Red Bull Air Race
Pilots and aircraft
All pilots that have competed in the Red Bull Air Race since its inception in June 2003.
| First name | Surname | Date of birth | Country | participated | Races | Wins | Podiums | Championships | Aircraft flown | Call sign(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |||||||||||
| [1] | Hannes | Arch | 22-Sep-1967 † 08-Sep-2016 |
Austria  |
2007-2010, 2014-2016 | 52 | 11 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Zivko Edge 540 |
22 (28) |
| * | Mélanie | Astles | 30-May-1982 | France  |
2016-2019 | (19) | (1) | (5) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (33) | |||
| * | Francis | Barros | 31-Dec-1977 | Brazil  |
2015-2016 | (9) | Extra 330LX (RBAR provided) | (77) | |||||
| * | Tom | Bennett | 06-Jul-1985 | UK  |
2014 | (4) | (3) | Extra 330LX (RBAR provided) | (7) | ||||
| * | Florian | Bergér | 31-Mar-1989 | Germany  |
2015-2019 | (26) | (9) | (16) | (3) | (1) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (62) | |
| [2] | Péter | Besenyei | 08-Jun-1956 | Hungary  |
2003-2010, 2014-2015 | 66 | 8 | 23 | 2 | 1 | Extra 300L, Extra 300S, Zivko Edge 540, MXS-R, Corvus Racer 540 | 91 (2, 3, 5) |
|
| [3] | Cristian | Bolton | 10-Oct-1973 | Chile  |
2016-2019 (2014-2016) |
22 (14) |
(2) |
(7) |
(1) |
Zivko Edge 540 Extra 330LX |
5 | ||
| [4] | Paul | Bonhomme | 22-Sep-1964 | UK |
2003-2010, 2014-2015 | 66 | 19 | 45 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Suchoi Su-26M, Extra 300S, Zivko Edge 540 |
55 (2) |
| [5] | Mikaël | Brageot | 31-Jul-1987 | France |
2017-2019 (2014-2015) |
20 (9) |
(3) |
1 (7) |
(1) |
(1) |
MXS-R Extra 330LX |
11 | |
| [6] | Kirby | Chambliss | 18-Oct-1959 | USA  |
2003-2010, 2014-2019 | 93 | 10 | 33 | 1 | 2 | Zivko Edge 540 |
10 (3, 4) |
|
| * | Kenny | Chiang | 09-Dec-1989 | Hongkong  |
2017-2019 | (12) | (4) | (6) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (7) | |||
| * | Kevin | Coleman | 22-June-1990 | USA |
2016-2019 | (21) | (3) | (13) | (2) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (48) | ||
| * | Dario | Costa | 09-May-1980 | Italy  |
2018-2019 | (8) | (1) | (3) | (1) | Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (32) | ||
| * | Lukasz | Czepiela | 08-Jun-1983 | Poland  |
2014, 2016-2019 | (24) | (4) | (12) | (1) | (1) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (6) | |
| * | Patrick | Davidson | 07-Jun-1982 | South Africa  |
2018-2019 | (8) | (3) | Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (77) | ||||
| [7] | Glen | Dell | 09-Apr-1962 † 12-Oct-2013 |
South Africa |
2008-2009 | 14 | Zivko Edge 540 |
45 | |||||
| [8] | Matthias | Dolderer | 15-Sep-1970 | Germany |
2009-2010, 2014-2019 | 56 | 3 | 13 | 1 | Zivko Edge 540 |
21 | ||
| * | Daniel | Genevey | 01-Oct-1978 | Hungary |
2017-2018 | (10) | (1) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (78) | ||||
| [9] | Michael | Goulian | 04-Sep-1968 | USA |
2004, 2006-2010, 2014-2019 | 80 | 3 | 9 | 1 | Extra 300S, Extra 300SHP, MX2, Zivko Edge 540 |
99 | ||
| [10] | Matt | Hall | 16-Sep-1971 | Australia  |
2009-2010, 2014-2019 | 56 | 7 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 1 | MXS-R, Zivko Edge 540 |
95 |
| [11] | Nicolas | Ivanoff | 04-Jul-1967 | France |
2004-2010, 2014-2019 | 91 | 5 | 10 | Extra 230, CAP-232, Extra 300SR, Zivko Edge 540 |
27 (7) |
|||
