Red Bull Air Race Magazine San Diego 2009 by Philippe Wyssen

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

WWW.REDBULLAIRRACE.COM

SAN DIEGO, MAY 9&10 $5

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

INSIGHT

THE CONTENT

HELLO AND WELCOME TO… another promising season of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. A great deal has changed since last year. We have a bigger pilot line-up, a new race format and new rules. This means that the minimum weight of the plane is now 1200lb, 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 offseason. The first race in Abu Dhabi was a real eye-opener.

Nothing like your neighbor’s crossover.

Our pick of the best pics of the season opener in Abu Dhabi

10 BULLEVARD

A review of the first race and preview to the next one, plus

a look inside Paul Bonhomme’s head

16 HERO

Is it steak or salad that Kirby Chambliss

prefers to eat? Find out what the 2007 World Champion and Arizona resident likes and dislikes

18 PORTRAIT

Michael Goulian is not only a famous race pilot, he is also the

Mr Airshow. This is where you’ll get to know this guy with Armenian roots better

B:11.2"

audiusa.com/AudiQ5

04 GALLERY

T:10.7"

S:10.2"

Cover Photomontage: Red Bulletin/ Creative Retouching: Lee Laughton; Cover Photography: AP Images for Red Bull Air Race, Markus Kucera; Photography: AP Images for Red Bull Air Race, Markus Kucera

The new, unmistakable Audi Q5. Distinctively different in its appearance and performance, this crossover is taking on an entire category. With new features like the exclusive Audi drive select, you can customize your driving experience by instantly adapting the way the vehicle handles and responds to the road. Add this to its striking, stylized appearance, LED lights and the power of quattro®®, and you’ll realize the Audi Q5 is anything but your typical crossover. A test-drive awaits you at an Audi dealer today. Audi. Truth in Engineering.

24 INTERVIEW

He was the owner of a very successful film production company,

but in 2005 Alejandro Maclean entirely devoted himself to his passion – flying. We met the Spaniard for a chat over breakfast

28 REPORT

The G-Race Suit, an

epoch-making innovation, just became part of the Red Bull Air Race. We find out how the G-protection system works

34 FEATURE

San Diego is home to stunning beaches,

fast jets and large ships, and it’s also the track at which Paul Bonhomme rules supreme

38 PROFILES

Close-ups of all 15 Red Bull Air Race pilots

A detailed look at the mechanics of the MXS-R

44 THE COCKPIT

Peter Besenyei’s race plane and get the pilot’s view where the races take place this year

42 THE PLANE Take a seat in

46 RACE CALENDAR

48 RULES AND RACE FORMAT

Find out More

about the rules and regulations of the race as well as an explanation of the race format

50 LOCATION

All you need to know about the race location for an exciting Race Day

As the official Red Bull Air Race World Championship magazine, we are 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 also keep up to date with the latest issue of the magazine online at www.redbullairrace.com In this, the second issue of this season, you’ll get to know Michael Goulian better, you’ll find out why Kirby Chambliss doesn’t like Las Vegas much and you’ll join us at a profound breakfast with Alejandro Maclean. And, of course, we’ll show you the planes and explain the rules and the format for this breathtaking motorsport series. This season not only promises to be extraordinarily thrilling – it already is. Round one in Abu Dhabi showed that the World Championship has made another big leap forward since last year. So join us and celebrate a great season of 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 Jürgen Eckstein Editors in Chief Robert Sperl, Nadja Žele Editor Matt Youson Chief Sub-editor Nancy James Art Directors Erik Turek, Markus Kietreiber Designers Claudia Drechsler, Dominik Uhl Photo Editor/Photographer Markus Kučera Illustrators Almut Becvar, James Greenhow, Dietmar Kainrath, Seso Media Group Producers Michael Bergmeister, Wolfgang Stecher Lithography Josef Mühlbacher, Clemens Ragotzky Printed by Offset 5020, Bayernstraße 27, A-5072 Siezenheim www.redbulletin.com RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Gallery

sensation Hosting the Red Bull Air Race for the third consecutive year, San Diego truly is an amazing destination on the World Championship calendar. Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest city.

Photography: Joerg Mitter

Peter Besenyei, san diego, may 2008

red bull air race magazine

rookies

Photography: Balazs Gardi for www.global-newsroom.com

Skill

Handling the plane at speeds of up to 230mph and navigating it through a tough track where forces can reach up to 12G demands extraordinary talent. Hannes arcH, abu DHabi, april 2009

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soul

Only the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best pilots are allowed to compete in this unique form of motorsport. Superb flying is one requirement, but admission also requires a high level of fitness â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of both body and mind.

Photography: AP Images for Red Bull Air Race

Yoshihide MuroYa, abu dhabi, april 2009

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BULLEVARD

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS Pos

REVIEW

ABU DHABI

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Nationality

Plane

Hannes Arch

AUT

Edge 540

Points 13

Paul Bonhomme

GBR

Edge 540

Nicolas Ivanoﬀ

FRA

Edge 540

Nigel Lamb

GBR

MXS�R

Matt Hall

AUS

MXS�R

Sergey Rakhmanin

RUS

MXS�R

Mike Mangold

USA

Edge 540

Alejandro Maclean

ESP

MXS�R

Kirby Chambliss

USA

Edge 540

Peter Besenyei

HUN

MXS�R

Matthias Dolderer

GER

Edge 540

Glen Dell

RSA

Edge 540

Yoshihide Muroya

JPN

Edge 540

Michael Goulian

USA

Edge 540

Pete McLeod

CAN

Edge 540

15:00

Rookie Matthias Dolderer takes-off into the Top 12 Session. A few moments later he’ll celebrate his ﬁrst World Championship point in his ﬁrst ever race. That makes him… “Yee-ha!”

PREVIEW

SAN DIEGO

15:30

Top 12. Nicolas Ivanoff has just landed, after clipping a pylon and ﬂying incorrect knife. That’s eight seconds in penalties, but sixth position. He’s in, back in the Super 8s.

16:15

Matt Hall superstar! Seven points, ﬁfth place and just a blink of an eye away from the Final 4. An amazing result for the Rookie from Australia.

Nigel Lamb opens the Final 4. It’s his best run of the day, a dazzling 1:26.63. Will this be enough though for a place on the podium?

16:30

The heat is on! “Thanks, Abu Dhabi!” is what Hannes Arch will say a little later, when 1:24.60, the fastest time of the week, is the winner’s time.

Photography: Robert Benson (1), Markus Kucera (1)

16:28

Photography: AP Images for Red Bull Air Race (1), Markus Kucera (4)

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The Red Bull Air Race arrived in 2009 with a fresh format, a squadron of new and heavily modified aircraft and four Rookie pilots bouncing around like eager puppies. But nothing changes that much, and this World Championship began as the last ended, with Austrian Hannes Arch leading and Paul Bonhomme, from Britain, following close behind. On raw pace, Frenchman Nicolas Ivanoff was the fastest man all weekend, but he was rarely able to ally that to a penalty-free run. He progressed through to the Final 4, though, along with Arch, Bonhomme and Nigel Lamb who’s winter work to modify his MXS-R was obviously paying dividends. Ivanoff and Lamb were the first to fly, setting times of 1:26.34 and 1:26.63 respectively. It was to be the appetiser for the showdown between last season’s two main protagonists. Bonhomme looked coolly brisk throughout the opening rounds, and having won in Abu Dhabi the year previous, went into the final as favourite; a perception confirmed when he went faster than Ivanoff and Lamb with a time of 1:25.49. But the best was saved until last. Arch flew what looked to be a perfect lap; his time of 1:24.60 was both the first clean sub-1:25 time of the weekend and nearly a full second quicker than Bonhomme’s effort. Added to his earlier point for the best time of qualifying, it leaves the World Champion three points clear of his rival with the series now heading for San Diego.

