The Red Bull Air Race , established in 2003 and created by Red Bull, is an international series of air races in which competitors have to navigate a challenging obstacle course in the sky in the fastest time. Pilots fly individually against the clock and have to complete tight turns through a slalom course consisting of pylons, known as "Air Gates". The races are held mainly over water near cities, but also at airfields or natural wonders. They are accompanied by a supporting program of show flights. Races are usually flown on weekends with the first day for qualification then finals the day after. The events attract large crowds and are broadcast, both live and taped, in many nations. At each venue, the top nine places earn World Championship points. The air racer with the most points at the end of the Championship becomes Red Bull Air Race World Champion. The 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 series were won respectively by the American pilots Mike Mangold, Kirby Chambliss, Mangold again and Hannes Arch from Austria. Four new pilots from four countries will join the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in 2009: Canada’s Pete McLeod, Japan’s Yoshihide Muroya, Australia’s Matt Hall and Germany’s Matthias Dolderer. [1]

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History

The Red Bull Air Race was conceived in 2001 in the Red Bull sports think-tank which has been responsible for creating a wide range of innovative sports events across the world. The aim was to develop a brand new aviation race that would challenge the ability of the world’s best pilots, creating a race in the sky that was not simply about speed, but also precision and skill. The answer was to build a specially designed obstacle course which the pilots would navigate at high speeds. Development of the prototypes of what are now known as the ‘Air Gates’ began in 2002 and renowned Hungarian pilot Péter Besenyei successfully completed the first test flight through them. After two years in planning and development, the first official Red Bull Air Race was ready to take off in Zeltweg, Austria in 2003. A second was staged the same year near Budapest in Hungary.

In 2004 three races took place in Kemble (England), Budapest (Hungary) and Reno (USA). The series was expanded in 2005 to become the Red Bull Air Race World Series. Ten pilots competed in seven races around the world – Mike Mangold was crowned the champion with Peter Besenyei and Kirby Chambliss in second and third place respectively. Eight races took place in 2006 with 11 pilots competing. Kirby Chambliss was crowned the champion for the Series' second season. In 2007 the calendar was extended to include ten races with the first race on South American soil taking place in Rio de Janeiro. Mike Mangold reclaimed the title of Red Bull Air Race World Champion 2007. ^[2] 12 pilots took part in 2008 in eight races around the globe and Austrian pilot Hannes Arch became the first European to win the championship. The largest number of pilots so far will take part in six races in 2009. 15 pilots from 12 different countries will compete for the world championship title. ^[3]

Format

In earlier seasons, 2005 and 2006, pilots first ran two qualifying rounds to determine starting order, with the fastest time starting last. The race was then run over two rounds, and the combined time of both rounds determines the winner. Starting in 2007, a new knock-out format was introduced which was modified for 2008.

Flying Sessions

• Training: Takes place on the days preceding Qualifying Day. There are two training days each consisting of two training sessions. Pilots must take part in at least two mandatory training sessions. Time of final training session (training 4) determines the starting order for Qualifying.
• Qualifying: Takes place on Qualifying Day, the day before Race Day. Includes two mandatory qualifying sessions. Best time counts. One World Championship point is awarded to the fastest pilot in Qualifying.
• Wild Card: Takes place on Race Day. The five slowest from Qualifying compete for the two available places in the Top 12. Results in the Wild Card determine 13th to 15th place race positions.
• Top 12: Takes place on Race Day. The fastest ten from Qualifying and the fastest two from the Wild Card compete for a place in the Super 8. Results in the Top 12 determine 9th to 12th place race positions.
• Super 8: Eight fastest from Top 12 compete in the Super 8. The fastest four pilots advance to the Final 4. Results in the Super 8 determine 5th to 8th place race positions.
• Final 4: Four fastest from the Super 8 compete in the Final 4 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place race positions. ^[4]

Starting Order

The starting order is the order in which the pilots will race in each flying session. The starting order for Training is defined by the results of the last year's Red Bull Air Race World Championship standings. The highest ranking pilot starts first. Starting order for new race pilots is determined by a draw. The starting order for Qualifying is defined by the results of the fourth training session. The order is reversed so that the slowest pilot from the fourth training session starts first. The starting order for all sessions on Race Day is determined by the results in Qualifying. The order is reversed so that the slowest pilot from Qualifying starts first.

