Jurgis Kairys; Aerobatics Champion
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KiwiFlyer KiwiFlyer Interview KiwiFlyer Interview because of a lack of safety, but because of to the show I will do things for them, but using dissimilar aircraft. Jurgis also flew Jurgis Kairys; Aerobatics Champion a lack of understanding on the part of the mainly it is for the public.” with the late Jim Leroy, regarded as one Back in April, while covering the Warbirds Over Wanaka event for KiwiFlyer, Chris Gee took the organisers about what he is doing. Jurgis claims to pull G forces of +/- of the world’s greatest aerobatic pilots, at Contributed by Chris Gee opportunity to meet with two of the stars of the show; Aerobatics Champion Jurgis Kairys and Wing-Walker “I cannot perform an exact routine you 12 G’s during his routine, which can be Avalon Airshow in 2007. However flying Peggy Krainz. The interviews that follow make for fascinating reading. know, because what I can do depends on punishing on his body. with other pilots provides some unique the weather. It will be a little bit different “The body is trained by time. You need challenges. IN THE 1970’s two Lithuanian members 80’s. We had really old planes, they were carries out all the maintenance on the every time. If an inspector who did not “You have to work everything out of the Soviet Aerobatic team, Stepas breaking in the air and they were not strong aircraft himself; “First I am the engineer, know about aerobatics was coming to before hand. Oh yes. Meticulously… Artiskevicius and Jurgis Kairys became enough and too slow for aerobatics. The and I get my hands very dirty. Then, only see a “list” of manoeuvres, it would Even though you can’t see the other best friends and began competing with Americans had nothing better we could use, after I have cleaned my hands, can I be a feel like I must do it like the document, plane, you have to know where they each other, spuring each other on to more or the Europeans. The Germans had the pilot.” and I could not do that. It is like are, and you have to know where you difficult manoeuvres and expanding the Extra 230 but it was not enough. The time The JUKA is designed to be easy to a musician doing a solo you know. need to be. When Jim crashed (in envelope of what was considered possible was right to change the way of thinking transport, a necessity for Jurgis and his Someone who is not a musician may the USA on July 28, 2007, just a few in an aeroplane. The aerobatic style they about aerobatics planes and I was looking busy routine; “This one is different from come and judge that you are playing months after his flights with Jurgis) developed is continued today others, it is not difficult. right or not, but they wouldn’t know he was in a performance with another in what is called ‘Unlimited’ When my plane comes out what that musician was really doing…” aeroplane, but that was not a factor in Aerobatics. One of those of the container it has its the crash.” groundbreaking pioneers, propeller off, and its wings Competition Flying Siberian born & Lithuanian and tail are off. Normally Jurgis admits that in the past his The World Elite Formula raised Jurgis Kairys has quite it is not a problem to put it style of flying has caused problems With so much experience in the a soft spot for New Zealand back together. All going well in the past with the Judges at the competitive aerobatic scene, Jurgis and especially the Warbirds I can have it flying in 3 hours competitions. came up with his own form of Over Wanaka Airshow, where after opening the container, “Many of the judges came from aerobatic competition, originally he has performed since 2004. but here I had to change the the ‘classic’ era; they had seen it and known as ‘The JK Formula’. With the pump for the smoke this understood it. It was hard for them help of other professional aerobatic A brief history time so it took a bit longer.” to see that something new is ‘better’. pilots this has grown into the FAI Jurgis has been flying At first I had problems like that. But World Elite Aerobatic Formula. aerobatics since 1974 The Show now it is different. There are more The aim was to make aerobatics and performs at up to 25 Jurgis performs an professionals judging, waiting for more attractive to the audience. FAI airshows and competitions exhilarating routine, and can the next new thing. The new thing is WEAF competitions are more easily throughout the world take credit for the invention now at the top. The logic has changed understood, more interesting to