On the podium of Abu Dhabi: Paul Bonhomme (2nd), Hannes Arch (1st) and Nicolas Ivanoff (3rd).

Pilot

San Diego presents new challenges. A different layout may favor the slippery plane of Bonhomme, twice a winner in the Big Bay, or Ivanoff may fulfil the potential he showed in the UAE. Maybe it’s going to be Nigel Lamb’s turn. Or maybe we’ll see someone new triumph. A Rookie? Yoshihide Muroya has been studying the track ferociously, while Matthias Dolderer gave a good account of himself on his debut; but the name that stands out is Matt Hall. In Abu Dhabi he made the Super 8s, and only narrowly missed out on the Final 4. Meanwhile, Pete McLeod is stuck with the little plane that couldn’t. Formerly the unloved property of first Kirby Chambliss and then Hannes Arch, McLeod’s Edge is slow and heavy, but expect the Canadian to keep learning his trade and waiting for something better to come along. Things aren’t looking so good for some of the more established names either. Mangold, Goulian and Dell all suffered technical teething troubles in Abu Dhabi. Their teams are working flat-out right now to fix the gremlins. Will they finish in time? Watch the skies.

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

BULLEVARD

PAUL BONHOMME Kainrath

WHERE’S YOUR HEAD AT?

He’s known as the Mr Consistency of the Red Bull Air Race – although he has made a couple of errors, just before the end of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, which cost him the title in both cases. But what is it that makes him tick? OLIVIA JEAN

We got an addition to the family on February 12 this year. My girlfriend Laura, my stepson Charlie and I have now been joined by Olivia Jean Bonhomme. Her race weight was 6lb 7oz. She is my star. It’s fantastic having her around. I haven’t stopped grinning. Mum and baby are doing so, so well, they were heading home only three hours after touchdown. I’m still feeling on top of the world!

SWEET TEMPTATION

For me the point of eating dinner is to get to the pudding. I have a bit of a sweet tooth. I love a meal and then I like a bit of chocolate. Maybe even a little bit more than just a bit. My favorite is dairy milk chocolate.

TREE SURGERY

If I wasn’t a pilot, I’d be pro bably sitting up in a tree somewhere. I always thought of being a tree sur geon as I like being outdoors, and when you climb up a tree, it’s quite peacef ul.

ITALIAN LAKES

I’d love to fly a floatplane again. It’s the ultimate holiday machine. Can you imagine: you’d have 10 friends, a box of wine, cheese and bread, and land on a lake somewhere in Italy, moor up for the night and sleep on the beach? Fantastic!

CHRISTOPH

COLUMBUS If I had the chan ce to talk to som ebody who has passed away, I would ta lk to Christopher Co lumbus. I would like to know, what he wa s thinking when he set off into the unkn own. All those ex plorers thought the world was flat. They sim ply said: let’s get in this ship and se e what happens. Pure ad venturers.

Photocredit

I do some off-road motorcycling occasionally. It gives me a huge buzz, but I’m always a bit reserved because I’ve fallen off bikes and it hurts. I like the idea of doing funny things in planes as I can get away from the ground. I simply feel safer in the air. I love the three-dimensional freedom of it. You can do whatever you like. Obviously there are limits, but if you work within those limits you don’t really have any boundaries.

TRUMPET

Musically I’m a disaster. I played the trumpet years ago: I must have been eight years old. At that time my father got a letter from the trumpet teacher, saying: “Dear Mr Bonhomme, I have a feeling that you are wasting your money and I am wasting my time.” As a kid you just shrug your shoulders and say: “Yeah, OK, whatever.” My whole family has laughed about it ever since. Actually, my brother was included in that letter as well. He also played the trumpet, and he was also terrible.

Illustrations: Almut Becvar, Dietmar Kainrath

MOTORCYCLING

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BULLEVARD

QUICK FACTS

Did you know..? Well, you will now. Here’s some top-secret insider information – not – about the Red Bull Air Race. Any queries left? Email us at redbullairracemagazine@at.redbulletin.com

Where can I get autographs of the pilots? That’s easy. Meet them at the Public Pit Lane Walk. If you smile and ask nicely, they might give you a signature.

Who had the idea of creating this sport? Great minds in the Red Bull sports think-tank. It was back in 2001 and Red Bull Air Race pilot Peter Besenyei was one of them.

What were the first types of gates made of? Dry ice, fountains, laser lights, cartoon paper, balsa wood, balloons. But nothing has worked out as well as the material used today.

How can I become a Red Bull Air Race pilot? Fly! At Airshows, aerobatic championships, every single minute of your life. A race pilot has to fulfil an endless list of demands. Flying is one of them.

How many meals does the crew eat in total? Between 8000 and 10,000 delicious meals are devoured during a race week.

Where did the first- ever race take place? A ‘test race’ took place in Zeltweg, Austria, and the first proper one at Tököl Airport, Hungary, in 2003.

Are the Air Gates made out of plastic or something else? That’s spinnaker. Good old, but highly modified, sailcloth. The top of the pylon weighs less than paper and rips very easily.

Where does the pilot hide during the day? Behind the curtain in the hangar. He’s got a 20m space in the back area, which is just big enough for a bed and a small office. 2

How many team members does a race team have? A minimum of three guys. The pilot, his technician and a team co-ordinator.

5 RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Photocredit

1 Miss Karly Chambliss is a brave young lady. Well, no wonder. She has a pretty cool father in Kirby 2 Is this? Yes, it is. Mr Microsoft, Bill Gates, is about to become the next Hannes Arch fan. Ahmed Hussein, deputy director general of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority already is one 3 This is Olivia Jean Bonhomme’s ﬁrst Red Bull Air Race. Barely nine weeks old and already travelling the world. A future potential race pilot? Practise makes perfect 4 His Highness Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nayhan enjoys the race action with some refreshment 5 Former Formula One driver David Coulthard just experienced what proper racing feels like: “I felt my stomach disappearing down to my ankles and back up to my throat. Amazing!”

Photography: Daniel Grund for www.global-newsroom.com (Bill Gates), Markus Kucera (4)

LIFESTYLE

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

HERO

KIRBY WIRED! The 2006 Red Bull Air Race World Champion Kirby Chambliss tells us what makes him tick.

