espite all the makings of a perfect Technical advances the pilots were adding a new high-tech G- race weekend in San Diego, the Pilots had spent the off-season advancing Race Suit to help with the high G-forces Dweather almost precluded the every detail of their planes’ performance, they are subjected to when racing. The whole thing. We arrived on Thursday after- eking out precious tenths however they suits contain liquid-filled tubes which A weekend in San Diego. A com pelling version of noon, just after training runs 1 and 2, and could. “I am impressed with what they’re change shape under G-forces, contracting checked in at the waterfront Marriott Hotel com ing up with,” says Adrian Judd, Tech - special non-stretch fabric and putting pres- motor sports —air borne—which we had attended & Marina in time for a cold, grey Friday on nical Director of the Red Bull Air Race sure on the lower extremities, to keep oxy- last year (see Arizona Driver, July August 2008). which training runs 3 and 4 were ultimate- World Championship. “Some have gone gen-rich blood in the head. Along with ly scrubbed. A minimal cloud ceiling is for better aerodynamics and some for cut- interactive muscle straining and breathing Our hosts: Red Bull, a company that not only needed for the races, which occupy air ting down on weight. They’ve been spend- techniques, the suits are intended to pro- space tight-up against both San Diego ing a lot of time and money in the off-sea- produces magical fluids to light a fire under vide the pilots with maximum G-protec- Inter national Airport and Coronado Naval son to make their planes faster. But it’s tion. This was a major adjustment for the people like us on busy pro duc tion schedules, Air Station, North Island. obviously not anything I could talk about. seasoned pilots to make, and the fact it Saturday started out no better, and All I can say is that most of it is on the added more weight to their weight-limited but also has devel oped a truly astounding Qualifying rounds were at risk most of the insides of the planes, not the outsides.” aircraft was not uniformly welcomed. stable of events world wide. Add our own day, but by afternoon the ceiling started to Zivko Aero nau tics Inc. makes the Edge lift. That didn’t last long, but fortunately, 540, which ten of the 15 pilots use, includ- Prep and season opener Arizona star pilot, Kirby Chambliss, in a come - the weather held long enough for the ing Chambliss. The other five fly the MXS- Hannes Arch of Austria had come from Sunday race lineup to be deter mined. R from MX Aircraft. Lycoming LyCon and behind to win the first race of the year in back attempt after not repeating his prior Arizonan Kirby Chambliss was the Barrett Precision Engines are the two Abu Dhabi, beating Paul Bonhomme of World Champion ship in 2008, and you have a World Champion in 2004 and 2006, but fin- approved powerplants. Per Red Bull Air Britain, the same one-two who had won ished third in 2008 and has been deter- Race rules, minimum aircraft weight is and placed in the 2008 series. Arche came solid formula for excitement: stage 2 of the mined to chase the number one spot on 1,190 lbs (540 kg). A typical factory Edge to the second race, in San Diego, with a the podium this year. The competition 540 is around 1,240 lbs. three-point lead. Red Bull Air Race World Championship. was going to be stiff. Countering their weight-shaving efforts, Kirby Chambliss has been training hard Arizona’s ace Red Bull Air Race pilot Kirby Chambliss: ready for takeoff; conferring with his ground crew and Adrian Judd, RBAR World Championship Tech nical Director; showing his daughter the ropes; shown in his new G-Suit; throwing out the first pitch at a Padres- Rockies game; and rolling his craft to the hangar. 52 • July-August 2009 • ARIZONADRIVER ARIZONADRIVER • July-August 2009 • 53 Friday’s weather was nasty, forcing the early in the first Qualifying session, but Arch—only was in the lead before the bird strike and said Austria’s Hannes Arch lost his lead but saved his cancellation of two training runs. Saturday’s started in fourth after Q1—opened the throttle in Q2 bad luck cost him the victory (he finished hide when he unexpected collided with a 12-pound out no better, but lifted in time for an exuberant start to best Bonhomme with a time of 1:18.42. third). He realizes the bird strike could have pelican during an already-challenging maneuver. to the Qualifying rounds, though conditions socked The technical edge to the series has been much more serious. “It’s like you crash back in pretty quickly—but not enough to preclude Kirby Chambliss