ve ha do u yo en wh time, and ax, play golf you just want to rel ies. dd bu ur yo h wit
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economics
What a mess... it’s not really a big surprise where things are at right now, you could see a lot of this stuff happening three or four years ago. For me it’s funny, when the media picks up the word recession now when it started some time ago. Canada is very close to the US and linked economically, it has a big influence on us, the world economy. The other thing for me is the financial markets, especially trading stocks; more trading than investing. You have to be very active to do that, live in front of the computer. You can make money really quick and lose it quick. It’s much like being in the race track: if your head is not there, it’s pretty dangerous.
ice hockey
Like many Canadians, I gre w up playing hockey. I hardly play at all anymo re. There’s a high risk of injury and I’m so busy air racing, but it’s always cool to go watch the games or throw the skates on. My hockey stic ks even found a way down to the Windsor race. They don’t fit in the toolbox, so they didn’t ma ke it to Europe. Hockey is a great sport, and Canada is the best at it. I was a huge fan of Mario Lemieu x when I was younger, but he’s retired now. My fav ourite team is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Its cap tain, Sidney Crosby, another Canadian, is the new superstar of the hockey world. He’s very you ng and they just won the Stanley Cup in Jun e. Crosby has a lot of the attributes that I like , not just scoring goals, but a variety of thin gs.
30th birthday
Well, I hope that’s still far away... e World I want to be Red Bull Air Rac that. Champion by then or before nt cou I er eth I haven’t decided wh will we but t, tha in 30 I’m the year don’t see how next year goes. I ng and you be to love I ry, really wor old. I'm don’t worry about getting I'm having a blast, life is good. king the always having fun and ma me. It’s most of what I have around I was le. sty like a max-power life s guy the of one h wit joking for always yesterday, he apologized I said bringing up the age thing. p doing that’s alright, you can kee . it, I will get old eventually
Fitnes
I still start my da s y with a protein shake, a banana and cereal. I do n’t know how man y calories that m eal is, it isn’t somet hing that I pay attention to, bu t I train my body to be better in the race plane. I’m not a small guy, so I have to watch out and stay lean, no t building big, heavy muscles, but be healthy and feel good. If you want to get lots out of life, you need to eat healthily. If I put crappy fuel into my plane, th e engine’s going to run like crap : it’s the same wi th my body.
G-SHOCK.
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red Lake, ontario
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Gravity Gravity Defier Defier GW-2000BD-1AER GW-2000BD-1AER
www.g-shock.eu red bull air race magazine
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bullevard
MIKEY'S FLYING LESSON With the family business being one of the USA’s largest flying schools, Budapest winner Michael Goulian was always going to be a pilot. He had Dad (demanding) as an instructor and Mom (petrified) as his first passenger and soloed on his 16th birthday. He has a few pointers for any ‘would-be’ pilots out there.
1.
g would be The first thin ego at the ur yo e to leav n’t about is door. Flying it’s about , ho ac m being limits. ur knowing yo
2.
As I say, k now your limit s!
3.
its of the Know the lim n’t ask o d ; o to plane, ething it to do som it can’t do.
1
LifestyLe
16
ud-run Don’t sc ther! ea in bad w
7.
If you’ve never done it before, don’t try it first by yourself – whatever ‘it’ is.
10.
The two most waste d things in aviation are the runway behind you and the sky above yo u. That’s a good one!
3
5 red bull air race magazine
9.
t your When you ge s t’ ilo p private arn to le go e, at certific plane l ee h fly a tail-w what n ar le ’ll u and yo your d an s your hand r. feet are fo
Photography: Markus Kucera (5), Tom Lovelock/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images (1)
4
Always have a mentor who you can talk to.
8.
Enjoy the proces s of learning to fly; do n’t get frustrated!
5.
2
1 French rally driver Sébastien Loeb changed cockpits and got a slight feeling of what a Red Bull Air Race pilot has to go through during the race 2 Wind: 8 knots; temperature: 30 degrees plus; clouds: absent. A good day for athletes Benjamin Karl (Snowboard World Cup Champion, 2008) and Franky Zorn (European Ice Speedway Champion, 2008) to chill in the sun and cheer on their man, Hannes Arch 3 Oh, la la. Bunny luck for Matthias Dolderer. Playmate Alena Gerber was the star attraction at the Red Bull Air Race Airport 4 And that’s what supporter power at the race track looked like for the German Rookie. MD fans chartered a plane specially to come and see their hero. In the front row, and his biggest fan: his girlfriend 5 What more can anyone need than a chilled drink and lots of action in the air? Retired and former World Number One tennis player, Austrian Thomas Muster is happy.
4.
6.
el If it doesn’t fe ly ab ob pr right, it isn’t.
RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
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hero
Plato Plato
“I would lIke to be seen as an avIator rather than as a pIlot.”
or not
Racing, they say, is all in the head – and pilots certainly tend to think about things a little more than your average sportsman. But what about the big questions? Glen Dell shares his philosophy on racing – and life.
Glen, this is going to be a challenge for your mind. OK, I’m ready. How philosophical are you? Well… Try this one: what is it that makes a man a man? Well, what makes a man a good man or a bad man? What makes any person anything? These are very complex questions. For every good side there is also a bad side. Honesty, integrity and compassion are the traits that go into making a good person; so it follows that the exact opposites – dishonesty, lack of integrity, lack of compassion – make a bad person. If you wish to define a person then those three things can characterise anybody. What makes a day a perfect day? It’s when you wake up in the morning, watch the sunrise, and ahead of you there are dreams to realise and tasks you would like to fulfil. At the end of that day, if you can look back as the sun is setting, having achieved everything you wanted to achieve… that would be a perfect day. This is heavy stuff! And it gets tougher. The next is easy, though. What makes a pilot a pilot? Depends on how you define a pilot! A pilot could be a person who wears
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red bull air race magazine
dark glasses and a big watch, and that might be a pilot as many people see it. But I would say that all the Red Bull Air Race competitors are aviators rather than pilots, because an aviator is somebody who lives for flying. There is absolutely no image involved. If an aviator had a choice of doing anything at all, in the whole wide world, if he could make a wish and do anything, he would in all probability be flying. I would like to be seen as an aviator rather than as a pilot. What makes a plane a good plane? The sort of plane I love must be a delight to fly. I am not necessarily into fast planes. If I could fly any plane in the world, I wouldn’t go and fly the fastest jet. I would just fly a nice, beautiful, old plane. It would probably be a two-seater, because I could take somebody with me. What makes a home your home? A home is somewhere you take solace; where you feel comfortable and have friends. Probably many or most of your good memories might be at home, because it’s a place where you feel safe and relaxed, and where you can take all your masks off. And a home is where the family is. Cats and dogs and people. What makes a place a place to be? If you can relax. I don’t think that you can relax in a place you find
uncomfortable. If it’s too hot or too cold, or too important… Everybody enjoys different things and I think that a place where you can sit down and feel comfortable, that’s a good place to be, wherever it might be. It might be in the mountains, in a nice house, out in the fields. Whenever I think of a place that I would like to be, I think of nice green mountains. I like the sea, but I would go to the sea for a holiday, I don’t think that I’d ever live there. But if I had the opportunity, I’d live in a place that’s dominated by the scenery. I like Austria or Switzerland: I think those places are beautiful. I’m not a desert man, I don’t like dry and I don’t like brown. I like big green trees and nice green fields. What’s a perfect vacation for you? It has to be long enough, so you can come back and say: “Gosh, I really liked that.” I think sometimes a person can rush into a vacation and rush back out again and then feel exactly the same afterwards as they did before. But if
Photography: Markus Kucera
Words: NAdjA ŽElE
you can come back and feel rested and believe it was well worth it, then that’s a great vacation. I thought Prague was a very beautiful place – in fact, all of the Czech Republic was beautiful. Naturally it depends on who you meet, but the people I met in the Czech Republic were all really nice. If I was picking an ideal place for my next holiday, I would probably go for Italy, or a barge trip in France. In Italy, I’d start at the toe of the boot in a 1956 Renault, or something similarly old and small, then just drive all the way up, avoid all the tourist traps, eat good food and dance on the streets – which I’ve never done in my life. But first of all I have to learn to dance, with maybe a daughter of Sofia Loren. What makes a task a task? If it’s challenging, but within my abilities. If you get on top of it and you feel that you are doing a good job, then I think that you enjoy it. That’s not to say that it must be an easy task, but it must be a task that you can do really well.