Salad or steak? Probably salad with a little bit of steak on it! iPod or vinyl? iPod. Minivan or motorcycle? Definitely motorcycle. I raced motocross as a kid, and I have four motorcycles at home – and I don’t have a minivan. I love riding motorcycles, the only problem is finding the time. If I had more free time, I’d spend it on bikes. Night on the town or quiet night at home? Probably a quiet night at home. Suit or casual? Oh, definitely casual. Golf or football? Ah… probably neither one. I like extreme sports. If I watch sport on television, it’s liable to be something out there; I’d watch motocross in preference to seeing some guy hitting a ball with a stick. Nothing against Tiger Woods and those guys, but I’m just not into that. I’m getting more into car racing, actually. I didn’t used to be a NASCAR guy, but now I know Brian Vickers and the Red Bull guys, I sometimes follow it. I like Formula One too, when I have the chance to watch it. CNN or Sci-Fi channel? CNN. Diplomat or straight-shooter? Me? Definitely a straight-shooter. Flying or jumping? I like both, aha! Mozart or Motörhead? Probably Motörhead. Vegas or Vermont vacation? Definitely Vermont – I hate Vegas! Well, actually that’s a little strong; I don’t have anything against it as a town, but with

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

the airlines I spent many, many nights in Vegas and I’m not a gambler – at least not in that way – so I didn’t really enjoy it. It’s kinda plastic and the casinos tend to be full of smoke, which I don’t care for much. It’s just not my place. Supermodel or girl next door? Supermodel. Head-to-head or Final 4? Definitely Final 4… Edge 540 or MXS-R? I’ll let you know after the race! Seriously, the MXS-R is showing really strong potential now they’ve got the weight down. Y’know, I love the Edge 540. I did the test flying early on and it feels like I’ve been flying the aeroplane forever. It’s a fantastic machine, but I’m here to win. So if the MXS-R shows huge potential, and you need to have an MXS-R to beat the MXS-R, then I’m going to get an MXS-R… Fine dining or takeaway pizza? Hmmm… y’know I think I’d go for fine dining. News section first or sports section first? If I have a newspaper, I’ll definitely read the news section first.

“TWELVE OR 15 RED BULL AIR RACE PILOTS? HEY, THE MORE THE MERRIER, RIGHT?”

Aerobatics or racing? I gotta say both! It’s not really a straight choice because they’re totally different. OK you want to win whatever the competition, but the strategies involved in aerobatics and racing are miles apart. In competition aerobatics you are looking for very, very precise figures. Here it’s about the clock: You’re flying really close to the water, trying to shave fractions of seconds. It’s not the same thing at all. Yosemite or Disneyland? Definitely Disneyland with my daughter. Shopping mall or Internet shopping? Internet. Like most guys, I know what I want; I don’t have to browse. My belief is that if I have to look in a magazine to see if I need something, I probably don’t need it. I know what I need, I go on the Internet, find it, buy it, bang! And with shipping I don’t even have to leave home to pick it up. I’m not a shopping mall kind of guy! Beard or shave? Hmmm… Shave. Twelve or 15 Red Bull Air Race pilots? Hey, the more the merrier right? Training in the gym or training on the road? Definitely in the gym! Book or TV? Again, I’m happy with either. Abu Dhabi or San Diego? I like Abu Dhabi, but San Diego’s closer to home, so I’m going to go with San Diego. Not having to cope with an 11-hour time change is definitely a good thing. It’s nice to have the home crowd, too. I mean, I want to win wherever I’m at, but it’s always nice to win in the States. Money or glory? Take the money every time!

Photography: Markus Kucera

WORDS: MATT YOUSON

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

portrait

ONE-ANDOne-andA-HALF a-half minutes OF Of MINUTES TORTURE tOrture Words: Matt Youson

Photography: AP Images for Red Bull Air Race

Michael Goulian is a natural entertainer, whether he’s racing, doing aerobatics or working on his surreptitious ambition to play pro golf. Just don’t ask him to sit still…

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RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

PORTRAIT

hat’s it like out there on track in the Red Bull Air Race? It’s almost an outof-body experience.” So says Michael Goulian, the man from Massachusetts and pilot of plane number 99. For the airshow regulars out there, Michael is perhaps more familiar for his exploits up in the clouds rather than down between the pylons. He’s three times been on the US Aerobatics Team, a US National Champion and honoured by the International Council of Airshows. These days though, he’s as likely to be found racing an Edge 540 as flying his Extra 300SC in airshows; though in either instance crowds can expect to see a bright green blur pushing the limit. Just don’t ask him to choose between them. “For me flying is a way of life, and I love doing what I do, whether it’s aerobatics or racing,” says Michael. “They are very different though. I guess aerobatics is really 90 per cent the pilot and 10 per cent the plane. In racing quite a lot of the time it’s the opposite: 90 per cent the plane and 10 per cent the pilot. You can express yourself through the plane in aerobatics – you can fly hard and aggressive whereas you really can’t do that in racing, because the harder you fly, the slower you will go. Every time you deflect one of the control surfaces, you’re slowing the plane down. Instead, you need to find the quickest route through the track, while staying as smooth on the controls as you can. It needs, says Mike, an approach not unlike a downhill ski race. “Because in downhill you can’t ski easy, you have to attack the course. But you have to stay supple on your feet, while you’re trying to turn on ice – and how can you do that? The Red Bull Air Race is the same: you have to push the plane and yourself to the limit to make the tightest track – but if you go too tight, you leave yourself without energy and often, without options, which is usually a situation that ends up with a pylon hit. It’s a question of balance. Do I make a turn as tight as I can and hope it’s correct? Or do I make

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

“I believe that anything you’re planning to do, you should do well.” something else. I just didn’t want to be that sort of pilot, which is why I made a conscious decision to stop doing it and start doing this. Everything in life, I believe, is about being in the right place at the right time. I had a little bit of that with the Red Bull Air Race.” Never short on enthusiasm, Goulian’s fervour seems to go up a notch when the subject swings around to racing. Being able to do this, he says, is a blessing. “When I was growing up, no one dreamed of being able to earn a living flying small, highly-maneuverable race or aerobatic planes – but somehow I’ve been doing it for over 20 years, and I still feel super-passionate about it. I think the reason flying still has this passionate hold on me is because I feel lucky to be doing this. It’s not a right for me to be here, it’s a privilege. Flying in the Red Bull Air Race and owning a beautiful plane is a privilege that isn’t afforded to many people, it’s up to me to give it 110 per cent of my effort all of the time to make sure I’m not wasting what I’ve been allowed. I think a lot of the guys feel the same way and that’s why we do it well.” The sensations of flying a race plane are, says Goulian, difficult to explain,

Hot under the collar: Practicing, racing or performing, Goulian likes to give it 100 per cent.