| [12] | Steve | Jones | 05-Jan-1960 | UK |
2004-2008 | 38 | 2 | 6 | Extra 300S, Suchoi Su-31, Zivko Edge 540 |
19 | |||
| [13] | Jurgis | Kairys | 06-May-1952 | Lithuania  |
2003 | 1 | 1 | Suchoi Su-26M |
|||||
| [14] | Adilson | Kindlemann | 04-May-1973 | Brazil |
2010 | 1 | MXS-R |
7 | |||||
| [15] | Petr | Kopfstein | 18-Mar-1978 | Czech Republic  |
2016-2019 (2014-2015) |
28 (12) |
(3) |
1 (6) |
(1) |
Zivko Edge 540 (Extra 330LX) |
18 | ||
| [16] | Nigel | Lamb | 17-Aug-1956 | UK |
2005-2010, 2014-2016 | 69 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 1 | Extra 300L, Extra 300S, MX2, MXS-R |
9 (10) |
|
| [17] |
François | Le Vot | 02-May-1970 | France |
2015-2019 (2014) |
36 (5) |
(3) |
1 (3) |
Zivko Edge 540 (Extra 330LX) |
35 | |||
| [18] | Alejandro | Maclean | 06-Aug-1969 † 17-Aug-2010 |
Spain  |
2004-2010 | 48 | 1 | Suchoi Su-26M, Suchoi Su-31, Extra 300L, MX2, MXS-R |
36 | ||||
| [19] | Mike | Mangold | 10-Oct-1955 † 06-Dec-2015 |
USA |
2004-2009 | 42 | 9 | 23 | 2 | 1 | Zivko Edge 540 |
5 (1, 3, 11) |
|
| [20] | David | Martin | 1959 | USA |
2004 | 1 | Extra 300L |
||||||
| * | Sammy | Mason | 03-Feb-1994 | USA |
2019 | (3) | (1) | Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (25) | ||||
| [21] | Pete | McLeod | 23-Feb-1984 | Canada  |
2009-2010, 2014-2019 | 56 | 1 | 12 | 1 | Zivko Edge 540 |
84 | ||
| [22] | Yoshihide | Muroya | 27-Jan-1973 | Japan  |
2009-2010, 2014-2019 | 56 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 1 | Zivko Edge 540 |
31 | |
| [23] | Ben | Murphy | 18-July-1975 | UK |
2018-2019 (2016-2017) |
12 (13) |
1 (5) |
Extra 330LX (RBAR provided) | 24 | ||||
| * | Halim | Othman | 22-Jan-1966 | Malaysia  |
2014 | (4) | (2) | (2) | (1) | Extra 330LX (RBAR provided) | (88) | ||
| [24] | Peter | Podlunšek | 25-May-1970 | Slovenia  |
2016-2017 (2014-2015) |
16 (10) |
|
1 (4) |
(1) | Zivko Edge 540 (Extra 330LX) |
37 (25) |
||
| [25] |
Sergey | Rakhmanin | 18-Oct-1961 | Russia  |
2007-2010 | 30 | Zivko Edge 540, MXS-R | 18 | |||||
| * | Daniel | Ryfa | 17-Dec-1979 | Sweden  |
2014-2019 | (31) | (8) | (18) | (3) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (17) | ||
| [26] | Klaus | Schrodt | 14-Sep-1946 | Germany |
2003-2007 | 30 | 3 | Extra 300S |
4 (7) |
||||
| [27] | Martin | Šonka | 26-Mar-1978 | Czech Republic |
2010, 2014-2019 | 50 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Zivko Edge 540 |
8 |
| * | Claudius | Spiegel | 14-Feb-1989 | Germany |
2014 | (3) | (1) | (2) | Extra 330LX (RBAR provided) | (23) | |||
| * | Patrick | Strasser | 06-Jul-1984 | Austria |
2019 | (3) | Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (23) | |||||
| [28] |
Juan | Velarde | 19-Sep-1974 | Spain |
2015-2019 (2014) |
36 (4) |
|
2 (1) |
Zivko Edge 540 (Extra 330LX) |
26 | |||
| [29] | Frank | Versteegh | 19-Sep-1954 | Netherlands  |
2004-2007 | 28 | Extra 300L, MX2, Zivko Edge 540 |
69 | |||||
| * | Baptiste | Vignes | 15-Apr-1985 † 12-Apr-2022 |
France |
2017-2019 | (14) | (6) | Extra 330LX, Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (15) | ||||
| * | Vito | Wyprächtiger | 23-Jul-1981 | Switzerland  |
2019 | (3) | Zivko Edge 540 V2 (RBAR provided) | (87) | |||||
| * Challenger Class pilots, introduced for the 2014 to 2019 race seasons; data for Challenger Class appearances in () | |||||||||||||
Aircraft employed in the Red Bull Air Race since 2003.
