Red Bull Air Race Magazine Porto 2009

1 RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINEPORTO, SEPTEMBER 12&13

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OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER

Pure performance Absolute precision

Chrono-Matic A tribute to the fi rst ever selfwinding chronograph (1969), bearing the Breitling signature. Offi cially chronometer-certifi ed by the COSC. WWW.BREITLING.COM

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insight

red bull air race magazine 3

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imprint THE RED BULLETIN GMBH, Heinrich-Collin-Straße 1, 1140 Vienna, Austria e-mail: [email protected] 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 Photo Editor/Photographer Markus Kucera 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

the penultimate race of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

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

the content

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 42 tHE PLAnE A

detailed look at the mechanics of the MXS-R 44 tHE cockPit Take a seat in a race

plane and get the pilot’s view 46 cALEnDAR Find out where the races take place this

year 48 tHE RULEs More about the regulations governing the race, as well as an

explanation of the format 50 LocAtion All you need to know about the location for

an exciting Race Day

hello and welcome to…

OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER

WWW.BREITLING.COM

Pure performance Absolute precision

Chrono-Matic Uma homenagem ao primeiro cronógrafo automático da história (1969), com a assinatura Breitling. Cronómetro ofi cialmente certifi cado pelo COSC.

RBAR_202x276-BR10258.indd 1 18.8.2009 9:55:52

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003-02-3 ad_insight_EN 3 28.08.2009 0:34:14 Uhr

PrecisionTo 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.Michael Goulian, Budapest, hunGary, auGust 2009

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PowerAt 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.Paul Bonhomme, BudaPest, hungary, august 2009

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Fans650,000 enthusiasts came to cheer on their heroes. The Budapest race, with the start gate under the Chain Bridge, was this season’s European opener. Nigel lamb, budapest, HuNgary, august 2009



SceneryThat’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

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THE PORTUGUESE ORGANIZATION OF RED BULL AIR RACE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD LIKE TO THANK: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 DouroAND ANYBODY ELSE INVOLVED WHO WE MIGHT HAVE ACCIDENTALLY MISSED OUT


BULLEVARD


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REVIEW

BUDAPEST, HUNGARYWhat 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 fi rst 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 defi nitely wanted to be fi rst 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 fi ve, a level gate, that he had crossed incorrectly by 2 degrees … It can happen.

15:25Top 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 fi fth place.

16:26Final 4. Air Gate number 5, a 2-degree declination and unlevel fl ight leads to a penalty for Hannes Arch. He gets bounced back to fourth – 1:13.83 won’t beat Chambliss’ 1:13.53.

14:05Wild 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 disqualifi ed for exceeding the speed limit.

15:46Super 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.”

16:33Michael Goulian? Self-proclaimed

experts were positive that either Chambliss or Arch would grab fi rst

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!”

012-12-17 bullevard_EN 12 28.08.2009 0:38:26 Uhr

RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE 13

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGSPos Pilot Nationality Plane Points

1 Paul Bonhomme GBR 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

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Beaming winner Michael Goulian. Bonhomme second, Chambliss in third place.

PREVIEW

PORTOThe 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 fi t here. In Order to win, the pilots will need a super-streamlined 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 defi nitely 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.

013-12-17 bullevard_EN 13 28.08.2009 0:38:37 Uhr

bullevard


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30th birthday

I hope that’s still far away... Well,

I want to be Red Bull Air Race World

Champion by then or before that.

I haven’t decided whether I count

the year I’m 30 in that, but we will

see how next year goes. I don’t

really worry, I love to be young and

don’t worry about getting old. I'm

having a blast, life is good. I'm

always having fun and making the

most of what I have around me. It’s

like a max-power lifestyle. I was

joking with one of the guys

yesterday, he apologized for always

bringing up the age thing. I said

that’s alright, you can keep doing

it, I will get old eventually.

FitnessI still start my day with a protein shake, a banana and cereal. I don’t know how many calories that meal is, it isn’t something that I pay attention to, but 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, not 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, the engine’s going to run like crap: it’s the same with my body.

aerobatics

Unfortunately, I’m not competing

in aerobatics this year at all. It’s the

same as with hockey, if you want

to do it, you really have to focus.

Aerobatics takes a little more. I’m

currently a professional race pilot,

the aerobatics is different, but the

ties are close; you want to be the

best and not just do it for fun. Even

with just six races this season, there

is so much media, testing, planning,

working on the plane away from

the races that you don’t have much

time, and when you do have time,

you just want to relax, play golf

with your buddies.

economicsWhat 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.