Photography: Markus Kucera

it a little bigger and give myself an instant worth of correction? That might be the difference between first and second. That’s where assessing risk and forward planning come into the equation.” The comparison with skiing isn’t an idle reference. Goulian is an accomplished skier and has been playing ice hockey since his early childhood. It paints a picture; suggests a character obsessed with reflex sports and adventure – only that isn’t the full story. With an enormous grin, Mikey G admits that if he can’t be on the runway, the place he wants to be is the middle of the fairway. “Yeah, I love playing golf, too! I’ve always said that when I retire from flying airshows and air racing, I’d like to play on the PGA Champions Tour. There isn’t enough time to make that happen, but I’d like to become a competitive golfer, even if it’s just at a regional level. I’d want to get my handicap down to zero, turn professional and try to qualify for something. It’s one of those things on the backburner at the moment.” It sounds rather more ambitious than the average pipe-and-slippers retirement plan, and a little bit out there for someone who’s still at the lower end of the age-range in the Red Bull Air Race. He counters that very matter-of-factly: “I believe that anything you’re planning to do, you should plan to do well.” Even reclined in conversation, Goulian is irrepressibly active; he very literally cannot sit still – a factor he acknowledges as one of the things that makes him who he is. “Yeah, ask any of the guys around here, they’ll tell you I can’t sit still: I just can’t do it. I can’t read a book, I just don’t have the attention span. I can just about manage a magazine, but that’s the limit of my abilities.” A lack of patience and the inability to sit still don’t exactly bode well for a career in aviation. That particular observation elicits a chuckle. Growing up with planes (Michael’s father owned a flight school) there was a certain inevitability in Goulian Jr becoming a pilot, but relatively early on he decided airliners really weren’t for him. “A lot of people ask why I’m not an airline pilot. It’s a simple answer: I didn’t like it! If I took off in a jet on a four-hour trip, you can guarantee that 45 minutes later I’d be looking out of the window wondering ‘are we there yet? Can this thing go any faster?’ I did it for plenty of hours, but I was always thinking about doing

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Goulian together with team co-ordinator Brad Huelsman (right) and engineer Timothy Hess will be playing catch-up this weekend.

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Photography: AP Images for Red Bull Air Race

Last-minute wing modiﬁcations in Abu Dhabi left Goulian PORTRAIT struggling for pace.

even to other pilots. “We’ve all driven a car fast, but to drive a car in the Monaco Grand Prix or the Daytona 500, that’s a different story. When you get into a plane like the ones we have in the Red Bull Air Race it’s the same thing. It really is an almost out-of-body experience. You have to be so focused and in the zone; thinking about the task at hand, getting from gate to gate. For me it’s about a minute-and-a-half’s worth of torture. You’re trying to do that while combating the very high G-forces and figuring out where the wind is coming from and a dozen other little things. The sensation of doing it… it really is indescribable. Despite a run-in with the stewards in Abu Dhabi, and an uncharacteristically vehement outburst of disappointment, Goulian remains upbeat about his chances for success this season. His team, he says, are in their best-ever shape. “At the end of 2008 we were disappointed. We went down a path with the plane that didn’t really work and always felt we were trailing behind with the technology. We’ve tried hard to make sure that won’t be the case in 2009, but in Abu Dhabi we made a lot of aerodynamic changes to the plane, most of which weren’t good. On paper they looked great, but the plane got worse and worse. As soon as it arrived in the United States we hit the ground running. We’re doing everything we can to rectify the problems, and we don’t expect to be fully at race pace until the next race in Windsor, but we expect a much better result in San Diego than we had in Abu Dhabi. It’s a frank assessment, but the underlying tone from Team Goulian is positive: a gamble with late modifications to the wings has failed, but the plane is in fundamentally good shape. “Yeah, actually the airframe is something I’m very happy with,” says Michael. This is the third year I’ve been in this plane and this is the first season I’ve been happy to go flying – which is going to make a big difference.” Despite much talk of horsepower and aerodynamics as the season opened, Goulian insists comfort comes first. “I would sacrifice a little speed to have a good-flying plane. When you’re at 30 or 40ft, doing 220mph, you need to have confidence that you can move the controls as fast as you want and as hard as you want and know exactly what the plane will do. If you have even a little question mark in your mind, that isn’t

“If you have a passion then it becomes ingrained in you. I’m a racer because I love to challenge myself and see how I stack up against everyone else.” where you want to be. Over the winter we didn’t quite finish everything we wanted to do, but I wanted the plane put back together early. It wouldn’t matter how fast the plane was if I didn’t feel comfortable in it. So we stopped a little early, leaving out a few of the modifications we might have done if we’d had more time. As a result I’m comfortable in the plane – and that’s the most important thing.” Despite extolling the virtues of handling, Michael Goulian is also swift to reaffirm his love of speed. It begs the question: does he think of himself as a born racer? “I think anyone who walks around saying ‘I’m a racer’ probably isn’t! But my wife says I like anything fast, and I guess that’s the truth. If you have a passion in your life – whatever it’s for – then it becomes ingrained in you. I guess I am a racer because I love to challenge myself and see how I stack up against everyone else – whatever I’m doing.” It’s in that spirit that Goulian admits to an admiration for more earthbound motorsports, citing a sneaking desire to occasionally switch places with NASCAR driver Carl Edwards. “I’ve done just a little bit of race-car stuff and it’s been really good fun, and I’m lucky enough to have met some of the NASCAR guys and their teams. I think this and that are

similar. I like being part of a team and motor racing is a team sport. You can be the best pilot, but if you don’t have the best team, it’s never going to work.” The new format of the 2009 Red Bull Air Race, tweaked to improve the show by doing away with the head-to-head contests, appeals to Goulian. “I like the format very much; you’re going to find most of the pilots are very happy with it. It’s really more about the fastest person winning, which is what we like about it. Previously, you could have had the fastest time, but finish 10th. With a racer that just doesn’t sit very well. We all want the fastest guy to win.” After an unrewarding trip to Abu Dhabi, Goulian is back on home soil for the next month. For many pilots the expectations of a home crowd are an added pressure, but Mike insists that for him it isn’t the case. “This year I have very high expectations for our team, so if there is any pressure, it’s self-imposed pressure. My guys have done an unbelievable amount of work over the winter and I feel they’ve put me in a good machine. I owe it to them to go out and fly as well as I can – so the pressure is internal rather than external – though obviously you always want to win in your home country!” Watch out for fireworks from green number 99 here in San Diego. RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

INTERVIEW

SUNRISE ENCOUNTER Abu Dhabi, 6.30am. Dawn: Birds are singing their morning overture. Spanish pilot Alejandro Maclean is eating breakfast, waking up. ˇ WORDS: NADJA ZELE

This is a really early start today. Are you a morning person? Actually I am. Although my days are quite long and I usually go to bed late, around 12 or one o’clock. Generally I go back to my room at maybe 10 o’clock and need two or three hours for myself. I read a book or simply lie on my bed and think – going through different things in my head. That’s why waking up early is not easy for me, but I am a morning person and I do love to wake up early.

Spaniards normally don’t eat heaps for breakfast. “Maybe just juice and toast. The ﬁrst meal I have is Tapas, around lunchtime.”

Photography: Markus Kucera

e says he’s a morning person, although actually he doesn’t like to wake up too early during race week. He is honest, but aware that honesty is not the fast track to the top in motorsport. He looks incredibly fit, but almost never goes to the gym. We met Alejandro Maclean for breakfast and found out that he is anything but a reserved kind of guy.