| Manufacturer | Model | Length | Wing span |
Wing area |
Height | Empty weight |
Engine | Power | Top speed |
Roll rate |
max load factor |
Pilot(s) | employed in |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAP Aviation | CAP-232 | 6.75 m | 8.08 m | 9.90 m² | 1.90 m | 585 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5 |
224 kW (305 hp) | 350 km/h | 420°/s | +10/-10 g | N. Ivanoff | 2005-2007 | |
| Corvus Aircraft | Corvus Racer 540 | 6.57 m | 7.34 m | 9.00 m² | 2.50 m | 540 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-EXP [2014-15] AEIO-540-D4A5 |
221 kW (300 hp) 254 kW (345 hp) |
450 km/h | 450°/s | +12/-12 g | P. Besenyei | 2010, 2014-2015 |
|
| Extra Flugzeugbau | Extra 230 | 5.82 m | 7.40 m | 10.40 m² | 1.73 m | 457 kg | Lycoming AEIO-360 |
169 kW (230 hp) | 411 km/h | 340°/s | +10/-10 g | N. Ivanoff | 2004-2005 | |
| Extra Flugzeugbau | Extra 300L | 6.94 m | 8.00 m | 10.70 m² | 2.62 m | 667 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5 |
221 kW (300 hp) | 408 km/h | 360°/s | +10/-10 g | P. Besenyei, F. Versteegh, A. Maclean, N. Lamb, D. Martin |
2003-2006 | |
| Extra Flugzeugbau | Extra 300S | 6.65 m | 7.50 m | 10.45 m² | 2.62 m | 620 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5 |
221 kW (300 hp) | 408 km/h | 360°/s | +10/-10 g | K. Schrodt, P. Besenyei, P. Bonhomme, N. Lamb, S. Jones, M. Goulian |
2003-2008 | |
| Extra Flugzeugbau | Extra 300SR | 6.65 m | 7.50 m | 10.45 m² | 2.62 m | 608 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5 |
224 kW (305 hp) | 408 km/h | 360°/s | +10/-10 g | N. Ivanoff, P. Besenyei |
2007-2008 | |
| Extra Aerobatic Planes |
Extra 330LX (two-seater) |
7.20 m | 8.00 m | 10.70 m² | 2.60 m | 645 kg | Lycoming AEIO-580-B1A |
232 kW (315 hp) | 408 km/h | 360°/s | +10/-10 g | all Challenger Class pilots | 2014-2017 | |
| MX Aircraft | MX2 | 6.55 m | 7.32 m | 9.48 m² | 1.83 m | 581 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 |
243 kW (330 hp) | 408 km/h | 420°/s | +12/-12 g | M. Goulian, N. Lamb, F. Versteegh, A. Maclean |
2006-2008 | |
| MX Aircraft | MXS-R | 6.51 m | 7.32 m 8.00 m* |
9.48 m² | 1.83 m | 530 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-EXP [2014-17] AEIO-540-D4A5 |
221 kW (300 hp) 257 kW (350 hp)- 280 kW (380 hp) |
426 km/h | 450°/s | +12/-12 g | N. Lamb, M. Hall, A. Maclean, S. Rakhmanin, A. Kindlemann, M. Brageot |
2009-2010, 2014-2018 | |
| Sukhoi | Su-26M | 6.83 m | 7.80 m | 11.83 m² | 2.89 m | 736 kg | Vedeneyev M-14P |
270 kW (367 hp) | 450 km/h | 400°/s | +12/-10 g | P. Bonhomme, J. Kairys, A. Maclean |
2003-2004 | |
| Sukhoi | Su-31 | 6.90 m | 7.80 m | 11.80 m² | 2.76 m | 740 kg | VOKBM M-14PF |
294 kW (400 hp) | 450 km/h | 400°/s | +12/-10 g | A. Maclean, S. Jones |
2003, 2005 | |
| Zivko Aeronautics | Edge 540 V2 |
6.30 m | 7.43 m | 9.87 m² | 2.80 m | 540 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-EXP [2014-16] AEIO-540-D4A5 |
221 kW (300 hp) 250 kW (340 hp) |
426 km/h | 420°/s | +12/-12 g | P. Bonhomme, K. Chambliss, A. Maclean, M. Mangold, P. Besenyei, M. Goulian, N. Ivanoff, G. Dell, H. Arch, S. Rakhmanin, P. McLeod, M. Dolderer, Y. Muroya, M. Šonka, F. Le Vot, J. Velarde, P. Podlunšek, C. Bolton, M. Hall, B. Murphy; all Challenger Class pilots |
2003-2010, 2014-2018 2018-2019 |
|
| Zivko Aeronautics | Edge 540 V3 | 6.30 m | 8.06 m | 9.87 m² | 2.80 m | 525 kg | Lycoming AEIO-540-EXP [2014-17] AEIO-540-D4A5 |
221 kW (300 hp) 250 kW (340 hp)- 294 kW (400 hp) |
426 km/h | 420°/s | +12/-12 g | H. Arch, M. Dolderer, K. Chambliss, P. McLeod, Y. Muroya, M. Šonka, P. Besenyei, P. Kopfstein, M. Hall, F. Le Vot |
2010, 2014-2018 | |
| * with winglets | ||||||||||||||
Lycoming AEIO-540 aerobatic engine family
The AEIO-540 series is the only FAA certified aerobatic engine, and has been used in most western aerobatic aircraft, such as the Extra 300, CAP-232, Zivko Edge 540, MX2 / MXS-R and recently the Corvus Racer 540.