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?

Pete McleodWhere’s your head at?

red Lake, ontario

It’s still home for me. I live in London, Ontario,

and I spend a ton of time on the road, so I end up

spending one or two weeks in Red Lake per year. But

when I go back there, it’s like... everybody knows you

there, they are really excited about the racing, but

I’m still just Pete, whereas in lots of other places

I’m the race pilot now. It’s nice to be in a whole

community where you can exist as you always did;

plus my family’s resort and our lifestyle allows me to

get away from everybody and be by myself for a few

days, which I've found more and more valuable.

ice hockeyLike many Canadians, I grew up playing hockey. I hardly play at all anymore. 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 sticks even found a way down to the Windsor race. They don’t fit in the toolbox, so they didn’t make it to Europe. Hockey is a great sport, and Canada is the best at it. I was a huge fan of Mario Lemieux when I was younger, but he’s retired now. My favourite team is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Its captain, Sidney Crosby, another Canadian, is the new superstar of the hockey world. He’s very young and they just won the Stanley Cup in June. Crosby has a lot of the attributes that I like, not just scoring goals, but a variety of things.

FLoat and ski pLanesI 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.

014-12-17 bullevard_EN 14 28.08.2009 0:38:55 Uhr


Gravity DefierGW-2000BD-1AER

G-SHOCK.Engineered for Aviation.

Shock resistant20-bar water resistantVibration resistant

Multiband 6www.g-shock.eu

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LifestyLe1 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.

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MIKEY'S FLYING LESSONWith the family business being one of the USA’s largest fl ying schools, Budapest winner Michael Goulian was

always going to be a pilot. He had Dad (demanding) as an instructor and Mom (petrifi ed) as his fi rst passenger and soloed on his 16th birthday. He has a few pointers for any ‘would-be’ pilots out there.

4.Always have a mentor who

you can talk to.

8.Enjoy the process of learning to fly; don’t

get frustrated!

5.Don’t scud-run

in bad weather!

1.The first thing would be

to leave your ego at the

door. Flying isn’t about

being macho, it’s about

knowing your limits.

6.If it doesn’t feel

right, it probably

isn’t.

2.As I say, know your limits!

9.When you get your

private pilot’s

certificate, go learn to

fly a tail-wheel plane

and you’ll learn what

your hands and your

feet are for.7.

If you’ve never done it before,

don’t try it first by yourself –

whatever ‘it’ is.

3.Know the limits of the

plane, too; don’t ask

it to do something

it can’t do.

10.The two most wasted things in aviation are

the runway behind you and the sky above you. That’s a good one!

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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

Plato Plato

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

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.Words: NAdjA ŽElE

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

or not

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“I would lIke to be seen as an avIator rather than as a pIlot.”

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 grown- ups 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.

019-18-19 hero dell_EN 19 28.08.2009 0:41:37 Uhr

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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

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 error-free 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

M

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.Words: Matt Youson

doing nothingbusy

020-20-25 portrait hall_EN 20 28.08.2009 0:25:17 Uhr


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.”

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

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.



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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…

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,

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.

“Getting yourself pumped up is never going to be a problem on Race Day.”


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Already providing furniture to well-known 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.

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Flexible furniture concepts provided by Artificium for the Red Bull Air Race in San Diego in May 2009.


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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. Words: nadja Žele

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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

D 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…

interview

SunDowner with paul

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


026-26-29 breakfast bonhomme_ins_EN 26 28.08.2009 0:42:53 Uhr

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Championship hopeful, Paul Bonhomme took time out from his busy Budapest schedule to enjoy the sunset with the Red Bull Air Race Magazine.


interview


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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

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

“I kind of forgot about what happened in Porto last year, until you reminded me!”

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...


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tech-talk

EnginEEringsuccess

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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

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 never-ending game: you’ll end up simulating the handle of the canopy latch…”

Having prepared a championship-winning 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

I

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. Words: Matt Youson

030-30-35 tech-talk_ins_EN 30 28.08.2009 0:44:07 Uhr


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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 higher-performance 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

The ever-evolving programme of development saw Team Abu Dhabi technician Vito Wyprächtiger introduce new wheel pans in Budapest.

“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”



tech-talk

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“With our ability to take easy steps forward, I’m not surprised to see the Edge dominate”

Nicolas Ivanoff’s technician Bruno Marlière (bottom) happily studies the team’s superb engine; Team Bonhomme technician Wade Hammond is less convinced by his.

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

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.