on the podium at Windsor, Ontario. become a big factor, and personal frictions your car into a wall. It’s really loud. Immed - completing the rounds. On Sunday, the weather finally broke, for a postcard-perfect Race Day. have grown. Several technicians thought it iately you know something is going on. You pace-setting time of 1:09.91, while Austria’s was “odd” that Arch had not only closed off think about the engine, but the engine is still Arch was fourth, 3.02 seconds behind. and modifying his plane all winter. The Red access with a rope in front of his hangar but running fine and the next pylon shows up. “I’m not flying any differently than in Abu Bull Air Race combines ex treme degrees of had also assembled the plane at clandestine The plane is flying, so you just continue. It’s Dhabi or San Diego,” said Chambliss. “The both aerobatics and racing, though Chambliss locations. Arch enjoys putting psychological hard to finish the race with all those ques- en gine makes all the difference. It'd be great puts the emphasis on racing. “It’s not really a pressure on rivals and having them unsettled tions in your mind. The one side says ‘Stop, to make the podium here, but I’d really love straight choice because they’re totally differ- by his secrecy fits his strategy. “I’m glad if because there’s something serious going on,’ to have the number one spot again.” ent,” he told RBAR interviewer Matt Youson. the others get stressed about it,” Arch said. but the other side says, ‘Well, the plane is still Chambliss won one World Champion ship “You want to win, whatever the competition, Chambliss, the 2006 World Champ ion who flying, so why shouldn’t I continue to fly?‘” point by placing first during Quali fy ing on but the strategies involved in aerobatics and took third place in San Diego a year ago, gave Frenchman Nicolas Ivanoff had a penalty- Saturday. Bonhomme took second and racing are miles apart. In competition aerobat- the home crowd something to hang their free run in the Final 4 and two record-shatter- Ivanoff was third. Defending champion Arch ics, you are looking for very, very precise fig- hopes on by taking sixth in Qualifying. “It was ing times close to the 1:17 mark, putting him shrugged off a disappointing fifth in ures. Here it’s about the clock: You’re flying expected that until we get our technical thing in the first place spot on the podium. Qualifying—his worst result of the season— really close to the water, trying to shave frac- worked out we’re just kind of sitting there,” Paul Bonhomme was second, despite suf- after getting hit with a 2-second penalty. tions of seconds. It’s not the same thing at all.” noted Chambliss, who is not one for excuses. fering a back injury in Saturday’s Quali fying, Chambliss now had four Championship Chambliss will be watching the perform- “But who knows—anything can happen.” with a personal best of 1:18:32 in the Final 4 points and could add 12 more with a victory ance of the MXS-R this season. He was one and 10 points. Bonhomme, who suffered a on Sunday. “I cut every corner I could. I was of the original testers for the Edge 540 and Sunday: Races bird strike in training in London last year and right there on the edge. I think I went about has a close bond with the plane. But he plays Sunday’s races include Top 12, Super 8 and aborted his run, said he thought Arch should as fast as I could go. We’re looking good. I’m to win, so he’s willing to consider the change. Final 4 runs, as well as three Wild Card slots, have stopped after the bird strike but said, “I excited about the engine. We’ve got an extra Americans Mike Mangold and Chambliss, due to the expanded roster this year. must admit he did well considering he had 40 to 50 horsepower now. We’ve been defi- who have won three of the last four World Excessive Gs: For the Arizona fan base, just collected a pelican weighing 5 kg.” nitely lacking in the engine department.” Champion ships between them, had a tough the most noteworthy moment came during On race day in Windsor, however, Britain’s start this season. Both were flying without the the Top 12, when Kirby Chambliss saw his Followup: Windsor, Ontario Bonhomme was the only pilot to avoid any horsepower they are accustomed to, after chances evaporate as he was disqualified for The next leg of the Red Bull Air Race World penalties throughout the day despite unpre- working hard to trim weight and to handle exceeding the G limit—a risk of hammering Championship was just being run as we went dictable winds on the course that caused con- tight regulations on starting speed and G-force into the course at max speed.