Type: six cylinder, horizontally opposed engine, normally aspirated, fuel injection system, inverted lubrication
Bore: 13.02 cm (5.125 in)
Stroke: 11.11 cm (4.375 in)
Displacement: 8873.77 cm³ (541.51 cu in)
Compression ratio: 8.70:1
Power output (standardised Lycoming Thunderbolt AEIO-540-EXP): 221 kW (300 hp) @ 2700 rpm;
tuned performance engines before the 2014 season were quoted to deliver between 235 kW (320 hp) and 294 kW (400 hp)
Dry weight: 203.66 kg (449 lbs)
Red Bull Air Race (RBAR) trivia
- The first RBAR took place on 28 June 2003 in Zeltweg, Austria, with six pilots competing.
- The first winner of a RBAR was Péter Besenyei, dubbed the "Godfather of the Red Bull Air Race", who had helped develop the sport since 2001.
- The most successful pilot is Paul Bonhomme who won 19 races and has been on the podium in 45 of his 66 races (68.2%). He is also the only pilot to win the official Championship three times in 2009, 2010 and 2015.
- The pilots with the most race wins are Paul Bonhomme (19), Kirby Chambliss (10), Mike Mangold (9), Péter Besenyei (8) and Yoshihide Muroya (8).
- The most successful Challenger Class pilot is Florian Bergér who won 9 races and has been on the podium in 16 of his 26 races (61.5%). He is the only pilot to win the Challenger Cup three (arguably four) times in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
- The veteran pilot with the most race participations – at 93 – is Kirby Chambliss who has missed only one race.
- Mike Mangold became the first official World Champion on 9 October 2005 after winning five out of seven races of the season; he was 49 years and 364 days old.
- Hannes Arch became the youngest World Champion to date on 2 November 2008 after winning only two out of eight races that season; he was 41 years and 43 days old, and also became the first champion from Europe.
- Matthias Dolderer on 2 October 2016 became the first and only pilot to ever secure the Championship in the penultimate race of the season; all other champions since 2005 had been crowned at the season finale.
- The pilots with the most Championship podium finishes are Paul Bonhomme (3/2/1), Hannes Arch (1/3/2), Matt Hall (1/3/1), Mike Mangold (2/0/1), Martin Šonka (1/1/1) and Péter Besenyei (0/2/1).
- 2007 saw the longest World Championship season with a total of ten races in nine countries.
- On the contrary, 2019 saw the shortest season with just four races in as much countries.
- The location which saw the most air races is Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which hosted twelve season openers between 2005 and 2019.
- The youngest pilot to win a RBAR was Pete McLeod on 12 October 2014 in Las Vegas, USA, when the race was called off due to gusty winds, and qualifying results determined the ranking; he was 30 years and 220 days old.
- The oldest pilot to win a RBAR was Nigel Lamb, UK, on 18 May 2014 in Putrajaya, Malaysia; he was 57 years and 91 days old.
- The youngest pilot to ever compete in a RBAR was Pete McLeod on 18 April 2009 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; he was 25 years and 55 days old.
- The youngest pilot to win a RBAR, though just the Challenger Class competition, was Claudius Spiegel on 27 July 2014 in Gdynia, Poland; he was 25 years and 163 days old.
- The first female pilot to win a Challenger Class event was Mélanie Astles on 15 October 2017 in Indianapolis, USA; she was declared winner based on her qualifying performance the previous day.
- A total of 29 pilots have been competing in the RBAR in the 94 races to the day. A total of 23 pilots have been competing in the Challenger Cup since 2014 of which seven subsequently progressed to the Master Class.
- Twelve pilots have been competing in eight Challenger Cup races of the 2019 season. Previous years saw 10 pilots in 8 races (2018), 9 pilots in 8 races (2017), 8 pilots in 7 races (2016), 7 pilots in 8 races (2015), and 11 pilots in 7 races (2014) competing. Between 2014 and 2018 the six best pilots each year were making it to the final Challenger Cup race.
- Petr Kopfstein became the first winner of the Challenger Cup on 25 October 2014 when he won the season finale in Spielberg, Austria.