What makes a job a profession? When you wake up every morning and you really look forward to going to work, and the day that you have to retire is a sad day rather than a happy day. What makes a race a race? What makes a race an enjoyable race? If it’s well organised. Everybody knows that there are plenty of difficulties and things that can cause chaos. It could be the weather, it could be a last-minute hitch in organisation that could not possibly have been foreseen by any of the management. If a race is well organised, then it generally runs smoothly, and obviously it’s always good to see the best man win. What makes a sport a sport? When I was at school, we were always taught that it’s not just the result that counts, but it’s how you play the game that’s important. Obviously you learn later that there’s more to it than that, but basically this rule is absolutely true. It’s not just the result, it’s how
the competitors competed and the spirit in which the game or the race took place. Clearly we are all grownups and we know that this is a serious business, and the nature of these things is for them to become highly competitive, but there should always be a grounding in fairness, integrity and honesty, and all of the things that are good. And the last, very hard question: what is it that makes life life? I don’t believe it’s possible to come to the end of your life and say that you wouldn’t have changed anything. I’ve heard people say that in lots of movies, but I think that only happens in movies. I think that most people would say, I would prefer to have done this or that differently. But if you get to the end of your life and you are happy with the way your life ran, generally, then what more could you ask for? And if you’ve made some people happy along the way, then everything has happened how it is supposed to happen. red bull air race magazine
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portrait Words: Matt Youson
busy doing nothing
Rookies are supposed to watch, learn and hang around at the back of the pack, but Matt Hall doesn’t have much time for the conventional wisdom.
M
att Hall wore an uncharacteristic pained expression in the aftermath of the Red Bull Air Race in Windsor, Ontario. Not one to mince his words, Hall chose to castigate himself for a bad tactical decision that saw him finish the event in seventh position, when a maiden visit to the Final 4 seemed to be well within his grasp. “My game plan was to go harder in the Super 8 to get a place in the Final 4, but as it turned out, I could have flown an easy track and still made it. I obviously pushed too hard, especially considering the wind was totally opposite to how it had been [in practice]. I’m still happy with my flying, but it was a bad tactical decision on my part.” It’s tempting to describe the slip (or “flying like a wally” as he expressed it) as a typical Rookie error, but one thing Matt Hall has repeatedly demonstrated
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over the first half of the 2009 Red Bull Air Race season is that he isn’t a typical Rookie, and he isn’t generally prone to making mistakes. If anything, that one transgression, involving a pylon hit and, later, a safety climb-out, served to counterpoint how remarkably errorfree Hall’s debut season has been. In the final analysis, his result, on a day when the conditions caught out veteran racers and Rookies alike, was enough to lift him to fourth position in the World Championship. In Budapest, with the benefit of distance and hindsight, a more relaxed Australian aviator was able to objectify his early-season form. “It has been an incredible start to my career. I hope it’s for good reasons, and I hope I can harness it and continue to do it in the future. I’m not worried about moving
backwards – I fully expect there to be ups and downs – but from what I’ve seen, if we can combine a fast plane with the abilities and training I’ve got from my previous life, that seems to be a decent formula for being successful.” Like several of his new peer group, the ‘previous life’ to which Hall refers is military service; in his case with the Royal Australian Airforce as an F/A-18 fighter pilot and combat instructor. It’s a background that heavily colours his thinking today. “Generally I’m a fairly relaxed and happy sort of person,” he says. “However I do have the ability to switch on and be aggressive and intolerant of those who are not performing to the best of their abilities when something needs to be done. It’s probably the classic military leadership style: I’m able to sit back
Photography: Markus Kucera
Words: Matt Youson
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“I’m the sort of person who sits on a bus trying to figure out what’s going through everyone else’s mind – and I do a similar thing here.”
Photography: Markus Kucera
Matt’s ideal race preparation is a regimented routine of total relaxation and complete focus. Prior experience makes him expert at switching between the two.
and look at things, but when the shooting starts, don’t get in my way.” If Hall is critical of others, then it is nothing he doesn’t apply to himself. The mid-season break gave him an opportunity for reflection on what went wrong in Canada and, of greater importance, how he can avoid similar problems in the future. “I spend a lot of time people-watching,” he says. “I’m the sort of person who sits on a bus trying to figure out what’s going through everyone else’s mind – and I do a similar thing here. I watch how people race, how they prepare and how they relax. What I’ve realised is that I have to make sure I don’t let that affect my own style, which is where I went wrong in Windsor. I started watching other people’s techniques and then tried to
emulate them. I’m not sure if I did that deliberately or if it just crept in, but it definitely started to cloud my thinking. “It was good to have the two months off, because I was able to do some fairly deep soul-searching to understand what happened. I started to deviate from my own direction and standards by observing too much. The way to get back on track was to have better mental discipline and know exactly what I want to achieve, rather than worrying about how others were doing it; basically I needed to focus on what works for me. I thought about it a great deal, and by the time I got to Budapest, that seemed natural again.” As a specific instance of not aping the methods of others, Hall cites the ‘can dance’. Many pilots lay out a course map on the floor of their hangars, with Air
Gates represented by the ubiquitous Red Bull cans. The sight of an aviator waltzing around the map with a faraway expression is a common one (bizarre, but common), but it doesn’t work for Matt. “When I was younger I needed to close my eyes to visualise what I wanted to do,” he says. “But now I can do a walkthrough with my eyes open; not seeing anything but the track. I don’t use the cans because if I have cans, I see cans; if I don’t have cans, I see gates.” Oddly, perhaps counter-intuitively, an important part of Matt Hall’s disciplined mental approach involves taking time to not think about anything at all. On Race Day in particular, a clear head is something he values above anything else – and that requires a certain amount of relaxation. “The first thing I do on race red bull air race magazine
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red bull air race magazine
simply a matter of choosing the right music; something that will bring him back to consciousness at the right time to review previous flights, read his notes, perform a mental walkthrough and then, having inevitably elevated his pulse in anticipation, relocate that calm spot again. “It takes quite a rigorous routine to be relaxed,” he confesses with a smile. After finishing a disappointing seventh in Budapest after a career-best third place in Qualifying, the team is level on points with Mike Mangold and fighting for fourth in the championship.
They even have a chance of third, but in reality Hall has already reached his targets and surpassed even the most optimistic expectations. Having performed at a level well above that expected of a Rookie, many are building him up with the dreaded moniker ‘future world champion’. There’s some distance to go before that becomes a reality, but with a year’s experience and a new, faster MXS-R on order, don’t bet against Matt Hall stepping-up in the near future. Just don’t expect him to get there by following in the footsteps of anyone else.
Flexible furniture concepts provided by Artificium for the Red Bull Air Race in San Diego in May 2009.
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Advertorial; Photography: Markus Kucera
morning is go for a walk. I won’t run on Race Day because I don’t want to wear myself out, but I go for a brisk walk to clear my head. I’ll listen to relaxing music – nothing energetic because getting yourself pumped up is never going to be a problem on Race Day, but staying calm might be. I’ll observe the conditions, but more than that, walking helps me feel happy and consider how great my job is that it takes me to all these fantastic cities. After that, I’ll go back to the hotel, shower, and rejoin normal society.” Race Day at the Airport isn’t a good time to catch Matt; as part of his preparation he prefers to avoid engaging with anything or anybody. There’s also a good chance he’ll be trying to sleep. “I try to have what we in the military call a ‘combat nap’,” he admits. “You go into a light REM sleep and pop back out refreshed. It’s a technique I’ve used a lot in my career.” Staying out of a deep sleep is, he says,
“Getting yourself pumped up is never going to be a problem on Race Day.”
Photography: Markus Kucera (3), Bela Szandelszky/Red Bull Air Race via AP Images (1)
Matt Hall is changing opinions of just what a Rookie pilot is capable of given a fast plane, a strong team and good mental discipline. Talent helps too…
rtificium is a new furniture store in Vienna that dedicates itself to awakening emotions and offering selected pieces of trendy and designer furniture. Already providing furniture to wellknown hotels such as the Grand Tirolia Resort and Arosa Spa in Kitzbühel, as well as the Hajszan winery in Vienna, the store was chosen as the official supplier for the Red Bull Air Race Tour 2009 at San Diego. Artificium’s first priority was to create a ‘feel-good’ atmosphere for
the visitors to this world-famous event. The target was to turn the High Flyer’s Lounge into an up-to-the-minute space. This was achieved by installing generous loungers, huge, rotating umbrellas and using stylish new colours, such as black and white. The store’s product range includes rare Indian trunks and cupboards, and cool outdoor loungers. And because many of the items are limited-edition, buyers can purchase a piece of personalised luxury for their homes – Burlesque star Dita von Teese took
the opportunity to register herself as a client during a visit to Vienna. Plus, through a service package that includes free shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can enjoy a ‘no-risk shopping experience’ and dip into different cultures. ARTIFICIUM GmbH Wattgasse 35 A-1160 Vienna Tel: + 43 (0)1 481 9000 www.artificium.co.at red bull air race magazine
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interview
SunDowner with paul Never keen on having a route map for his life, Paul Bonhomme believes you’ve got to go with the flow, “and stick your neck out every now and then, just to see how it works out”. So far it’s working out just fine for him. Meet the World Championship leader.