World Championship Points

Based on the pilot's place at each race, World Championship points are awarded. The current points scoring format see first place receive 12 points, second place receive ten, on through eleventh who receives one. One World Championship point is awarded to the fastest pilot in Qualifying. 13 points is the maximum one driver can earn in a single race weekend.

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th	13th	14th	15th	Qualifying Fastest
Points	12	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	1

Rules

Pilots are required to complete the 5-6 kilometres (3-4 miles) long track and fly between the Air Gates following a predetermined race track configuration. Failure to do this correctly results in penalty seconds being added to their race time. Penalty seconds can be added for an incorrect passing of an Air Gate, incorrect passing through the Chicane and for touching an Air Gate. For more serious breaches of the rules, pilots can also be disqualified.

Three different gate types require a specific manner of crossing. Blue gates must be crossed in level flight, red gates must be crossed in "knife-edge" or vertical flight, and slalom flying through the chicane gates (knife or level flying not mandatory).

Penalties are incurred for violations of the rules. ^[5]

3 seconds penalty

• Flying too high through or over an air gate
• Incorrect level (horizontal) crossing through an air gate
• Incorrect knife (vertical) crossing or direction through an air gate. This is when a pilot angles his plane to the left when it should have been to the right, or to the right when it should have been to the left. The penalty seconds are also added for exeeding the described angle of bank.

10 seconds penalty

• Pilot cuts through or otherwise touches a pylon with the aircraft. If the particular event is determined as dangerous, this may result in a disqualification.

Disqualification

• Dangerous flying
• * Any form of dangerous flying
• * Flying too low
• * Crossing the crowd line
• * Flying over 12g
• * Flying over through the start gate
• Not flying the course
• * Course deviation from the prescribed course
• * Not executing prescribed aerobatic maneuver

Aircraft

The competitors use high-performance aerobatic planes such as the Zivko Edge 540X, the MX Aircraft MX2, and the Extra 300SR, all of which are equipped with Lycoming engines. All three aircraft have a wingspan less than 25 feet (8 m) and top speeds ranging from 252 to 265 mph (406 to 426 km/h).

Competitors have developed enhanced versions of their aircraft to better performance, and thus times. For example, Michael Goulian is flying a modified Extra which uses lighter composites and a more highly tuned Lycoming engine. However, the safety implications of engine or airframe failures mean that performance tuning by individual teams, as is commonly done in other motorsport events, is limited in scope.

Air Gates

The air gates are made up of one, two, or four pylons for the maneuvers the pilots must perform. The pylons are approximately 65 feet (20 m) high, and spaced 33 to 49 feet (10 to 15 m) apart depending on the gate. ^[6]

The first prototype pylon was developed by Martin Jehart of Bellutti Protection Systems, an Austrian engineering firm specializing in the manufacturing of technical materials and tarpaulin. They initially used a latex balloon for crash tests and aerodynamic studies and after many tests and research settled on the use of a combination of different materials, the crucial component being spinnaker ripstop nylon, an extremely lightweight and flexible material used for making sails for boats. This would prove to be a breakthrough in the development of the Air Gates producing a pylon that would rip instantaneously when hit by a plane. Over 70 tests of the pylon were carried out on the ground using a car with a wing strapped on the roof before they were ready to undergo tests with a real plane. Eight different cars were used in these tests as well as a trailer and truck. Hungarian pilot, Peter Besenyei worked closely with the team and attempted the first deliberate pylon hit in early 2003 with positive results. The first Air Gates, which were cylindrical, were finally ready to be used at the very first Red Bull Air Races held in Austria and Hungary later that year.

The Air Gates play a vital role in the Red Bull Air Race, but must also fulfill complex and contradictory demands. They have to be delicate enough to burst apart the instant they are touched by an aircraft and sturdy enough to remain stationary in all weather conditions, including stormy weather and strong winds. The early cylindrical pylons fulfilled the first criterion but proved to be too unstable in the wind.