It’s not even 7am, a really sensitive time for some people. When is your most productive time of day? Anytime when I am properly challenged. How do you define a challenge? When what you are planning or have to do is interesting and is a challenge by itself. If you get bored and you are not excited about what you do, you definitely aren’t going to do it well. But if you feel like meeting someone and talking with someone, if you feel like flying, having a purpose for what you are doing, anytime is good. It can be 2am or noon. Do you like to control yourself? Yes I do, but in a considered manner. You look extremely fit. What would someone need to do to look like you? I was born like this, honestly. I never go the gym, almost never. I find it easy to build muscles. I probably go the gym once or twice a week and I’ll do this for about a month and then for three months I don’t go to the gym at all. But I try to be very physical in things I do on a daily basis. I grab things or hold things, do physical work. I use the tools I have. If I have to go to the third floor, I would rather use the stairs than the elevator. If I have to go to a place that is a mile away, I would rather walk than take a taxi. You spend your life travelling the world, seeing lots of places, meeting lots of people, coming into contact with different cultures. Has anything in particular left a permanent mark? I wouldn’t say that there is anything in particular that has done so. When you are lucky enough to be able to travel, it’s a privilege to experience so many different cultures. Especially nowadays, when there are so many opinions on different countries and different people – being able to see for yourself and judge for yourself makes a huge difference. When you travel around, you realise that we are all the same; we just have a different understanding of life. Does being away give you a greater appreciation of Spain? I wouldn’t say that I appreciate any place more than before. I just understand more and I have wider horizons. Do you feel Spanish or European? I would say I feel more European, but I am proud of being a Spaniard. Feeling proud of belonging to, or being born in, a certain place is actually nice. But it’s just a fact that you were born in Austria, RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

INTERVIEW

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

“Life is a competition. So, what makes a sport a sport? Maybe in many ways it would be nice to say honesty makes a sport a sport.”

Alejandro’s eating plan: “The main plan is to try a bit of everything in moderation and to be able to read your body’s needs. But you need to be clear on how you are going to spend the rest of your day. How many calories will be burned during your day.”

though there are those who might say the opposite – and in some ways I was empathising too much with the people who were working for me. That doesn’t help if you’re trying to be a great business guy, because you are not pragmatic enough. And running a business well is just a matter of being very pragmatic. Of course there are exceptions around the globe, but that’s my feeling about the business that I was doing. You are a kind of a businessman now as well, albeit running a business with only three employees. How do you cope with this? The difference now is that I don’t consider they’re working for me; we don’t have that sort of hierarchy! This is a project: It’s a project for all of us. If we improve and get better, everyone will benefit from it. I want to see everybody more as a partner than an employee. Everyone feels really involved, we all understand what

we are doing and what our goals are. One area of my new strategy for this year is to reinforce the team, rather than the person. I think this is pretty important for the future. Yes, the pilot is the one who is exposed and risking everything, but everybody has responsibilities and is equally valid by fulfilling them. Aside from the skills and talents involved, in this sport you’re also marketing a product, and that product is yourself. Does that mean you’re leading a double life? No, thinking like that would be a mistake. Living a double life, in my opinion, leads to hypocrisy and I don’t think this is the way to go. Selling myself is part of the job and it’s actually not a very comfortable part of the job. Not for me. But I don’t think that you live a double life, you live your life. And your life involves dealing with the consequences of what you do and how you do it. Sometimes you have

Photography: Markus Kucera

Germany, Spain or Senegal. Those are your roots and it’s nice to have roots, but I am not a nationalist in any way. Not for any culture, not for any purpose. Motorsport is a tough business. Is it possible to survive as an honest man? I think honesty is possible – nobility definitely is. Well, do you lie if you don’t tell the truth? Or do you lie if you tell something other than the truth? If the answer is yes to the first one, then I think honesty is definitely possible. If the answer is yes to the second one, then it’s probably not possible. What would you say makes a sport a sport? I think competition. Just the actual act of fighting for something; going for something. In many ways life is a competition. It begins the day we are born and continues to the day we go to school, where we have to deal with our schoolmates. It’s always a question of who is stronger and who is weaker, who is taller, who is shorter? Life is always a competition. What makes a sport a sport? Maybe in many ways it would be nice to say honesty makes a sport a sport. But nowadays that is quite rare. Is being pure and honest compatible with a life in motorsport? Probably not! I would love to say yes, but I think ‘No’ is the answer – which is very unfortunate for motorsport. However, I am the kind of guy who wants to think that good triumphs in the end. I am not interested in winning at any cost. I am more interested in being consistent and being very strong, so when I win it is because I deserve to win, not because a judge or a steward or a plane or a machine is helping me. The goals have to be set up properly. Honesty is certainly missing from the movie business – and you were very much involved in that three years ago. What made you give it up? It was the Red Bull Air Race’s fault – and I say that in a very proud way, because the Red Bull Air Race kind of saved me from a path that I was following that was not really what my soul wanted to do. I was pretty successful, producing commercials and films. The business was running really well. But the reality of having so many people working for me was something that a part of me could not handle. I’m just not a tough guy when it comes to dealing with people –

to sell yourself; sometimes you have to promote yourself; sometimes you have to show or prove what you are here for; and sometimes you have your own, private moments. But those private moments are not a different life. Your family are at home in Spain. Do you think leading this life is easier for the single pilots? Well if the question is “do I think that being single would help” or “do I think being some kind of a lonesome cowboy would be an advantage”? the answer is no, definitely not. When you find the right person who shares your hopes and desires, then everything comes together. I don’t think that having someone who you love and care about jeopardises what you do, as long as your partner understands that this is a common project and something that you are doing together. In many ways, I realise that my wife’s life is her own project, and I am sharing it with her.

Are you actually following a defined career path? I was once. When I was much younger I used to be very aggressive and ambitious. I wanted everything, the whole world – but not anymore. I just want to be in touch with my feelings and try to be happy. This is a very obvious answer, I know. Happiness is a very subjective matter. I want to be happy and healthy but I don’t have a life plan. In this sense I would call myself a survivor: I am doing what I like the most, basically following my passion. Doing that while trying to be career-orientated just doesn’t work, because I am too passionate about what I do, I love it too much. Flying – being involved with planes and showing what I can do with the things I have learned throughout my life – is something that I am very passionate about and you can’t plan your future based on what you are passionate about. But saying that doesn’t

mean that you have to be completely stupid about it. You have to have a path to follow. Everyone says that life is too short. It is too short, but not too short to have a plan or a project. When does flying stop being a passion and start being a job? I hope I never feel that way! I think that can happen when you’re chasing unrealistic goals. If you say, “my goal is to win”, but you don’t have the perfect machine then you are not in a position to win. Setting up that goal is going to lead to disaster and you will lose the passion. So you have to set realistic goals for yourself and for those around you. Realistic doesn’t mean easy, though; realistic means something you can achieve with what you have and what you can get. If you are realistic I think the passion will never become just the job. And that applies to everything, not only the Red Bull Air Race. RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

REPORT

MAY THE G�FORCE BE WITH YOU Being able to fly without gravity pulling you back down only works in outer space. Inside the troposphere, it’s a tough battle. It’s pilot versus G.

Photography: Markus Kucera

ˇ WORDS: NADJA ZELE

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

REPORT

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

“IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE EXPLORE ALL THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US TO MAKE THIS SPORT SAFER.” at the cutting edge of technology,” says Heinz Moeller, Director of Aviation. “The G-Race Suit is a state-of-the-art system that has never before been made available for civilian use. We’re excited about making aviation history with the new G-Race Suit and taking aviation safety to the next level.” This new protective anti-G clothing that the race pilots have been wearing since this season’s first race in Abu Dhabi, reduces G-induced symptoms and fatigue after exposure to high G-forces. It also reduces the recovery

time from G-induced stress and increases situational awareness. The result is an overall increase in flight safety. The G-Race Suit fits tightly, like a second skin, and contains special liquidfilled tubes which change shape under the impact of high G. These ‘Fluid Muscles’ cause the non-stretch fabric of the suit to contract. This way, oxygenrich blood stays in the pilot’s upper body and head instead of rushing downwards to his feet. “It’s not that you can lean back and let the G-Race Suit do it’s job now. You have to work with it, you

Sergey Rakhmanin walks back to the hangar after taking sixth place in the Super 8s in Abu Dhabi – his second ﬂight on Race Day. Time to release the zippers, get out of 14lb armor and cool down.