D
espite taking the championship lead in Budapest, the possibility of Paul Bonhomme narrowly missing out on the world title for a third straight year is still the hot topic of conversation. Typically, it produces a robust response from Paul. “Everybody is hanging onto that stat; me coming second all the time. I bet you don’t go to the guys who came fifth or eighth in previous years and ask them when they will win? I don’t care if I come second this year! Of course I want to win, but you won’t find me crying in my soup, if I don’t.” do you think your priorities are different this year? How much has fatherhood changed your life? A huge amount! Becoming a father puts it all into perspective. Before, I ran around like an idiot, thinking everything is really important, and then when something like this happens, you think, well, actually, is it all really that important? I would never say that you have to become a parent, because everybody has a choice; there are a lot of different things you can do in life. I could have gone through my life without children, but I’m enjoying it enormously. do you still enjoy being a race pilot? Yeah, I do. I don’t think having a family has changed the way I fly, but maybe it affects the way I attack things. It’s like, is it really that important to catch that 8:04 train? Actually, if you miss it… Is everybody still safe and in good health? Yes... so, it doesn’t matter. Racing without all these responsibilities, you might attack a course
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a little bit more aggressively, but actually, I’ve never pushed the limit that much so that I was going to hurt myself flying planes. A child brings into perspective the importance of certain things. Is this the mind-set of a competitor? I think so, yes. There are plenty of motorsport competitors who have families and children. Maybe it helps. It’s a good leveller: at home, I get reminded on a regular basis: “You are not at the Red Bull Air Race now, sunshine. You need to put the bins out!” reflecting on last season: were you racing for the title of World Champion or did winning races take priority? Actually, I don’t know the answer to that. I think if you ask anybody here, they always want to win the race; they always want to win that particular competition, because if somebody’s happy coming third or fourth, then he should ask himself why he’s doing it. You need to win. I think it’s safe to say that I wanted to win every race last year. I guessed that if you win every race then surely you’ll win the championship. Well, that didn’t quite work out. And as Hannes (Arch) proved last year, if you just stay somewhere near the podium, then you’ll probably do quite well. So maybe the thing you have to do is just finish in the top three all the time and let the rest take care of itself. But it’s still good fun to win. You nearly won the title twice, but lost it, to Mike Mangold in 2007 and to arch last year. In both cases you found yourself in rather awkward situations…
I’m still pretty pissed off about 2007. If Mangold did now what he did in Budapest in 2007, he would be disqualified. Everybody who saw it said instantly that he should be disqualified for dangerous flying (too low). But he wasn’t. That still grates a bit, because if pilots are disqualified now for doing the same thing, why not then? It’s especially annoying because the stewards said it was a disqualification, but the race director didn’t see it. He said: ‘I can’t disqualify somebody for something I didn’t see.’ At the end of the year, we finished equal on points; I was thinking that I would have been six points ahead, had Mangold not got those six points in Budapest… Last year was more to do with mistakes I made. I took my eye off the ball in London. And then I put a split second too much aggression into my run in Porto, which resulted in the over-G. That 12G ruling cost you the title last year. How do you feel about being disqualified? After the first Qualifying in Porto the stewards said, “We need to see your G-meter, because we think there has been an over-G.” I said: “What do you mean, you THINK there has been an over-G? Either there has or there hasn’t.” But the transmission telemetry had failed while I was running so they needed to get the data from the instrument, which meant they had to wait until I landed. We knew it wasn’t a clear-cut decision, but I kind of had a feeling, ‘OK, here we go.’ They said I could fly in the second Qualifying while
Photography: Markus Kucera
Words: nadja Žele
Championship hopeful, Paul Bonhomme took time out from his busy Budapest schedule to enjoy the sunset with the Red Bull Air Race Magazine.
interview
they looked into it. I argued that either I have been disqualified, in which case I don’t fly in the second Qualifying or I have not been disqualified, in which case I just carry on as normal. It took some time for them to analyse the data. I think it was evening by the time I was told of my disqualification. So I went to the bar. Were you expecting a negative decision? Yeah, I was – just from speaking to the guys who looked at the data, which shows when you go over the G limit… and actually, I’d forgotten about what happened in Porto last year, until you reminded me! How is the goulash soup, by the way? Really good. It tastes nice, thanks. Not that healthy, is it? But it is nice, isn’t it? Do you have to watch out what you eat? I’m quite lucky. I’m probably carrying a couple of kilos that I don’t need, but I do watch my food a lot. I make sure that there is lots of chocolate ice cream and cake in my diet. That’s quite important. I’m very firm in my belief that on the one hand, yes, if you eat lots of chocolate you might put on some weight, but stress is also a killer, and if you see chocolate and don’t eat it and then get stressed, that actually is more harmful than the calorific value of it. So, what you’re saying is that you’re a chocoholic? Yes, but in the summer I don’t eat so much. So, you lose weight in summer? I do, I have a winter and a summer weight. Are you at your summer weight now? I wish I was. Do you work out much? I love cycling. But to be honest, I don’t have a huge amount of time for it, because the
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racing occupies so much of my time. What with setting the plane up, and the activities between the races, you’ve got to be quite good at time management to make room for something like cycling. Hannes Arch is very keen on proper nutrition and fitness. What do you think is his recipe for success? Hannes has got something in his engine. I think it’s his air box, but there is definitely something giving his plane a boost in power. If you have that extra power, you can relax a bit with the other aspects of technique, because you know that you can power your way through it. I am not making excuses now, but we looked into our engine about a month ago and it’s not what we thought it was at all. We were supplied with an engine that is basically a standard powerplant; there is nothing special about it at all, which is amazingly frustrating. If you look at the split times, you can see where Hannes is powering his way around turns. I am not a big fan of the Quadro, because that’s where you need power to get around. And if you know you have that power to get around quickly, you can relax a bit with your flying technique and that helps you. What went wrong with your engine? We had huge plans. A lot was discussed and lots and lots was promised. But we don’t think we are getting the power we are supposed to be getting. It’s annoying: I should have spotted that earlier on. But when? Yeah, there is no chance, you can’t take an engine apart with only a two-week break. And the planes are also being shipped, between the races. So when it’s in a sea-freight container, it’s in a
sea-freight container. I’d have to lock my technician Wade in the container, leave him some sandwiches and tell him we need a new engine built and installed when the ship arrives. That’s the only way you can do it. Where is the technical development in the Red Bull Air Race leading? I think there is a lot to learn. It’s a new sport, it’s still evolving. You look at other motorsports and they are still evolving 40 or 90 years after they started. This sport was created eight years ago. There is a lot to learn and we are learning all the time. Modifying the planes, making them more powerful and more aerodynamically efficient is a good thing; it adds another element to the competition. It would be pretty dull if we were all racing the same plane. You’d find out who the quickest pilot was, but you wouldn’t find out who the quickest team was. So, what’s missing in this sport? I’m not sure. It’s all out there: technology; expertise. You’ve just got to go out and find it. And have you found it? We’ve had some good help from experts in the United States. Are you going to expand on your technical backing in the future? We might. Are you considering a new plane? We may be. Is it going to be an Edge? It might be. Is it already in the building process? Perhaps, perhaps not. A new engine? Maybe...
Photography: Markus Kucera
“I kind of forgot about what happened in Porto last year, until you reminded me!”
tech-talk
EnginEEring
success
There’s one battle fought in the skies and another contested in the hangars. And as the gaps between competitors are squeezed, it’s the technical talents that are coming to the fore.
