RED BULL Air Races !!!
Airborne Formula 1 Racing
What do you call something with all the speed of a Formula 1 race except the drivers are the world’s best pilots who reach speeds of 400 km/h, endure forces of up to 10 G’s, navigate through a twisting race course of 20 meters high air-filled obstacles vying to win the competition based on speed, precision and skill? Why of course it’s a Red Bull Air Race!
The objective is to complete the predetermined race track course, navigating the specially designed obstacles or pylons, known as ‘Air Gates’, in the correct stance (either knife-edge or level) and wind through the slalom gates taking care not to touch them with their wings. The pilot flying has to be precision-perfect because any mistakes incur penalty seconds which are then added to the pilot’s overall time.
The air gate pylons are color coded so spectators and pilots can know the required maneuver. Blue-colored pylons stand about 14 meters apart and allow an aircraft to fly wide or level but the red-colored pylons stand just 10 meters apart forming a tighter Air Gate that pilots must pass through in a ‘knife edge’ position. There is also a set of three single pylons that make up the slalom gates. The pilots can choose to fly wide or narrow through these gates but attempting narrow turns is riskier and requires great skill.
Penalty seconds add up quickly if a pilot makes mistakes. A three-second penalty is incurred if a pilot passes gates too high or performs an incorrect knife-edge (vertical) or level (horizontal) crossing or performs a knife-edge crossing on the wrong side. A 10-second penalty is incurred when a pilot touches a pylon with the wing or propeller, and if considered dangerous, the pilot could be disqualified.
Competing in the Red Bull Air Races demands an aircraft that is extremely stable, fast, extraordinarily agile and lightweight. During a steep turn, both pilot and plane are subjected to forces which can reach up to 10 G, meaning they are ten times their normal weight. With its long experience in building world leading aerobatic airplanes, Extra Aircraft has developed a plane with an aerodynamic wing optimized for low drag and high lift which is capable of flying in a wide speed range perfect for the new format of the Red Bull Air Race. These features give the pilot the option of flying very sharp turns at relatively low airspeeds, which has reduced the track length and minimized the exposure to g-effects acting on the pilot, an important contribution to flight safety.
In 2008, the Red Bull Races host twelve incredibly tough pilots competing in ten cities in two-day race events worldwide. Each race course is unique, ranging from a race centered in the heart of a city to the open countryside, or over water. All twelve pilots will have the chance to show their skills on each race day and the nail biting knockout format will stay in place for the semi finals and finals in 2008.
“This improved race format fulfils the new safety requirements that were discovered throughout the 2007 season. Pilots will now fly a maximum of three flights per day to counteract the fatigue,” said Aviation Director Heinz Möller. “But the most exciting thing about this format is that the crowds will now get the chance to see all pilots perform on race day,” Möller added.
The race winner is the pilot who is ranked number one in the final heat of the particular race finals but race points are also accumulated through the ten race venue. Being one of the 12 pilots competing in the Red Bull Air Races stands for a global recognition of excellence in itself but amassing the highest aggregate score creates a Red Bull Air Race World Series Champion.
In 2007, there were four million spectators and over 400 million watching the Red Bull Air Races on television. Grab your 2008 Red Bull inside seat by reading the Atlantic Flyer as we follow Michael Goulian, one of the 12 competing Red Bull Air Races pilots, through each race with exciting post-race interviews and race photos. Check out the Red Bull Air Races website interactive games or purchase tickets to an event by visiting this story online at Aflyer.com. The first two races are: Abu Dhabi, UAE April 10 & 11 and in San Diego, USA May 3 & 4. Stay tuned!
John Cilio is an aviation historian and freelance writer. You can contact John at: questions@vintageflyer.com.