The answer came in 2004 with the cone design. These Air Gates measure 5 meters across the base and 75 centimeters at their tip. Inside the Air Gate a relatively high, and carefully monitored, pressure level is maintained with the use of powerful electrical, petrol-powered blowers that help keep the Air Gates steady even in windy conditions. Over the years the Air Gate design has developed and improved and today’s Air Gates can withstand wind speeds of up to 60 km/h without being blown over. Their stability is further reinforced with 12 ground attachments, each strong enough to hold 1200 kilos. For races over water, the Air Gates are secured to a floating barge which has stability anchors. ^[7]

Unlike early models, the current structures are made up of six sections attached together by zippers and Velcro to allow quick replacement if damaged by a plane. Prior to May 2008, the races had used more than eight tons of fabric for the various pylons, and the average life of each pylon was 15 races. Thirty-five pylons are transported to each race, and at each race's completion, the pylons are sent to Innsbruck, Austria to be repaired. ^[8]

If a pylon is hit by the plane, it is designed to break apart, preventing it from harming the plane and pilot. The damaged parts of the pylon are replaced by course personnel nicknamed "Air Gators". It usually takes a few minutes to replace a pylon. The record for the setup of a replacement pylon is 1 minute 30 seconds, set in 2007.

Champions

Season	Champion	Second	Third	Team Champion
2003	Peter Besenyei	Klaus Schrodt	Kirby Chambliss	Red Bull
2004	Kirby Chambliss	Peter Besenyei	Steve Jones Klaus Schrodt	Red Bull
2005	Mike Mangold	Peter Besenyei	Kirby Chambliss	Mangold
2006	Kirby Chambliss	Peter Besenyei	Mike Mangold	Red Bull
2007	Mike Mangold	Paul Bonhomme	Peter Besenyei	Matador
2008	Hannes Arch	Paul Bonhomme	Kirby Chambliss	Cobra

Race locations

Red Bull Air Race World Series Air Race Locations
Country	Location	Rounds in
		2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Australia	Swan River, Perth				9th	12th	9th	6
Austria	Zeltweg	1st		3rd
Brazil	Rio de Janeiro					2nd
Canada	Windsor, Ontario							3rd
Germany	Berlin				3rd
Hungary	Budapest	2nd	2nd	6th	6th	8th	7th	4th
Ireland	Rock of Cashel			4th
Mexico	Acapulco, Guerrero					11th1
Netherlands	Rotterdam			2nd			5th
Portugal	Porto					9th	8th	5th
Russia	St. Petersburg				4th2
Spain	Barcelona				2nd	5th3	5	6th
Switzerland	Interlaken, Bern					6th
Sweden	Stockholm						4th4
Turkey	Golden Horn, Istanbul				5th	4th
United Arab Emirates	Port of Mina' Zayid, Abu Dhabi			1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
United Kingdom	Longleat			5th	7th
	RAF Kemble		1st
	River Thames, London					7th	6th
United States	Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah					3rd
	Reno, Nevada		3rd
	San Diego, California					10th	2nd	2nd
	San Francisco, California			7th	8th
	Detroit, Michigan						3rd

• ¹ The 11th round of the 2007 season in Acapulco, Mexico was cancelled.
• ² The 4th round of the 2006 season in St.Petersburg, Russia was cancelled.
• ³ The 5th round of the 2007 season in Barcelona, Spain was cancelled.
• ⁴ The 4th round of the 2008 season in Stockholm, Sweden was cancelled.
• ⁵ Race in Spain was cancelled.
• ⁶ Race not held due to organisational issues, will be held in early 2010. ^[9]

In video games

• The Red Bull Air Race is featured as a playable mini-game in a special dedicated "Red Bull space" for PlayStation Home.
• The Red Bull Air Race is also featured as an advanced mission in Microsoft's Flight Simulator X.
• The Red Bull Air Race is now a game for Apple's iPod touch/iPhone.

See also

• Competition aerobatics
• Reno Air Races

References

1. Four Rookie For 2009
2. History of the Red Bull Air Race
3. History of the Red Bull Air Race
4. The Rules
5. Penalties and Disqualification
6. Speed racers
7. The Air Gates
8. Behind the Scenes: Air Gates
9. http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/red-bull-air-race-secured-for-another-three-years-20081026-58ua.ht