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t isn’t specifically a schism, more a polite divergence of opinion. There are those who believe in a championship that pits pilot against pilot in equal planes. They are at variance with those who claim that the Red Bull Air Race is a team game; one in which clever engineering is as valid as good flying. The latter currently have the upper hand. It isn’t quite the technological arms race seen in other motorsports, but technology is definitely becoming the dark art that spells the difference between success and abject failure. It means team technicians have never been more important. Coming down to the wire in 2009, Zivko’s Edge 540 is still the weapon of choice. The top three pilots in the world championship all fly the Edge – it has won all four races this year, whereas the rival MXS-R has yet to grace the podium. But every Edge is not the same. In fact one of the prime attractions of the aircraft is the ease with which it can be modified. Slightly more surprising is that, despite often being close on the time sheets, the planes of Hannes Arch, Paul Bonhomme and Nicolas Ivanoff are poles apart in terms of design direction. World Champion Arch spent his winter in South Africa, where his Team Abu
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Dhabi technician Vito Wyprächtiger concentrated on stripping weight from their aircraft. The result is a plane down on the minimum limit of 540kg. Or, as Vito explains, slightly below it. “Actually we’re underweight at the moment, we have to add weight back in for each race. I’m thinking maybe a CD player…” In other forms of motorsport, being underweight – and thus being able to judiciously place ballast in advantageous areas – is often considered an important asset. Vito doesn’t believe it has the same relevance for a plane, but at the same time acknowledges it might be nice. “If you can easily get your plane under the minimum then sure, it’s an advantage. But if you have to go crazy with very lightweight stuff – like wheel pans that break if you knock them around just a little bit – then it really doesn’t make sense to lose the weight just to put it back somewhere else.” The reference to wheel pans is not idle; Arch’s plane sported slightly larger, slightly more robust spats in Budapest; the work being so last-minute that the new carbon components were unpainted during training. Like many modifications it’s the product of experience and observation, rather than research and
development: computational fluid dynamics software and wind tunnel testing haven’t really impacted on the Red Bull Air Race in a big way, but with broadening horizons, decreasing time gaps and an increasing focus on technical innovation, it is beginning to play a part. Simulation tools are, says Vito, useful up to a point. “I think for bigger things it makes sense to use software, but it’s expensive and hard to find people who can do analysis in this very specialised area. For smaller parts the logical way forward is to do the simple things. You also observe your competitors to see what they have. We all look at each other for ideas to improve our own plane, and that usually works, but if you get into doing crazy, detailed simulation on every single small part then it’s going to be a neverending game: you’ll end up simulating the handle of the canopy latch…” Having prepared a championshipwinning aircraft last year, Vito Wyprächtiger is likely to be a man more observed than observing, but some of his more brilliant technical innovations only exist in the mind of Hannes Arch. Arch can be devious on occasion, getting into the mind of the opposition by hinting at killer modifications guaranteed to give him
Photography: Markus Kucera
Words: Matt Youson
red bull air race magazine
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“The guy with the fastest, magic machine isn’t going to be at the front unless he has the skill and can handle the pressure”
Photography: Markus Kucera
The ever-evolving programme of development saw Team Abu Dhabi technician Vito Wyprächtiger introduce new wheel pans in Budapest.
an extra three-tenths. Sometimes the mod is real; sometimes it’s a confidence-sapping invention; either way it puts Vito under the spotlight. He isn’t particularly bothered. “I don’t really care about mind games! You shouldn’t trust anybody here; everybody tries to send you in the wrong direction, so it’s hard to figure out what’s honest and what’s not. Actually it can be funny, but I try to not pay too much attention and form my own opinions.” Earlier in the year, Budapest winner Michael Goulian claimed racing is the opposite of aerobatics. Aerobatic competition, he said, is 90 per cent pilot and ten per cent plane; whereas the Red Bull Air Race is 10 per cent pilot and 90 per cent plane. It’s another issue capable of splitting opinions. Vito’s interpretation – as an accomplished aerobatics pilot in his own right – is that the championship is becoming more scientific, but it remains a 50:50 split between plane and pilot. “The pilot still counts for a lot. The guy with the fastest, magic machine isn’t going to be at the front unless he has the skill and can handle the pressure – but it is definitely getting more technical; no one is working in isolation anymore, even the guys at the back of the field.” Across the paddock, the idea of a technology-driven championship has its
most enthusiastic supporter in the shape of the current leader Paul Bonhomme. He repeatedly points out the Red Bull Air Race is a competition between teams, rather than a competition between pilots, while acknowledging the distinction will be lost on the casual observer. Bonhomme and technician Wade Hammond also spent the winter months comprehensively modifying their plane; surprisingly taking it in a completely different direction to that of Arch and Vito. Rather than weight-saving, Team Bonhomme concentrated on aerodynamics. The result was an Edge demonstrably different to its competitors; a minimalist canopy and a cut-down cowling being the most noticeable features. It gives the red-and-white aircraft enormous straight-line speed – a factor expected to provide an advantage in Porto. “That’s certainly what we’re hoping,” says Hammond. “It’s a straight-line track; basically a drag race. It’s not wide enough to make any big turns so it comes down to a question of who has the fastest plane. Steve Jones won in Porto a few years ago and he had a smokin’ fast plane. If it comes out like it’s supposed to you’ll see all the fastest planes at the front. Not necessarily those with the most power, but those with the straight-line speed will go fastest – and ours is pretty awesome.”
Bonhomme’s plane was expected to be among the most powerful, as well as the fastest in a straight line, but it hasn’t worked out as quite as expected. Despite winning in Windsor, Bonhomme’s suspicion that his engine wasn’t performing to the level he expected was confirmed when the team stripped it down during the summer recess. What they found was akin to a standard Lycoming engine rather than the higherperformance powerplant they expected. “We’ve been having problems, so the last few weeks have been a compromise for us: trying to fix problems before we can move on to improvements. Hopefully we’ll have our engine issues fixed before we go to Porto. We know this engine isn’t doing what it was supposed to be doing; it isn’t quite as exciting as we thought it would be, so we have another engine that we may fit before the race.” Having eased into the championship lead at the Budapest round, Bonhomme’s problems are obviously not all that severe – engine problems being offset by the work the team has done to lighten the aircraft. “Initially we were very heavy but we’ve taken a lot out and are now very close to the minimum weight,” confirms Hammond. “Unlike some, we’re not at the point where we’re underweight and red bull air race magazine
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tech-talk
“With our ability to take easy steps forward, I’m not surprised to see the Edge dominate”
have to add it back in, but we’re not far off. We’ll work on it a little more at the end of the season but mostly we have it all under control.” Despite much pre-season talk to the contrary, Wade admits that the Edge hegemony that has locked out the podium all season is pretty much what he expected. “I know it’s a new plane and will get better, but I see a lot of limits with the MX. It’s a lot easier for us to design and develop than it is for them. We can change the turtle deck or a belly panel with relative ease, whereas for them it’s a big job. With our ability to take easy steps forward, I’m not surprised to see the Edge dominate.” Perhaps the best demonstration of the authority held by the Edge 540 is not the World Championship battle between Arch and Bonhomme, nor Goulian’s excellent victory in the last round, but rather the third place in the title fight held by Nicolas Ivanoff. Unlike the bespoke machines of his fellow Edge pilots, Ivanoff’s equipment is much closer to the stock model as delivered from the factory. Admittedly Ivanoff’s plane, completed only weeks before the season began, benefits from a specification that includes factory fits reverse-engineered from modifications
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red bull air race magazine
used on other aircraft and built to order into this newer Edge 540 aircraft. “The factory was able to give us a few things that are different to a straight Edge that makes it quite efficient, but structurally it’s a completely normal configuration,” explains technician Bruno Marlière. “I think what makes us fast is having a very good engine and a terrific pilot. For me, it’s been a question of optimising a few little things and finding a good set-up that works for everything. It’s a question of not making any mistakes, rather than doing anything special.” With much attention paid to this season’s Rookie pilots, sometimes lost in the wash is the fact that Ivanoff and Marlière are also coping with an unfamiliar aircraft this year, having previously raced the now departed Extra. While Ivanoff founded an instant rapport with his new plane, the technical side of the operation just doesn’t work that way – hence the lack of major changes to the aircraft. “I think I need this complete season to learn the characteristics of the Edge, so that I will be in a good position to create a competitive plane next year,” muses Marlière. “I need to make stable steps rather than making huge modifications now, only to discover
that I’ve gone the wrong way. I’ve got to have the good feeling that I’ve learned what I need to learn and that the steps I’m taking are the right ones.” The French team will move forward in their own good time, though whether they’ll go down the weight-saving route of Arch, or the aerodynamic route of Bonhomme is a question that leaves Marlière sitting primly on the fence. “I think you need a mix; you shouldn’t commit yourself too much to going in one particular direction.” There is still one-third of the championship remaining, and despite titles to clinch, races to win and positions to consolidate, thought is already turned to a winter programme of development, and searching for the elusive sliver of efficiency, the gram of weight-saving or the ounce of power. With planes grounded, the pilots may take the opportunity for a break, but the travails of the technician are without end. Never having enough time is a common lament, but equally articulated is the opinion that fighting their own private battle for Red Bull Air Race dominance is the most interesting thing they could possibly be doing; another belief held in common is that they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Photography: Markus Kucera
Nicolas Ivanoff’s technician Bruno Marlière (bottom) happily studies the team’s superb engine; Team Bonhomme technician Wade Hammond is less convinced by his.