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BID ANDGET ITBy sponsoring research, Wings for Life hopes to fi nd a cure for paraplegia – and you can help. Want to spend a day with Paul Bonhomme? Get dressed in Arch’s 2008 title-winning suit? Place your bid on the Wings for Life webpage.WORDS: NADJA ŽELE

CHARITY

WWW.WINGSFORLIFE.COM

ALEJANDRO MACLEANSPEND 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.

03

MATT HALLSIGNED BOOK, CAP

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.

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HANNES ARCHRACE SUIT

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.

01

UP FOR AUCTION September 12, 2009, 10am


NICOLAS IVANOFFRACING 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.

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PAUL BONHOMMETRAINING 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.

04

MATTHIAS DOLDERERHANGAR-7 TOUR AND FLIGHT

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.

05

YOSHIHIDE MUROYAHEADSET

‘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.

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SERGEY RAKHMANINSIGNED TEAM OUTFIT

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.

08

NIGEL LAMBRACE HELMET AND SUIT

Team Breitling pilot Nigel Lamb wore this helmet when he passed the Red Bull Air Race Qualifi cation 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.

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Contributions from PETER BESENYEI (personal photo book), MICHAEL GOULIAN (flying books), GLEN DELL (tie, signed

by South Africa’s former president Thabo Mbeki).

Sold!

PROFILES


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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.

THEPILOTS

HANNES ARCHAUSTRIA, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: September 22, 1967BIRTHPLACE: Leoben, Styria, AustriaHOME: Salzburg, AustriaHOBBIES: mountaineering, climbing,

musicWEBSITE: www.hannesarch.com

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:2008: Red Bull Air Race World

Champion2007: Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 10th2006: European Champion in Freestyle

Aerobatics2005: Red Bull Air Race Race Director2003: 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

PAUL BONHOMMEENGLAND, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: September 22, 1964BIRTHPLACE: Buckinghamshire,

EnglandHOME: Cambridgeshire, EnglandHOBBIES: motorcycling, mountain-bikingWEBSITE: www.teambonhomme.com


Championship, 2nd2007 : Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 2nd2006: Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 4th2005: Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 5thAll FAI World Grand Prix results in the formation team category as the Sukhoi Duo/Matadors:FAI World Grand Prix SUI, 1stFAI World Grand Prix UAE, 3rd

2004: FAI World Grand Prix UAE, 1st2002: FAI World Grand Prix CZE, 2nd

FAI World Grand Prix JPN, 1st2001: FAI World Grand Prix JPN, 2nd2000: FAI World Grand Prix JPN, 1st1981: First solo flight

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 1ST

PETER BESENYEIHUNGARY, MXS-R

DATE OF BIRTH: June 8, 1956BIRTHPLACE: Körmend, HungaryHOME: Herceghalom, HungaryHOBBIES: fishing, parachuting,

photography, car racingWEBSITE: www.besenyeipeter.hu



Championship, 3rd2006: Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 2nd2005: Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 2ndFAI World Grand Prix, 1st

2001: FAI World Grand Prix, 1st2000: Freestyle Aerobatics World

Champion, Unlimited1998: FAI World Grand Prix, 1st1995: European Champion of the

Compulsory ProgrammeFreestyle Aerobatics European Champion, Unlimited

1994: Compulsory Programme World Champion1972: First solo flight

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 10TH

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GLEN DELLSOUTH AFRICA, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: April 9, 1962BIRTHPLACE: Johannesburg,

South AfricaHOME: Kyalami, South AfricaHOBBIES: vintage aircraft, helicoptersWEBSITE: 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




1978: First solo flight


KIRBY CHAMBLISSUSA, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: October 18, 1959BIRTHPLACE: Corpus Christi, Texas, USAHOME: Flying Crown Ranch, Arizona, USAHOBBIES: skydiving, running, motocrossWEBSITE: www.kirbychambliss.com


Championship, 3rd2007: Red Bull Air Race World


Champion2005: Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 3rdFAI 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



MICHAEL GOULIANUSA, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: September 4, 1968BIRTHPLACE: Winthrop, Massachusetts, USAHOME: Maynard, Massachusetts, USAHOBBIES: ice hockey, skiing, golfWEBSITE: www.mikegoulian.com


Championship, 10th2007 : Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 8thArt Scholl Award for Airshow Showmanship, International Council of Airshows