each year. Winning his of several aerobatic and I’m happy about that. They watch, more dynamic and also deliver first Gold medal in the manoeuvres including the need to have understanding. If the sensational live action pictures. They World Unlimited Aerobatic Engineer, Pilot and Aerobatics Champion Jurgis Kairys at Warbirds Over Wanaka 2010. “Kairys Wheel” and the scoring system is wrong well, that’s no also go beyond the limits of classical Championship in 1982, he “Small Loop”. He was the good. We have always been judging aerobatic championships giving the has gone on to win another four medals, for new ideas. Some people at Sukhoi were first to successfully perform the “Cobra” ourselves!” pilots more space for a freestyle the most recent in 2009 after an absence putting on the pressure and I said “Please manoeuvre in a propeller driven aircraft. After over 30 years of competitive show. Only pilots with the highest of 13 years. In 2005 Jurgis Kairys became guys, slow down, wait a bit, maybe for some He also has the ability to hover his aircraft aerobatic flying, Jurgis has seen a huge professional skills are admitted to the overall top placed pilot over 10 years years, and when you think this through like a helicopter. Such a dynamic routine change in how aircraft are flown. FAI WEAF competitions, as the of FAI World Grand Prix Competitions. slowly you will come to understand”, and requires careful planning and thought. “Before was very different. It was format requires great accuracy. Only He also has a habit of flying under bridges then you see we had our answer…” “You have to think about lots of things, ‘classic’ aircraft and nicer looking one pilot per country is allowed to and is most famous for flying under all ten “After my time with Sukhoi had finished for example the first thing for me is to moves you know, but nowadays it is participate and the maximum number bridges over the Neris River in Vilnius, I was looking to leave Russia, to be free show a programme which is not similar Bam! Bam! Bam! Some people didn’t of participants is ten. FAI WEAF Lithuania in 1999. He also flew upside to do the things I wanted to do, so I went to another pilot’s. Always managing new like this. “Oh it looks bad” they would competitions can be held separately or down under a pedestrian bridge only 7 back to Lithuania. At that time I had two manoeuvres, new programs, and something say. I can joke a lot about that. This be part of an Airshow, making them meters high in 2000. Sukhoi’s but they were not good enough new with the possibilities I have with the new era was coming and it was full of Jurgis in display mode at Warbirds Over Wanaka 2010. more commercially viable especially Before becoming a pilot, Jurgis was for shows. So I bought the whole project new plane. I need to think about which life, and fun. I like it the way it is now.” with the addition of sponsorship. an aeronautical engineer. He worked for off Sukhoi. I made some big changes to the manoeuvres I will place in my program, to live upside down like a fly on the roof… The first FAI WEAF was held in Mamaia, Sukhoi and helped design the renowned plane, in aerodynamics and in construction. and how to manage this manoeuvre with For the audience that’s very important. You can’t do this Romania in 2009. Sukhoi Su-26, Su-29 and Su-31 Aerobatic We made it very different in the air. the wind, the area, the temperatures… Despite the concentration required to fly kind of thing straight away. Always time, Aircraft. However he knew that an even We changed the way of thinking about every day is a little bit different. The wind his routine, there is still the opportunity for training, practice, repetition. Your body will A Wanaka highlight higher performance aircraft could be aerobatic planes. In comparison with the is from here, or from there. We have the Jurgis to enjoy the experience, but his work learn.” And the highlight of this year’s Warbirds created. This year he brought his own JUKA it may look the same, but compared public, we have a deadline, we have our comes first. Over Wanaka for Jurgis? Surprisingly it was unique aircraft to Warbirds Over Wanaka, with when I fly a Sukhoi it feels like a ‘Box’, and I always need to think about “By time, by training, by practice, by Team displays not an aerobatic plane, or even aerobatic The JUKA. Jurgis explains his journey of comfortable car. That comes with years of how I am going to put the aeroplane where repetition you become comfortable, in a As well as his solo display Jurgis often flying.