CHARITY
UP FOR AUCTION September 12, 2009, 10am
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BID AND GET IT
PAUL BONHOMME TRAINING DAY Want to spend an entire training day during race week with Paul Bonhomme? You can hang out with him just before take-off at one of his 2010 race stops. A hint: give him a minute to focus on his mission in the track if you want be become friends with him.
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Always dreamed of getting a personal tour of Red Bull’s Hangar-7 with someone who knows all about planes and flying? And how about taking off in the Stearman for a sightseeing flight afterwards? Well you can. Matthias Dolderer is your man and this is his donation to the auction.
WWW.WINGSFORLIFE.COM 01
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‘Yoshi’ bought this first-class headset when he started his air-show career in 1996. He’s been using it constantly ever since – when flying aerobatics and preparing for his racing career in the Red Bull Air Race.
Last year was probably the most emotional of Hannes Arch’s career. This suit, soaked with finest race and podium sweat, was worn when Arch won his first ever race in Budapest and celebrated the title win in Perth. A must-have for fans.
WORDS: NADJA ŽELE
MATT HALL SIGNED BOOK, CAP
YOSHIHIDE MUROYA HEADSET
HANNES ARCH RACE SUIT
SERGEY RAKHMANIN SIGNED TEAM OUTFIT
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This training suit is Sergey Rakhmanin’s Russian National Aerobatic Team outfit. It was produced in 2005 for the World Aerobatic Championships, where Sergey became World Champion for the second time. However, the suit was delivered late, so he never had the chance to wear it.
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THE cap and THE book. This is the cap that Matt wore for all his aerobatic competitions and air-show appearances. And he wore it at the Red Bull Air Race Qualification Camp, when getting his Super Licence. And the book? This piece of aviation literature inspired him to fly fighter jets in the Royal Australian Air Force.
ALEJANDRO MACLEAN SPEND ONE DAY WITH THE TEAM Team Maclean are putting a whole day with them up for auction. Get to know pilot Alejandro Maclean, trainer Eneko Larumbe, team co-ordinator Carola Bisci, and chief technician Jesús Cañadilla better. You get to pick a 2010 race, they’ll tell you the day.
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G_fkf^iXg_p1 ?\c^\ B`iZ_Y\i^\i&I\[ 9lcc G_fkfÔ c\j# DXiblj BlZ\iX# =i`kq JZ_ljk\i# 9fY DXik`e&8G @dX^\j
By sponsoring research, Wings for Life hopes to find a cure for paraplegia – and you can help. Want to spend a day with Paul Bonhomme? Get dressed in Arch’s 2008 titlewinning suit? Place your bid on the Wings for Life webpage.
MATTHIAS DOLDERER HANGAR-7 TOUR AND FLIGHT
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NICOLAS IVANOFF RACING GLOVES Even the leather of his racing gloves is dipped in a touch of orange. That’s style! Nicolas Ivanoff has worn these racing gloves for two years now. Yep, he actually won the 2009 San Diego race in them.
Sold
NIGEL LAMB RACE HELMET AND SUIT Team Breitling pilot Nigel Lamb wore this helmet when he passed the Red Bull Air Race Qualification Camp and got his Super Licence. A meaningful item for the Brit. Bid and get yourself this exclusive contribution, together with a package consisting of the 2008 race suit, autograph cards and a stylish Breitling rucksack.
!
Contributions from PETER BESENYEI (personal photo book), MICHAEL GOULIAN (flying books), GLEN DELL (tie, signed by South Africa’s former president Thabo Mbeki). RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
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PROFILES
THE PILOTS Speed, precision and skill are the attributes needed by every Red Bull Air Race pilot if they’re going to be successful in this highly demanding royal league of aviation. Here they are, the 15 heroes of the World Championship.
HANNES ARCH AUSTRIA, EDGE 540
KIRBY CHAMBLISS USA, EDGE 540
DATE OF BIRTH: September 22, 1967 BIRTHPLACE: Leoben, Styria, Austria HOME: Salzburg, Austria HOBBIES: mountaineering, climbing, music WEBSITE: www.hannesarch.com
DATE OF BIRTH: October 18, 1959 BIRTHPLACE: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA HOME: Flying Crown Ranch, Arizona, USA HOBBIES: skydiving, running, motocross WEBSITE: www.kirbychambliss.com CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 3rd 2007: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 4th 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Champion 2005: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 3rd FAI World Aerobatic Championships, 3rd (solo and team) 2003: FAI World Aerobatic Championships, 2nd and 3rd 2000: Free Programme World Champion 1998: FAI World Aerobatic Championships, 2nd and 3rd 1997: International Aerobatic Champion 1979: First solo flight
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Champion 2007: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 10th 2006: European Champion in Freestyle Aerobatics 2005: Red Bull Air Race Race Director 2003: BASE-jump, Matterhorn (SUI) 2000: BASE-jump, Eiger North Face (SUI) 1991: Ascent of Mount Balrog and Mount London (Alaska) 1983: First solo flight WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 2ND
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 6TH
DATE OF BIRTH: June 8, 1956 BIRTHPLACE: Körmend, Hungary HOME: Herceghalom, Hungary HOBBIES: fishing, parachuting, photography, car racing WEBSITE: www.besenyeipeter.hu
DATE OF BIRTH: September 22, 1964 BIRTHPLACE: Buckinghamshire, England HOME: Cambridgeshire, England HOBBIES: motorcycling, mountain-biking WEBSITE: www.teambonhomme.com
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 5th 2007: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 3rd 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 2nd 2005: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 2nd FAI World Grand Prix, 1st 2001: FAI World Grand Prix, 1st 2000: Freestyle Aerobatics World Champion, Unlimited 1998: FAI World Grand Prix, 1st 1995: European Champion of the Compulsory Programme Freestyle Aerobatics European Champion, Unlimited 1994: Compulsory Programme World Champion 1972: First solo flight
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 2nd 2007 : Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 2nd 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 4th 2005: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 5th All FAI World Grand Prix results in the formation team category as the Sukhoi Duo/Matadors: FAI World Grand Prix SUI, 1st FAI World Grand Prix UAE, 3rd 2004: FAI World Grand Prix UAE, 1st 2002: FAI World Grand Prix CZE, 2nd FAI World Grand Prix JPN, 1st 2001: FAI World Grand Prix JPN, 2nd 2000: FAI World Grand Prix JPN, 1st 1981: First solo flight
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 10TH
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 1ST
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MATTHIAS DOLDERER GERMANY, EDGE 540
Photography: Daniel Grund
PAUL BONHOMME ENGLAND, EDGE 540
Photography: Daniel Grund (2), AP Images for Red Bull Air Race (1)
PETER BESENYEI HUNGARY, MXS-R
GLEN DELL SOUTH AFRICA, EDGE 540 DATE OF BIRTH: April 9, 1962 BIRTHPLACE: Johannesburg, South Africa HOME: Kyalami, South Africa HOBBIES: vintage aircraft, helicopters WEBSITE: www.glendellaerobatics.com CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Eight times South African National Aerobatic Champion (Advanced) 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 12th 2004 : FAI Advanced World Aerobatic Champion 2002: FAI Advanced World Aerobatic Championships, 10th 2000: FAI Advanced World Aerobatic Championships, 20th 1999: FAI Advanced World Aerobatic Championships, 5th 1995: FAI Advanced World Aerobatic Championships, 13th 1978: First solo flight WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 13TH
MICHAEL GOULIAN USA, EDGE 540
DATE OF BIRTH: September 15, 1970 BIRTHPLACE: Ochsenhausen, Germany HOME: Tannheim, Germany HOBBIES: tennis, skiing, cycling WEBSITE: www.matthiasdolderer.com
DATE OF BIRTH: September 4, 1968 BIRTHPLACE: Winthrop, Massachusetts, USA HOME: Maynard, Massachusetts, USA HOBBIES: ice hockey, skiing, golf WEBSITE: www.mikegoulian.com
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 : Red Bull Air Race Qualification Camp, Super Licence, Rookie German Aerobatic Championships, Freestyle, 2nd German Aerobatic Champion, Unlimited World Aerobatics Cup, Unlimited, 2nd European Aerobatic Championships, Unlimited, 19th 2007: World Aerobatic Championships, Unlimited 2006: German Aerobatic Championships, Advanced 1991: Microlight European Championships, German Champion 1990: Microlight World Championships 1988: Microlight European Championships 1988-1991: Microlight German Championships 1984: First solo flight
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 10th 2007 : Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 8th Art Scholl Award for Airshow Showmanship, International Council of Airshows 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 5th 1998: Member of the US Aerobatics Team 1997: Member of the US Aerobatics Team 1996: Member of the US Aerobatics Team 1995: US Unlimited Champion Member of the US Aerobatics Team 1994: Member of the US Aerobatics Team 1991: Fond du Lac Cup, Winner 1990: US Advanced Champion 1984: First solo flight