1998: Member of the US Aerobatics Team



1995: US Unlimited Champion Member of the US Aerobatics Team


1991: Fond du Lac Cup, Winner1990: US Advanced Champion1984: First solo flight


MATTHIAS DOLDERERGERMANY, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: September 15, 1970BIRTHPLACE: Ochsenhausen, GermanyHOME: Tannheim, GermanyHOBBIES: tennis, skiing, cyclingWEBSITE: www.matthiasdolderer.com

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:2008 : Red Bull Air Race Qualification

Camp, Super Licence, RookieGerman 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 Championships1988: Microlight European

Championships1988-1991: Microlight German

Championships1984: First solo flight


SOUTH AFRICA, EDGE 540

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PROFILES


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NICOLAS IVANOFFFRANCE, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: July 4, 1967BIRTHPLACE: Paris, FranceHOME: London, EnglandHOBBIES: flying, travelling, musicWEBSITE: www.nicolasivanoff.com



Championship, 7thFrench Aerobatic Championships, 2nd



2004: French Aerobatic Championships, 2nd

2000: World Aerobatic Championships, 1st (team)

1988: Microlight European Championships


WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009: 3RD

MATT HALLAUSTRALIA, MXS-R

DATE OF BIRTH: September 16, 1971BIRTHPLACE: Scone, NSW, AustraliaHOME: Merewether, NSW, AustraliaHOBBIES: flying, exerciseWEBSITE: www.matthallracing.com


Camp, Super Licence, Rookie2006: Australian Aerobatic Champion,

Advanced2004: USAF F15E Exchange2003: East Coast Aerobatic

Championship, Sportsman, 1stUSAF F15E Exchange

2002: USAF F15E Exchange1999: Dux Fighter Combat Instructor

(Top Gun)1997: Fighter Pilot of the Year1992: Military Wings1986: First solo flight


ALEJANDRO MACLEANSPAIN, MXS-R

DATE OF BIRTH: August 6, 1969BIRTHPLACE: Madrid, SpainHOME: Pozuelo de Alarcon, SpainHOBBIES: skydiving, films, helicoptersWEBSITE: www.teammaclean.com

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Twice Spanish Aerobatics

Champion, 2nd 11 times2008: Red Bull Air Race World




Championship, 9thCaptain of the Spanish Aerobatic Team

2001: World Aerobatic Championships, 10th

1998: Lithuania Aerobatic Championships, 1st



NIGEL LAMBENGLAND, MXS-R

DATE OF BIRTH: August 17, 1956BIRTHPLACE: Zimbabwe, AfricaHOME: Oxfordshire, EnglandHOBBIES: skiing, scuba-diving,

racquetballWEBSITE: www.nigellamb.com

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Eight times British Unlimited

Aerobatic ChampionFour times British Freestyle ChampionMember of the British team: Three World Aerobatic ChampionshipsTwo European Championships





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, 2nd1985-1988: Marlboro Aerobatic Team

Leader1976: First solo flight


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PETE MCLEODCANADA, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: February 23, 1984BIRTHPLACE: Kapuskasing, Ontario,

CanadaHOME: London, Ontario, CanadaHOBBIES: ice hockey, outdoor sportsWEBSITE: petemcleodaerosports.com


Camp, Super Licence, RookieEuropean Aerobatic Championships, 12th

2007: Youngest unrestricted surface-level display pilot

2006: US National Aerobatic Championships, 2ndBF Goodrich Award, Youngest Canadian Airshow Performer

2004: North American Collegiate Aerobatic ChampionMid-America Series ChampionUndefeated in 2004 with five 1st-place finishesFour times winner of the Highest Scoring Pitts Award



DATE OF BIRTH: October 10, 1955BIRTHPLACE: Cincinnati, Ohio, USAHOME: Victorville, California, USAHOBBIES: skydiving, racing jets, familyWEBSITE: www.mikemangold.us

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:2008 : Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, 4thReno 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 ChampionWorld Air Games, 3rd (team)

2001: World Air Games, 3rd (team)1977: First solo flight


SERGEY RAKHMANINRUSSIA, MXS-R

DATE OF BIRTH: October 18, 1961BIRTHPLACE: Chemnitz, GermanyHOME: St Petersburg, RussiaHOBBIES: flying, travelling, skiingWEBSITE: www.sergeyrakhmanin.com