Photography: Markus Kucera

ow does it feel when 12 times your own bodyweight pushes against you? In Sergey Rakhmanin’s case it feels rather heavy. Sergey weighs 176lb, so whenever he flies a tight and fast turn around an Air Gate, it feels as if a slim version of a Mini Cooper automobile is getting comfortable on his chest and pushing its entire mass firmly against him. Although this gravity impact vanishes as quickly as it appears, it has a dominant presence and leaves marks. Race pilots must understand their body’s reactions very well. A tiny change of the visual field due to insufficient blood supply to the brain can have fatal consequences. “Every one of us has already experienced an A-Loc, an almost total loss of consciousness, because of high G. We know the symptoms and we know how to be safe and when and how to react,” says former US Air Force pilot and double Red Bull Air Race World Champion Mike Mangold. During the impact of sustained high positive G, the first thing that a pilot notices is the loss of color vision. He experiences a ‘Grey-Out’, which is when shadows appear in front of his eyes. If he doesn’t react and keeps on pulling G, the next thing that happens is a loss of peripheral vision, retaining only the central portion of vision, so-called tunnel vision. If he still doesn’t react and keeps on pulling instead of pushing the stick, he loses his vision completely, which means he cannot see anything but black. At this stage he is still conscious, but the next effect, which happens almost at the same time, is loss of hearing and subsequently loss of consciousness – G-Loc. Although all the race pilots are professionals and have years of experience in fighting G-forces, the organisers of the Red Bull Air Race want to err on the side of caution, so they have introduced a new high-tech innovation called the G-Race Suit. “The Red Bull Air Race prides itself on its 100 per cent safety record and our philosophy has always been to stay

have to strain your muscles. You need to know, where you want your blood to go. Normally it is from the feet up to your heart. So, we start straining the muscles from the bottom up, from our feet over to the calf muscles and up to the thighs. The G-Race Suit starts working from below and pushes everything up,” explains Mike Mangold. “I was actually wearing pneumatic anti-G trousers until now. Well, the trousers just help a little bit, they probably give you an increase of 1-2Gs more on your capability. In comparison,

the G-trousers are not anywhere near the G-Race Suit – they are a much smaller step when we are looking at how much they actually increase your G-tolerance. The G-Race Suit is a tremendous step. It really helps, especially under a sustained high-G environment, where you are pulling 9 and more G for over 30 seconds. So this suit would be a great addition in jet racing, too,” continues Mangold. Prototypes of the custom-fit G-Race Suit were developed over the past year. They have undergone several tests,

including the use of a centrifugal G-force simulator reaching forces of up to 9G at the Luftwaffe’s Koenigsbrueck Air Medical Centre near Dresden, Germany. “From the first moment I really liked it. It isn’t like you wear the suit and suddenly 12G are like driving around in an automobile – you’re still fighting, but it takes away the peaks and it makes the race more interesting at the same time. You can now start to fly in a more exact way, more precisely through the Air Gates, because you’re not dealing with the RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

report

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in G-tolerance. So, if the G-Race Suit ends up being a very strenuous thing to wear as far as heat stress, and just putting it on and getting into the aircraft in a very hot environment, it could have a detrimental effect. But if we keep it cool before we put it on, and we put it on in a cool environment, we strap in the plane under shelter, and then we start and get airborne straight away with wind blowing on us, we probably won’t have these issues at all. It’s just a matter of learning how to use it effectively.” The G-Race Suit, which has been in development for the unique requirements of the Red Bull Air Race for more than a year, is a must-wear. Even though the pilots have in the past been able to fly safely without a special suit, the Red Bull Air Race Research & Development team is always looking for new and innovative ways to make various parts of the race even safer and the development of the G-Race Suit is the latest example of those efforts. The team has worked with the German company Autoflug, which specializes in supplying rescue and safety technology. The G-Race Suit is designed especially for use in race aircraft. It is based on the Libelle G-Multiplus, a liquid filled full-body anti-G Suit that is also used by fighter pilots. The name Libelle derives from the

German word for ‘dragonfly’ and was chosen because it is based on the same principle that protects dragonflies from the 30G acceleration forces these insects generate in flight. The G-force limit in the Red Bull Air Race is 12G. “We are absolutely not allowed to go over 12G, not even for a 10th of a second. Now, if you pop it over 12G you are out, disqualified, it’s that simple. You can’t even afford it to run at 11.9G. It is really hard to gauge that. I’m always trying to fly under 11G and have that little margin,” says 2006 Red Bull Air Race World Champion Kirby Chambliss. The cut in permitted G-force, together with the G-Race Suit, is another big safety measure in the Red Bull Air Race. “Our new tool in the battle against G-forces provides instantaneous G-force protection for the race pilots. Our goal is to further optimize the already high safety standards. We want to find a way to help the pilots keep their focus on flying and on the sport itself and reduce the distracting effects of high Gs,” states Red Bull Air Race’s Dirk Eckhardt, who leads the G-Race Suit project. Now, for the first time in Aviation and international Air Race history, all race pilots in a competition are wearing a professional G-Suit protection system – 100 years after the first Air Races started in Reims, in France, in 1909.

Photography: Markus Kucera

peaks of the Gs. You have more energy, more power, more free space to focus on the line and to be sensitive to your plane. I think it’s going to be good for the sensitive pilots, and maybe a disadvantage for the rough guys. But at the end of the day it’s a safety issue, which doesn’t take away from the sport – and that’s good. You’re still fighting: Put a random guy in the G-Race Suit and take him through our maneuvers and he’ll pass out,” says Hannes Arch, the reigning World Champion and winner of the Abu Dhabi race, the first race he had flown while wearing a G-Race Suit. “It took me time to get it working properly. I have a problem with the weight and convenience. Also I think it was introduced a bit too quickly,” says Paul Bonhomme, 2007 and 2008 runner-up. “I tried it only shortly before the first race. It would have been better to have had more time to get used to it, but actually I am sort of getting used to it and I think it’s pretty good. However, the Abu Dhabi race was very hot, we shouldn’t be racing in temperatures like this. I sympathized with Matthias and Glen who could have had to fly four times. [Both flew in the Wild Card session and would have flown four times on Race Day had they made it to the Final 4.] That would have been a big ask in this weather, because I was getting pretty tired after the third flight.” If it’s hot, as it was in Abu Dhabi, where temperatures reached 104ºF, and if the pilot doesn’t drink enough, if he feels tired, maybe weak because he is fighting an oncoming cold, then all the conditions for a possible G-Loc are increased. Former Royal Australian Air Force pilot and Red Bull Air Race Rookie Matt Hall points out the importance on exploring all options that are available to make the sport even safer. “If the G-Race Suit is effective in reducing the chance of someone crashing because of a G issue, it is definitely worth having it. Dehydration is a big factor, though. It is actually one of the biggest factors

“I was wearIng antI-g trousers untIl now. well, they help a lIttle bIt, they maybe gIve you 1-2gs more on your capabIlIty. but they are not anywhere near the g-race suIt.”