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 12TH
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 8TH
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PROFILES MATT HALL AUSTRALIA, MXS-R
NICOLAS IVANOFF FRANCE, EDGE 540
MIKE MANGOLD USA, EDGE 540
DATE OF BIRTH: September 16, 1971 BIRTHPLACE: Scone, NSW, Australia HOME: Merewether, NSW, Australia HOBBIES: flying, exercise WEBSITE: www.matthallracing.com
DATE OF BIRTH: July 4, 1967 BIRTHPLACE: Paris, France HOME: London, England HOBBIES: flying, travelling, music WEBSITE: www.nicolasivanoff.com
DATE OF BIRTH: October 10, 1955 BIRTHPLACE: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA HOME: Victorville, California, USA HOBBIES: skydiving, racing jets, family WEBSITE: www.mikemangold.us
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 : Red Bull Air Race Qualification Camp, Super Licence, Rookie 2006: Australian Aerobatic Champion, Advanced 2004: USAF F15E Exchange 2003: East Coast Aerobatic Championship, Sportsman, 1st USAF F15E Exchange 2002: USAF F15E Exchange 1999: Dux Fighter Combat Instructor (Top Gun) 1997: Fighter Pilot of the Year 1992: Military Wings 1986: First solo flight
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 9th 2007 : Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 7th French Aerobatic Championships, 2nd 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 8th 2005: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 7th 2004: French Aerobatic Championships, 2nd 2000: World Aerobatic Championships, 1st (team) 1988: Microlight European Championships 1983: First solo flight
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 : Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 4th Reno Air Races, Jet Class, 2nd 2007 : Red Bull Air Race World Champion 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 3rd 2005: Red Bull Air Race World Champion 2004: World Air Games, 3rd (team) 2002: US Unlimited Aerobatics Point Series Champion World Air Games, 3rd (team) 2001: World Air Games, 3rd (team) 1977: First solo flight
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 5TH
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 4TH
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 3RD
PETE MCLEOD CANADA, EDGE 540 DATE OF BIRTH: February 23, 1984 BIRTHPLACE: Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada HOME: London, Ontario, Canada HOBBIES: ice hockey, outdoor sports WEBSITE: petemcleodaerosports.com CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 : Red Bull Air Race Qualification Camp, Super Licence, Rookie European Aerobatic Championships, 12th 2007: Youngest unrestricted surface-level display pilot 2006: US National Aerobatic Championships, 2nd BF Goodrich Award, Youngest Canadian Airshow Performer 2004: North American Collegiate Aerobatic Champion Mid-America Series Champion Undefeated in 2004 with five 1st-place finishes Four times winner of the Highest Scoring Pitts Award 2000: First solo flight WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 15TH
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Eight times British Unlimited Aerobatic Champion Four times British Freestyle Champion Member of the British team: Three World Aerobatic Championships Two European Championships 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 7th 2007: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 9th 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 10th 2005: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 10th 2000-2003: Breitling Fighters Display Team, manager and pilot 1994-1999: Golden Dreams Aerobatic Team Leader 1989-1993: Toyota Aerobatic Team Leader 1989: Masters of Aerobatics SA, 2nd 1985-1988: Marlboro Aerobatic Team Leader 1976: First solo flight WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 7TH
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YOSHIHIDE MUROYA JAPAN, EDGE 540
SERGEY RAKHMANIN RUSSIA, MXS-R
DATE OF BIRTH: August 6, 1969 BIRTHPLACE: Madrid, Spain HOME: Pozuelo de Alarcon, Spain HOBBIES: skydiving, films, helicopters WEBSITE: www.teammaclean.com
DATE OF BIRTH: January 27, 1973 BIRTHPLACE: Nara, Japan HOME: Fukushima, Japan HOBBIES: flying, snowboarding, zazen WEBSITE: www.yoshi-muroya.jp
DATE OF BIRTH: October 18, 1961 BIRTHPLACE: Chemnitz, Germany HOME: St Petersburg, Russia HOBBIES: flying, travelling, skiing WEBSITE: www.sergeyrakhmanin.com
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Twice Spanish Aerobatics Champion, 2nd 11 times 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 8th 2007: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 6th 2006: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 9th 2005: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 9th Captain of the Spanish Aerobatic Team 2001: World Aerobatic Championships, 10th 1998: Lithuania Aerobatic Championships, 1st 1987: First solo flight
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 : Red Bull Air Race Qualification Camp, Super Licence, Rookie FAI World Grand Prix Haute Voltige Montegi, 6th 2007: FAI World Grand Prix Haute Voltige Montegi, 5th 2006: FAI Al Ain Aerobatics Championships, 5th 1995: Japan Glider Competition, 3rd 1991: First solo flight
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 11th 2007 : Red Bull Air Race World Championship, 12th 2005: World Aerobatic Champion World Grand Prix of Aerobatics, 3rd 2004: European Aerobatic Championships, 2nd 2003: World Aerobatic Champion Russian Aerobatic Champion 2002: Russian Aerobatic Champion European Aerobatic Championships, 2nd 2000: Tchakolov Cup, 1st 1999: European Aerobatic Champion Russian Aerobatic Champion 1995: Russian Aerobatic Champion World Glider Aerobatics Championships, 3rd 1991: USSR Aerobatic Champion 1980: First solo flight
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 14TH
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 11TH
Photography: AP Images for Red Bull Air Race
DATE OF BIRTH: August 17, 1956 BIRTHPLACE: Zimbabwe, Africa HOME: Oxfordshire, England HOBBIES: skiing, scuba-diving, racquetball WEBSITE: www.nigellamb.com
ALEJANDRO MACLEAN SPAIN, MXS-R
Photography: Daniel Grund
NIGEL LAMB ENGLAND, MXS-R
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 9TH
RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
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THE PLANE
RACE PLANE CLOSE-UP Two types of planes are used in the Red Bull Air Race, the Edge 540 and the MXS-R. Check out Nigel Lamb’s MXS-R, a power package with more than 300hp.
SPECIFICATIONS LENGTH WINGSPAN WEIGHT POWER TOP SPEED ROLL RATE MAX G ENGINE WING DESIGN PROPELLER PILOTS FLYING IT
EDGE 540 (ZIVKO AERONAUTICS, USA) 6.30m (20.7ft) 7.43m (24.4ft) 540kg (1190lb) 340hp 426kph (265mph) 420°/sec +/-12G AEIO 540 EXP Symmetric, carbon fibre Hartzell Claw MT-PROB Arch, Bonhomme, Chambliss, Dell, Dolderer, Goulian, Ivanoff, Mangold, McLeod, Muroya
MXS -R (MX AIRCRAFT, USA) 6.28m (20.6ft) 7.31m (23.9ft) 540kg (1190lb) 350hp 426kph (265mph) 450°/sec +/-12G AEIO 540 EXP Symmetric, carbon fibre Hartzell Claw MT-PROB Besenyei, Hall, Lamb, Maclean, Rakhmanin
THE AIRCRAFT AILERONS. The ailerons are used to let the aircraft roll around its longitudinal axis. They are mounted on the trailing edge of each wing and move in opposite directions. When the pilot moves the stick left, the left aileron goes up and the right aileron goes down simultaneously. ELEVATOR. The elevator is used to move the nose up or down. It is mounted on the back edge of the horizontal stabiliser on each side of the fin in the tail. When the pilot pulls the stick backwards, the elevator goes up. Pushing the stick forwards causes the elevator to go down. ENGINE. Race engines are six-cylinder boxer engines. These 540 cubic inch engines are fuel-injected. Race-plane engines have between 320 and 350hp. FUSELAGE. The fuselage can be manufactured from different materials. Some are carbon fibre, others steel tube. The main target is to achieve a lightweight, strong structure. PROPELLER. The most widely used propellers in the Red Bull Air Race are three-blade variable-pitch propellers. The hub is aluminium and the blades are made of natural composite with a fibre-reinforced epoxy cover or carbon fibre. The maximum diameter is 203cm, with a weight of 25kg. The maximum propeller rotation is 2700rpm. RUDDER. The pilot uses his feet to control the rudder, which is mounted on the back edge of the fin in the tail assembly. The rudder allows the pilot to turn the plane around its vertical axis. SAFETY EQUIPMENT. Pilots are strapped into their seats with five-point safety harnesses, similar to the ones used in car racing. Every competitor has a parachute onboard. Due to the low-level flying and to avoid extra weight, race planes have no ejection seat. SPADES. It is almost impossible to overcome the amount of drag without spades. They grab air that pushes them down or up and this reduces stick forces when rolling the plane. UNDERCARRIAGE. The undercarriage consists of two bigger wheels at the front and one fairly small wheel at the back of the plane. They cannot be pulled in while in the air. On the ground, the rear wheel is steered by the rudder pedals. The main carriage is covered by carbon-fibre bodywork and equipped with small disc brakes. WINGS. The wings are 100 per cent carbon fibre for minimum inertia, high performance and agility. They also contain fuel tanks for long-distance flights, which are always empty in race trim to reduce overall weight.