Championship, 12th2005: World Aerobatic Champion

World Grand Prix of Aerobatics, 3rd

2004: European Aerobatic Championships, 2nd

2003: World Aerobatic ChampionRussian Aerobatic Champion

2002: Russian Aerobatic ChampionEuropean Aerobatic Championships, 2nd

2000: Tchakolov Cup, 1st1999: European Aerobatic Champion

Russian Aerobatic Champion1995: Russian Aerobatic Champion

World Glider Aerobatics Championships, 3rd

1991: USSR Aerobatic Champion1980: First solo flight


YOSHIHIDE MUROYAJAPAN, EDGE 540

DATE OF BIRTH: January 27, 1973BIRTHPLACE: Nara, JapanHOME: Fukushima, JapanHOBBIES: flying, snowboarding, zazenWEBSITE: www.yoshi-muroya.jp


Camp, Super Licence, RookieFAI 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, 3rd1991: First solo flight


MIKE MANGOLDUSA, EDGE 540

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THE PLANE


RACE PLANE CLOSE-UPTwo 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.

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SPECIFICATIONS


THE AIRCRAFTAILERONS. 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.

YAW

ROLL PITCH

AXIS ANDROTATIONS

EDGE 540 (ZIVKO AERONAUTICS, USA)

MXS -R(MX AIRCRAFT, USA)

LENGTH 6.30m (20.7ft) 6.28m (20.6ft)WINGSPAN 7.43m (24.4ft) 7.31m (23.9ft)WEIGHT 540kg (1190lb) 540kg (1190lb)POWER 340hp 350hpTOP SPEED 426kph (265mph) 426kph (265mph)ROLL RATE 420°/sec 450°/secMAX G +/-12G +/-12GENGINE AEIO 540 EXP AEIO 540 EXPWING DESIGN Symmetric, carbon fibre Symmetric, carbon fibrePROPELLER Hartzell Claw MT-PROB Hartzell Claw MT-PROBPILOTS FLYING IT Arch, Bonhomme, Chambliss,

Dell, Dolderer, Goulian, Ivanoff, Mangold, McLeod, Muroya

Besenyei, Hall, Lamb, Maclean, Rakhmanin

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THE COCKPIT

Find out about the features of Peter Besenyei’s MXS-R race plane.

PILOT’S VIEW

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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.

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


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POS PILOT NAT. PLANE POINTS1 Hannes Arch AUT Edge 540 12 + 1



4 Nigel Lamb GBR MXS-R 8

5 Matt Hall AUS MXS-R 7

6 Sergey Rakhmanin RUS MXS-R 6


8 Alejandro Maclean ESP MXS-R 4


10 Peter Besenyei HUN MXS-R 2






POS PILOT NAT. PLANE POINTS1 Michael Goulian USA Edge 540 12


3 Kirby Chambliss USA Edge 540 9 + 1













POS PILOT NAT. PLANE POINTS1 Nicolas Ivanoff FRA Edge 540 12


3 Hannes Arch AUT Edge 540 9 + 1













POS PILOT NAT. PLANE POINTS1 Paul Bonhomme GBR Edge 540 12


3 Kirby Chambliss USA Edge 540 9 + 1













OCTOBER 3 & 4BARCELONA, ESP

AUGUST 19 & 20BUDAPEST, HUN

RED BULL AIR RACE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

STANDINGS

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

SEPTEMBER 12 & 13PORTO, POR

Population: 560,000 Location: Portugal Time zone: UTC +1 Race history: races in 2007 and 2008

MAY 9 & 10SAN DIEGO, USA

JUNE 13 & 14WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CAN

APRIL 17 & 18ABU DHABI, UAE

Population: 1.6 million Location: Catalonia, Spain Time zone: UTC +2 hours Race history: race in 2006

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POS PILOT NAT. PLANE POINTS1 Paul Bonhomme GBR Edge 540 422 Hannes Arch AUT Edge 540 413 Nicolas Ivanoff FRA Edge 540 284 Mike Mangold USA Edge 540 245 Matt Hall AUS MXS-R 246 Kirby Chambliss USA Edge 540 237 Nigel Lamb GBR MXS-R 218 Michael Goulian USA Edge 540 189 Sergey Rakhmanin RUS MXS-R 1710 Peter Besenyei HUN MXS-R 1211 Alejandro Maclean ESP MXS-R 912 Matthias Dolderer GER Edge 540 813 Glen Dell RSA Edge 540 314 Yoshihide Muroya JPN Edge 540 115 Pete McLeod CAN Edge 540 1

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THE RULES


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

ABOUT THE RACE

RACE FORMAT

G-RACE SUIT

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.

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.

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.