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

BAY WATCH

The Red Bull Air Race is back in sunny San Diego for the third successive season. This south-western corner of the United States, with it’s strong ties to the world of aviation, offers us the perfect location for an event that is fast becoming the ‘glamour’ race on the World Championship calendar.

The Red Bull Air Race blazes a trail in San Diego Bay against the backdrop of downtown.

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Photography: Daniel Grund

WORDS: MATT YOUSON

San Diego is weighed down with accolades. The tag ‘America’s Finest City’, bestowed for a combination of climate, amenities and easy-going hospitality is well-earned, but the moniker we particularly like is ‘Sportstown USA,’ so-given by Sports Illustrated magazine on account of the city’s vibrant, eclectic sporting pedigree and competitive spirit – we cannot think of a better place to go racing. It’s the race everybody seems to look forward to. In close partnership with the city, the San Diego International Sports Council and the Unified Port of San Diego, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship will race in the Bay against a downtown backdrop. The course is laid out between Embarcadero Marina Park and Coronado Island. Last year the race attracted over one hundred thousand spectators and another bumper crowd is expected this time. In 2008, the US Navy hosted the planes and pilots, accommodating the Red Bull Air Race Airport complex on the sprawling Naval Air Station North Island. Constructing the hangars in the midst of one of the largest (and certainly one of the busiest) naval stations in the world provided a curious juxtaposition between civil and military aviation, the novelty of which isn’t lost to either side. It certainly made a striking impression on 2008 Red Bull Air Race Rookie Glen Dell, himself a former South African Air Force aviator: “The integration between civilian and military operation was seamless. F-18s and F-22s gave way as we taxied past. The pilots waved and gave us all the thumbs up. ATC were incredibly helpful and the general atmosphere was one of co-operation and friendliness.” San Diego Bay is, of course, the home port for several massive aircraft carriers, and last year’s footage was greatly enhanced by the presence of the enormous CVN Ronald Reagan docked in the background, though perhaps

“Last year the race attracted over 100,000 spectators and another bumper crowd is expected this time.”

the Red Bull Air Race’s most famous moment in the Bay is tied up with one of the ship’s illustrious predecessors. When the entourage first came to town for that penultimate race of its 2007 World Championship, the abiding image was not from the race itself, but rather from the promotional build-up, when reigning champion Kirby Chambliss launched his Edge 540 from the deck of the USS Midway, the leviathanturned-floating museum and one of the city’s star attractions. Chambliss was the first pilot to fly off the carrier’s deck since the ship’s decommissioning in 1991, and one of the first civilian pilots to ever have the experience of a carrier take-off – not that the lightweight Edge had any particular difficultly; even without the help of a steam-catapult Kirby only needed 550ft of Midway’s angled launch deck before hurling himself into a vertical climb. It wowed the gathered crowd and stopped traffic on the nearby Embarcadero. “That was a rush!” said Kirby afterwards. In 2007 the race coincided with Fleet Week, and so took place against a backdrop of a higher than usual number of air displays from the US Navy’s finest. “We are happy to celebrate aviation with pilots who are as passionate about RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

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FEATURE

“Paraplegia mustn´t remain a question of fate.” Dietrich Mateschitz.

Kirby Chambliss launches his Edge 540 from the deck of retired United States Navy aircraft carrier Midway to kick off the Red Bull Air Race’s association with the City of San Diego in 2007.

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World Champion came to San Diego leading the championship, having won races in Istanbul, London and Budapest. His nearest rival was Briton Paul Bonhomme. The super-aggressive Top Gun versus the super-smooth British Airways 747 captain had been locked in a battle all season. They duly qualified for a spectacular final, just edged by Bonhomme – but Mangold would have the last laugh, winning the final event in Perth, Australia, to win his second championship. In 2008, the story was slightly different but the names were the same. Bonhomme came to San Diego leading the championship, after an opening round victory in Abu Dhabi. He despatched Chambliss in the semi-final, while Mangold took care of Austria’s Hannes Arch. California resident

Mangold flew first and set a clean time that tested Bonhomme, but Paul was up to the challenge and duly took his second San Diego Air Race in succession. He’s got a fast plane and he’s a great pilot,” said a rueful but magnanimous Mangold afterwards. Bonhomme would go on to record further victories, only to be pipped to the championship this time by the strong-finishing Arch. The 2009 season has begun with Arch winning the opening race, but the Englishman will expect to strike back, here at a course where he is undefeated. Meanwhile, the three American pilots in the field, Mangold, Chambliss and three-time US Aerobatics team member Mike Goulian, will all be desperate to succeed at their home race. It should make for an excellent spectacle.

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it as we are” said Cmdr James DiMatteo, commander of the Naval Air Forces adversary programmes and a San Diego native, moonlighting at the time as guest commentator. Followers of the Red Bull Air Race might recognise the name: Jim has been involved with the Red Bull Air Race since 2006, helped bring the race to San Diego for 2007 and, taking the roll of Aviation Expert for both San Diego and Detroit in 2008, was instrumental in securing permission from the Navy to set up the Red Bull Air Race Airport at NAS North Island. Jim is now our race director, it’s his soothing tones you hear uttering the abiding words ‘smoke on’. For all the Navy’s presence, the honor of the US military was being carried by former USAF pilot Mike Mangold. The 2005 Red Bull Air Race

Co-founder of Wings for Life.

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PROFILES

PETER BESENYEI HUNGARY, MXS-R

DATE OF BIRTH: September 22, 1967 BIRTHPLACE: Leoben, Styria, Austria HOME: Salzburg, Austria HOBBIES: mountaineering, climbing, music WEBSITE: www.hannesarch.com 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: 1ST

PAUL BONHOMME ENGLAND, EDGE 540

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 Program Freestyle Aerobatics European Champion, Unlimited 1994: Compulsory Program 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: 2ND

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

DATE OF BIRTH: October 18, 1959 BIRTHPLACE: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA HOME: Flying Crown Ranch, Arizona, USA HOBBIES: skidiving, running, motocross WEBSITE: www.kirbychambliss.com

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: 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 Program World Champion 1998: FAI World Aerobatic Championships, 2nd and 3rd 1997: International Aerobatic Champion 1979: First solo flight

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: 9TH

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 12TH

MATTHIAS DOLDERER GERMANY, EDGE 540 DATE OF BIRTH: September 15, 1970 BIRTHPLACE: Ochsenhausen, Germany HOME: Tannheim, Germany HOBBIES: tennis, skiing, cycling WEBSITE: www.matthiasdolderer.com

Photography: Daniel Grund

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.