Animation: Peter Clausen Film & TV
AXIS AND ROTATIONS
PITCH
ROLL YAW
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THE COCKPIT
PILOT’S VIEW Find out about the features of Peter Besenyei’s MXS-R race plane.
AIRSPEED INDICATOR. This shows the plane’s speed (in knots) relative to the air. It works by measuring the ram-air pressure in the plane’s pitot tube. ALTIMETER. Indicates the aircraft’s altitude (in feet) above a reference level by measuring the static air pressure. It is adjustable for local barometric pressure. Pilots must observe their assigned altitudes in holdings and routes to and from the Red Bull Air Race Airport. AVI. The switch that turns on all the electronics. BREAKERS. These are there to protect various electrical components. EFIS. This race device gives the pilot information about his run. He can use the touch-screen facility to switch between different display modes. It also sends speed or G info to the Race Tower. ENGINE ANALYSER. A high-tech device that records engine data. After a flight, the engineers download the info for analysis. The little switch on top of it is the voice alarm for engine parameters. It warns the pilot in case of any system’s failure or fluctuations in engine performance. FUEL-PUMP SWITCH. Used by the pilot to switch between all three fuel tanks: right wing, left wing and main tank. During the race only the main tank contains fuel. Race planes run on Aviation Gasoline (AvGas), a 100 octane low-lead fuel. In race trim, 50 litres are aboard. Around 2 litres are burned per minute. FUEL SWITCH. This is the electric boost pump that’s used when starting the plane and when switching fuel tanks. G-METER. Shows the pilot how many G he is pulling or pushing. Competitors must not exceed 12G in sharp and quick turns, where gravitational forces are the highest. MIXTURE. Controls the air/fuel mixture that is delivered to the engine. The pilot adjusts the fuel flow with this control. OIL PRESSURE. This is a back-up device for measuring the oil pressure. If the engine analyser has an electrical failure the pilot is still able to find out the oil pressure. PEDALS. The rudder pedals are mechanically wired to the plane’s rudder. Before take-off and after landing, the pilot uses his feet to turn the plane left or right on the ground. During flight, pushing the pedals causes the plane to turn around the vertical axis (yaw). PROP CONTROL. This is there to adjust the pitch of the propeller blades. RADIO COMMUNICATION. Connects the pilot with the Race Director and the control tower. SMK. The switch that arms the smoke system. SMOKE ON/OFF. Just before the pilot enters the track he has to turn the smoke on. White smoke emerges when paraffin oil is added to the exhaust pipes. It makes the plane’s flight path more visible. START BUTTON. Used to actuate the race plane. STICK. This is the steering wheel of the plane. Pushing it left or right causes the plane to roll. Pushing it forwards or backwards causes the nose to pitch up or down. The red button on top of the stick is the radio push-to-talk button.
Photography: Markus Kucera
THROTTLE CONTROL. By pushing the throttle control forwards or backwards the pilot changes the speed of the engine. It can be compared with the throttle pedal of a car. TRANSPONDER. Transmits information to the tower concerning the plane’s position and altitude. TRIM. Adjusts the stick pressure in pitch. VERTICAL CARD COMPASS. An instrument that indicates the plane’s heading.
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CALENDAR
RED BULL AIR RACE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP The Red Bull Air Race touches down on three continents this season: Asia, North America and Europe. Six unique spots provide the backdrop for the premier aviation league.
2009
STANDINGS POS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
PILOT Paul Bonhomme Hannes Arch Nicolas Ivanoff Mike Mangold Matt Hall Kirby Chambliss Nigel Lamb Michael Goulian Sergey Rakhmanin Peter Besenyei Alejandro Maclean Matthias Dolderer Glen Dell Yoshihide Muroya Pete McLeod
NAT. GBR AUT FRA USA AUS USA GBR USA RUS HUN ESP GER RSA JPN CAN
PLANE Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540 MXS-R Edge 540 MXS-R Edge 540 MXS-R MXS-R MXS-R Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540
POINTS 42 41 28 24 24 23 21 18 17 12 9 8 3 1 1
CC
M M
YY
CM CM
MY MY
APRIL 17 & 18 ABU DHABI, UAE
CY CY
MAY 9 & 10 SAN DIEGO, USA
JUNE 13 & 14 WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CAN
CMY CMY
KK
PILOT
NAT.
PLANE
POINTS
POS
PILOT
NAT.
PLANE
POINTS
POS
PILOT
NAT.
PLANE
POINTS
1
Hannes Arch
AUT
Edge 540
12 + 1
1
Nicolas Ivanoff
FRA
Edge 540
12
1
Paul Bonhomme
GBR
Edge 540
12
2
Paul Bonhomme
GBR
Edge 540
10
2
Paul Bonhomme
GBR
Edge 540
10
2
Hannes Arch
AUT
Edge 540
10
3
Nicolas Ivanoff
FRA
Edge 540
9
3
Hannes Arch
AUT
Edge 540
9+1
3
Kirby Chambliss
USA
Edge 540
9+1
4
Nigel Lamb
GBR
MXS-R
8
4
Peter Besenyei
HUN
MXS-R
8
4
Mike Mangold
USA
Edge 540
8
5
Matt Hall
AUS
MXS-R
7
5
Matt Hall
AUS
MXS-R
7
5
Sergey Rakhmanin
RUS
MXS-R
7
6
Sergey Rakhmanin
RUS
MXS-R
6
6
Nigel Lamb
GBR
MXS-R
6
6
Michael Goulian
USA
Edge 540
6
7
Mike Mangold
USA
Edge 540
5
7
Mike Mangold
USA
Edge 540
5
7
Matt Hall
AUS
MXS-R
5
8
Alejandro Maclean
ESP
MXS-R
4
8
Sergey Rakhmanin
RUS
MXS-R
4
8
Nigel Lamb
GBR
MXS-R
4
9
Kirby Chambliss
USA
Edge 540
3
9
Glen Dell
RSA
Edge 540
3
9
Nicolas Ivanoff
FRA
Edge 540
3
10
Peter Besenyei
HUN
MXS-R
2
10
Alejandro Maclean
ESP
MXS-R
2
10
Alejandro Maclean
ESP
MXS-R
2
11
Matthias Dolderer
GER
Edge 540
1
11
Yoshihide Muroya
JPN
Edge 540
1
11
Pete McLeod
CAN
Edge 540
1
12
Glen Dell
RSA
Edge 540
0
12
Kirby Chambliss
USA
Edge 540
0
12
Glen Dell
RSA
Edge 540
0
13
Yoshihide Muroya
JPN
Edge 540
0
13
Matthias Dolderer
GER
Edge 540
0
13
Matthias Dolderer
GER
Edge 540
0
14
Michael Goulian
USA
Edge 540
0
14
Michael Goulian
USA
Edge 540
0
14
Yoshihide Muroya
JPN
Edge 540
0
15
Pete McLeod
CAN
Edge 540
0
15
Pete McLeod
CAN
Edge 540
0
15
Peter Besenyei
HUN
MXS-R
0
AUGUST 19 & 20 BUDAPEST, HUN POS
SEPTEMBER 12 & 13 PORTO, POR
PILOT
NAT.