DAY 1 / QUALIFYING DAY DAY 2 / RACE DAY

QUALIFYING 1 WILD CARDQUALIFYING 2

TWO FLYING SESSIONS. BEST TIME COUNTS. WINNER RECEIVES ONE POINT

PILOT 01

PILOT 02

PILOT 03

PILOT 04

PILOT 05

PILOT 06

PILOT 07

PILOT 08

PILOT 09

PILOT 10

PILOT 11

PILOT 12

PILOT 13

PILOT 14

PILOT 15

PILOT 01PILOT 01PILOT 01PILOT 01





PILOT 06

PILOT 07

PILOT 08

PILOT 09

PILOT 10

PILOT 11

PILOT 12

PILOT 13

PILOT 14

PILOT 15

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A revolutionary anti-G suit for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

The G-race suit was introduced in April 2009. It’s the first professional G-protection for civilian race planes.

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.

FLUID MUSCLES Two at the front and two at the back. The tubes are each filled with 1 litre of water.

FABRIC:Twaron/Nomex®, a non-stretch fabric.

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DAY 1 / QUALIFYING DAY DAY 2 / RACE DAY

WILD CARD POINTSFINAL 4SUPER 8TOP 12QUALIFYING 2

FASTEST FOUR PILOTS ADVANCE TO FINAL 4*

FOUR PILOTS COMPETE FOR VICTORY*

FASTEST EIGHT PILOTS ADVANCE TO SUPER 8*

FASTEST TWO PILOTS ADVANCE TO TOP 12*

WILD CARDPILOT 15

WILD CARDPILOT 14

PILOT 10PILOT 13

PILOT 09PILOT 12

PILOT 08PILOT 11

PILOT 07

PILOT 06

PILOT 05

PILOT 04

PILOT 03

PILOT 02

PILOT 01

PILOT 08

PILOT 07

PILOT 06

PILOT 05

PILOT 04

PILOT 03

PILOT 02

PILOT 01

PILOT 04

PILOT 03

PILOT 02

PILOT 01

121ST

111TH

48TH

75TH

210TH

57TH

39TH

93RD

102ND

84TH

66TH

012-15TH

* STARTING ORDER FOR ALL SESSIONS ON RACE DAY IS DETERMINED BY THE RESULTS IN QUALIFYING. THE SLOWEST FROM QUALIFYING FLIES FIRST

RULESThe 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.

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

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

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

THE QUADROThe Quadro is made up of four pylons positioned in a square. It must be passed in knife flight.

TURNING MANOEUVREThe 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.

DANGEROUS FLYINGDangerous flying includes flying too low, crossing the crowd line, exceeding the start speed limit (370kph) or max G (12G).Disqualification!

INCORRECT LEVEL FLYINGThe pilot deviates from level flight by 10° or more. Penalty 2 seconds

INCORRECT KNIFE FLYINGThe racer deviates from vertical flight by more than 20° or tilts his plane to the wrong side. Penalty 2 seconds

FLYING TOO HIGH The competitor passes the Air Gate or chicane too high.Penalty 2 seconds

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

049-48-49 the rules_EN 49 28.08.2009 1:00:57 Uhr

LOCATION


01/09 1702/08 10/16 04/06 12/14

FINISH

START

03110715

0513

GAIA

PORTO

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E

W

S

PUBLIC ZONE

SPECTATOR INFORMATION:

CLOSED AREA

MERCHANDISING

FOOD & DRINKS

VIDEO SCREEN S

TAXI DROP OFF

FIRE BRIGADE

TRAIN AND METRO STATION

FIRST AID

POLICE COMPOUND

CLOSED ROAD

EMERGENCY CORRIDOR

ROAD CLOSED FOR CARS

ROAD CLOSED FOR CARS AND PEOPLE

EVENT OPERATIONS:

RACE TOWER

MEDIA CENTRE

MC STAGE

PRI ZE GIVING

TICKETED HOSPITALITY AREAS:

RACE CLUB

HIGH FLYER’ S LOUNGE

PUBLIC GRANDSTAND

HFL

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 � QUALIFYING DAY 12:00 Doors Open13:00 Pre Show & Entertainment14:00 Qualifying 115:30 Qualifying 217:00 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

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 � RACE DAY12:00 Doors Open13:00 Pre Show & Entertainment14:00 Race Starts14:00 Wild Card Session15:00 Top 1215:40 Super 816:15 Final 416:45 Award Ceremony18:00 Doors Close

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.

AREA MAP

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.REDBULLAIRRACE.COM

THE RACE SCHEDULE

* The schedule is subject to change.

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Red Bull Air Race Magazine Porto 2009

Documents

Transcript of Red Bull Air Race Magazine Porto 2009