KIRBY CHAMBLISS USA, EDGE 540

Photography: Daniel Grund (2), AP Images for Red Bull Air Race (1)

THE PILOTS

HANNES ARCH AUSTRIA, EDGE 540

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 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 11TH

MICHAEL GOULIAN USA, EDGE 540 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 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: 14TH

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

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, 2nd Jet Class 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: 7TH

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: 4TH

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

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: 13TH

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 8TH

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: 6TH

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

THE PLANE

LENGTH WING SPAN WEIGHT POWER TOP SPEED ROLL RATE MAX G ENGINE WING DESIGN

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

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

PROPELLER

Hartzell Claw MT-PROB

PILOTS FLYING IT

Arch, Bonhomme, Chambliss, Dell, Dolderer, Goulian, Ivanoff, Mangold, McLeod, Muroya

Besenyei, Hall, Lamb, Maclean, Rakhmanin

AXIS AND ROTATIONS PITCH

ROLL

Two types of plane 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. 42

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

ELEVATOR. The elevator is used to move the nose up or down. It is mounted on the back edge of the horizontal stabilizer 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 80in, with a weight of 55lb. 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 longdistance flights, which are always empty in race trim to reduce overall weight. RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Illustration: Seso Media Group

RACE PLANE CLOSE-UP

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.

YAW

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 ANALYZER. 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, 13 gallons are aboard. Around 0.5 gallons 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 corners, 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 backup device for measuring the oil pressure. If the engine analyzer 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 an automobile. 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.

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

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 Hannes Arch Paul Bonhomme Nicolas Ivanoff Nigel Lamb Matt Hall Sergey Rakhmanin Mike Mangold Alejandro Maclean Kirby Chambliss Peter Besenyei Matthias Dolderer Glen Dell Yoshihide Muroya Michael Goulian Pete McLeod

NAT. AUT GBR FRA GBR AUS RUS USA ESP USA HUN GER RSA JPN USA CAN

PLANE Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540 MXS-R MXS-R MXS-R Edge 540 MXS-R Edge 540 MXS-R Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540 Edge 540

POINTS 13 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0

M M

CM CM

MY MY

APRIL 17 & 18 ABU DHABI, UAE

MAY 9 & 10 SAN DIEGO, USA

CY CY

JUNE 13 & 14 WINDSOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ONTARIO, CAN

CMY CMY

Population: 950,000 Location: United Arab Emirates Time zone: UTC +4 hours Race history: races in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008

AUGUST 19 & 20 BUDAPEST, HUN

Population: 1.7 million Location: Hungary Time zone: UTC +1 hour Race history: races in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008; first races in 2003 and 2004

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

Population: 1.3 million Location: California, USA Time zone: UTC -7 hours Race history: races in 2007 and 2008

SEPTEMBER 12 & 13 PORTO, POR

Population: 240,000 Location: Portugal Time zone: UTC +0 Race history: races in 2007 and 2008

Population: 220,000 Location: Ontario, Canada Time zone: UTC -4 hours Race history: new location

OCTOBER 3 & 4 BARCELONA, ESP

Population: 1.6 million Location: Catalonia, Spain Time zone: UTC +1 hour Race history: race in 2006

Photography: Daniel Grund, Markus Kucera (2), Christian Pondella, Dean Treml, www.picturedesk.com

red bull air race magazine

the rules

about the race

RULES

LEVEL FLYING The Air Gates marked in blue must be passed in a horizontal position.

KNIFE FLYING Air Gates marked in red must be passed in a vertical position.

The Red Bull Air Race World Championship is supervised by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale). The FAI oversees safety at each race.

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.

red bull air race magazine

QualiFying 1

QUALIFYING QualiFying 2

WILD WilD CARD carD

Two flying sessions. BesT Time counTs. winner receives one poinT

FASTEST TWO PILOTS ADVANCE TO TOP 12*

pilot 01

pilot 02

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.

TURNING MANEUVER The turning maneuver 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 (230mph) or max G (12G). Disqualification!

TOUCHING AN AIR GATE The competitor touches a pylon with the wing or propeller. Penalty 6 seconds

DAY Day 2 / RACE race DAY Day

1 pt

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*

PILOT 15

WILD CARD

PILOT 08

PILOT 04

1ST

pilot 02

PILOT 14

WILD CARD

PILOT 07

PILOT 03

2ND

pilot 03

PILOT 13

PILOT 10

PILOT 06

PILOT 02

3RD

pilot 04

PILOT 12

PILOT 09

PILOT 05

PILOT 01

4TH

pilot 05

PILOT 11

PILOT 08

PILOT 04

5TH

pilot 06

PILOT 07

PILOT 03

6TH

pilot 07

PILOT 06

PILOT 02

7TH

pilot 08

PILOT 05

PILOT 01

8TH

pilot 09

PILOT 04

9TH

pilot 10

PILOT 03

10TH

pilot 11

PILOT 02

11TH

pilot 12

PILOT 01

12-15TH

pilot 13

pilot 14

pilot 15

Illustration: Seso Media Group

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.

DAY Day 1 / QUALIFYING QualiFying DAY Day

Directly aDvance to top 12

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 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.

CHICANE The Chicane consists of three single pylons which must be passed in slalom flight.

race For WilD carD

race format

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 3 miles.

* 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

location

AreA MAp

Abu Dhabi

The race will take place over the San Diego Bay between Embarcadero Marina Park and Coronado Island. Check out the viewing areas. uSS MidWay

GEnERAl ADmiSSiOn TiCkET AREAS BOx OFFiCE/ Will CAll SPECTATOR SERviCE - Rest rooms - lost and Found - Event information - Concessions - ATm - merchandize

Marke

t Stree

SeaPort village

mERChAnDizinG FiRST AiD

Public ticketed area north eMbarcadero

1st round

PRizE GivinG

2nd round

mC STAGE viDEO SCREEnS

START

Petco Park unreServed race club and Public Parking

01 07/13 Petco Parking lot

FINISH

ADA viEWinG

02 08

Safety line

ADA PARkinG EnTRAnCE

06 12

ExiT

W ay

Public ticketed area South eMbarcadero

05 11

PETCO PARkinG PuBliC AnD ADA ShuTTlE SPECTATOR BOAT zOnE

04 10 03 09

event oPerationS: RACE TOWER mEDiA CEnTER

Safety line

ticketed hoSPitality areaS:

RACE CluB

HFL hiGh FlyER‘S lOunGE

e S

hiGh FlyER‘S HFL PARkinG

250 M

Subject to further changeS

hEliPORT

HFL

SAn diego – rAce Weekend Schedule

Saturday, May 9 – Qualifying day 11:00 Doors Open 13:00 Pre Show & Entertainment 14:00 Qualifying 1 15:00 Qualifying 2 17:30 Public Pitlane Walk at Red Bull Air Race Airport: Brown Field (this is your chance to meet the pilots and see their race planes up close.) 18:00 Doors Close * The schedule is subject to change.

red bull air race magazine

Sunday, May 10 – race day 11:00 Doors Open 12:00 Pre Show & Entertainment 13:00 Race Starts 13:00 Wild Card Session 14:00 Top 12 14:40 Super 8 15:15 Final 4 15:50 Award Ceremony 17:30 Doors Close

Illustration: Seso Media Group

For more inFormation visit www.redbullairrace.com

red bull air race magazine

Pure performance Absolute precision

W W W. B R E I TLI N G .C O M

Chrono-Matic

red bull air race magazine

A tribute to the first ever selfwinding chronograph (1969), bearing the Breitling signature. Officially chronometer-certified by the COSC.