PLANE
1
Michael Goulian
USA
Edge 540
12
2
Paul Bonhomme
GBR
Edge 540
10
POINTS
3
Kirby Chambliss
USA
Edge 540
9+1
4
Hannes Arch
AUT
Edge 540
8
5
Matthias Dolderer
GER
Edge 540
7
6
Mike Mangold
USA
Edge 540
6
7
Matt Hall
AUS
MXS-R
5
8
Nicolas Ivanoff
FRA
Edge 540
4
9
Nigel Lamb
GBR
MXS-R
3
10
Peter Besenyei
HUN
MXS-R
2
11
Alejandro Maclean
ESP
MXS-R
1
12
Yoshihide Muroya
JPN
Edge 540
0
13
Pete McLeod
CAN
Edge 540
0
14
Glen Dell
RSA
Edge 540
0
15
Sergey Rakhmanin
RUS
MXS-R
0
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OCTOBER 3 & 4 BARCELONA, ESP
Population: 560,000 Location: Portugal Time zone: UTC +1 Race history: races in 2007 and 2008
Population: 1.6 million Location: Catalonia, Spain Time zone: UTC +2 hours Race history: race in 2006
Photography: Daniel Grund, Markus Kucera
POS
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THE RULES
ABOUT THE RACE
The Red Bull Air Race World Championship is supervised by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale). The FAI oversees safety at each race.
G-RACE SUIT A revolutionary anti-G suit for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
RULES
RACE FORMAT
FROM 12 TO 15. The largest expansion of the starting field in the history of the Red Bull Air Race made it necessary to revamp this season’s race format. It now features a QUALIFYING DAY with all pilots racing to be one of the 10 fastest to take them directly through to the Top 12 session on Race Day. For the first time ever, Qualifying will also be a race for ONE CHAMPIONSHIP POINT, which will be awarded to the pilot with the best time in Qualifying.
LEVEL FLYING The Air Gates marked in blue must be passed in a horizontal position.
A WILD CARD SESSION will open Race Day with the five slowest from Qualifying getting a second chance by battling it out for the final two spots in the Top 12. The fastest eight from the Top 12 advance to the SUPER 8 and the four fastest go all-out against the clock in the FINAL 4 – with the fastest pilot being declared the winner.
KNIFE FLYING Air Gates marked in red must be passed in a vertical position.
As part of the natural progression of the sport as it enters its fifth championship season, race organisers have also decided to make some ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SCORING SYSTEM. Pilots can gain points at each race and the one with the most points at the end of the World Championship becomes the Red Bull Air Race World Champion.
CHICANE The Chicane consists of three single pylons which must be passed in slalom flight.
DAY 1 / QUALIFYING DAY QUALIFYING 1
QUALIFYING 2
WILD CARD
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TURNING MANOEUVRE The turning manoeuvre at the end of the course can either describe a horizontal turn or a climbing (tilted) turn up to a pure vertical flight path including roll. It has to be flown inside the safety area.
FLYING TOO HIGH The competitor passes the Air Gate or chicane too high. Penalty 2 seconds
DANGEROUS FLYING Dangerous flying includes flying too low, crossing the crowd line, exceeding the start speed limit (370kph) or max G (12G). Disqualification!
TOUCHING AN AIR GATE The competitor touches a pylon with the wing or propeller. Penalty 6 seconds
TOP 12 FASTEST EIGHT PILOTS ADVANCE TO SUPER 8*
SUPER 8 FASTEST FOUR PILOTS ADVANCE TO FINAL 4*
FINAL 4
POINTS
FOUR PILOTS COMPETE FOR VICTORY*
WILD CARD
PILOT 08
PILOT 04
1ST
12
PILOT 02
PILOT 14
WILD CARD
PILOT 07
PILOT 03
2ND
10
PILOT 03
PILOT 03
PILOT 13
PILOT 10
PILOT 06
PILOT 02
3RD
9
PILOT 04
PILOT 04
PILOT 12
PILOT 09
PILOT 05
PILOT 01
4TH
8
PILOT 05
PILOT 05
PILOT 11
PILOT 08
PILOT 04
5TH
7
PILOT 06
PILOT 06
PILOT 07
PILOT 03
6TH
6
PILOT 07
PILOT 07
PILOT 06
PILOT 02
7TH
5
PILOT 08
PILOT 08
PILOT 05
PILOT 01
8TH
4
PILOT 09
PILOT 09
PILOT 04
9TH
3
PILOT 10
PILOT 10
PILOT 03
10TH
2
PILOT 11
PILOT 11
PILOT 02
11TH
1
PILOT 12
PILOT 12
PILOT 01
12-15TH
0
PILOT 13
PILOT 13
PILOT 14
PILOT 14
PILOT 15
PILOT 15
DIRECTLY ADVANCE TO TOP 12
PILOT 15
Illustration: Seso Media Group
HOW IT WORKS: Four water columns in the fluid muscles build up pressure around the body under high G-forces causing the non-stretch fabric to contract. This effect, together with interactive muscle straining and breathing techniques, assists the race pilot in keeping oxygen-rich blood in the head and upper muscle areas of the body. All race pilots are recommend to wear the G-race suit. If one of them decides not to wear it, a penalty weight of 6.5kg is added to the plane’s seat.
PILOT 02
1 PT
Photography: Markus Kucera
The G-race suit was introduced in April 2009. It’s the first professional G-protection for civilian race planes.
PILOT 01
RACE FOR WILD CARD
FLUID MUSCLES Two at the front and two at the back. The tubes are each filled with 1 litre of water.
FASTEST TWO PILOTS ADVANCE TO TOP 12*
PILOT 01
INCORRECT KNIFE FLYING The racer deviates from vertical flight by more than 20° or tilts his plane to the wrong side. Penalty 2 seconds
THE QUADRO The Quadro is made up of four pylons positioned in a square. It must be passed in knife flight.
DAY 2 / RACE DAY
TWO FLYING SESSIONS. BEST TIME COUNTS. WINNER RECEIVES ONE POINT FABRIC: Twaron/ Nomex®, a non-stretch fabric.
INCORRECT LEVEL FLYING The pilot deviates from level flight by 10° or more. Penalty 2 seconds
The Red Bull Air Race World Championship is an international series of races with the objective to navigate an aerial race track featuring air-filled pylons, known as Air Gates, in the fastest possible time incurring as few penalties as possible. The total length of the race track is approximately 5km.
* STARTING ORDER FOR ALL SESSIONS ON RACE DAY IS DETERMINED BY THE RESULTS IN QUALIFYING. THE SLOWEST FROM QUALIFYING FLIES FIRST RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
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LOCATION
AREA MAP
The penultimate race of the season will take place over the Douro River, between the Ribeira of Porto and the harbour of Gaia. Check out the viewing areas and the challenging race track.
PORTO 0513
01/0917
02/0810/16
04/0612/14 0311
0715
FINISH START
N
GAIA
S
VIDEO SCREEN S
POLICE COMPOUND
PUBLIC ZONE
FIRST AID
ROAD CLOSED FOR CARS
RACE TOWER
CLOSED AREA
TRAIN AND METRO STATION
ROAD CLOSED FOR CARS AND PEOPLE
MEDIA CENTRE
MERCHANDISING
TAXI DROP OFF
EMERGENCY CORRIDOR
PRI ZE GIVING
FOOD & DRINKS
FIRE BRIGADE
CLOSED ROAD
MC STAGE
SPECTATOR INFORMATION:
EVENT OPERATIONS:
TICKETED HOSPITALITY AREAS: RACE CLUB HFL
HIGH FLYER’ S LOUNGE PUBLIC GRANDSTAND
SUBJECT TO FURTHER CHANGES
E W
THE RACE SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 � QUALIFYING DAY 12:00 Doors Open 13:00 Pre Show & Entertainment 14:00 Qualifying 1 15:30 Qualifying 2 17:00 Red Bull Air Race Airport, Parque da Cidade, Media and Hospitality Pit Lane Walk 17:45 Red Bull Air Race Airport, Parque da Cidade, Public Pit Lane Walk * The schedule is subject to change.
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RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 � RACE DAY 12:00 Doors Open 13:00 Pre Show & Entertainment 14:00 Race Starts 14:00 Wild Card Session 15:00 Top 12 15:40 Super 8 16:15 Final 4 16:45 Award Ceremony 18:00 Doors Close
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FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.REDBULLAIRRACE.COM
RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
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