Official document by Red Bull Air Race

1. THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
RIO DE JANEIRO, MAY 8&9
7 BRL
THE CHASE
Peter Besenyei is on
a hunt. His target:
matching the tough pace
set by the top three teams
CHEERS!
Work hard, play hard.
An evening out with
World Champion Team
Bonhomme
RELATIONSHIPS
“We’d like to be on every
team.” Lycoming’s liaison
visions on air racing’s future
WWW.REDBULLAIRRACE.COM
1
LUCKY STAR Adilson Kindlemann believes in luck and fate and
RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
has faith. Meet the man who lives his dream

2. insight
content Hello and
Welcome...
to another exciting season of
the Red Bull Air Race World
Championship, and welcome
to its official magazine.
2
010 is a year that has already
caused a great stir after only two
race stops – and fortunately there
are six more to go. The championship
Cover Photography: Markus Kucera/Red Bulletin; Photography: Hamish Blair/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race, Vladimir Rys/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race, Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images, Markus Kucera/Red Bulletin
now has its strongest-ever roster of
pilots, who bring with them the most
technologically advanced race planes
we have ever seen. And the magazine is
there with them, reporting from each
race stop and every hangar.
The last race stop in Perth was a nerve-
20 PORTRAIT
“I used the air bottle. Then the divers were coming towards me like fish.” Adilson Kindlemann
racking thriller that hopefully won’t be
repeated – with a plane crashing into the
water for the first time in the history of
has a second life, a second birthday to celebrate. But what is he really like? Find out. the Red Bull Air Race. Luckily nobody
was hurt. Some call it a miracle, others
pure luck, we think it’s pure fate.
Adilson Kindlemann was pulled out of
his destroyed MXS-R race plane in only
60 seconds. And the tribute goes to
the 10-strong rescue team. Normally
24 INTERVIEW 28 Off-TRAck 36 BAckGROUND they are the invisible guys who are based
Besenyei: “I push and hope All work, no play? See how Safe solution: standard engine? on two or three boats, plus jet skies,
I know where the limit is.” Team Bonhomme relaxes. Check out what Lycoming thinks positioned just outside the perimeter
of the race track. “We saw the plane go
down and we reacted like we trained,”
04 GALLERY The best of the Perth race no play will drive anyone insane. Spend an says Jeff Williams, one of the rescue
12 BULLEVARD A race review of the evening out with Team Bonhomme divers. “Adilson did a great job inside,
second round of the championship and 32 TEchNIcs More on Pete and Ted’s which made my job a lot easier. He got
a preview to the race in Rio. Plus: find out fantastic adventure during the off season. We the canopy open by himself and he had
what Michael Goulian would ask Michael reveal that modifications have been made the seat belt off. He was great. He said
Jackson if he was still around, read about 36 BAckGROUND Lycoming supplies just now that it was only seconds from
how Yoshi Muroya manages to keep himself the basic engine to the Red Bull Air Race, the the time he got the canopy open until
fit and healthy, and discover the biggest tuners are the ones who turn it into rockets. I grabbed him and pulled him out.” We
numbers in Alex Maclean’s life We visit the manufacturer and find out more hope that the rescue team will never
20 PORTRAIT Adilson Kindlemann about his future plans in this sport have to be deployed again in this sport
gives an insight into his childhood and 40 TRAVEL Read our pleasure guide and that this is its one and only accident.
tells us how he made his dream come to sights to see and experiences to enjoy
true. It certainly wasn’t an easy path 44 PROfILEs Close-ups of all 15 race And now, let us welcome you again.
24 INTERVIEW Does Peter Besenyei pilots and the aircraft flown The following pages are packed with
still push to the limit or has he taken a step 46 ThE RULEs More about the rules action, interviews and behind-the-scenes
back? Plus find out what he thinks needs to and an explanation of the format information, which we hope you enjoy
be done in order for him to stay successful 48 cALENDAR All the 2010 race stops reading as much as we do writing.
28 Off-TRAck Relaxation isn’t the first 50 LOcATION All you need to know
thing on race teams’ minds, but all work and about the locality and racetrack Smoke On.
imprint THE RED BULLETIN GMBH, Heinrich-Collin-Straße 1, 1140 Vienna, Austria e-mail: redbullairracemagazine@at.redbulletin.com
Managing Directors Karl Abentheuer, Alexander Koppel Project Director Boro Petric Editor in Chief Nadja Žele Editor Matt Youson Chief Sub-editor Nancy James
Art Directors Erik Turek, Markus Kietreiber Designer Dominik Uhl Photo Editor/Photographer Markus Kucera Illustrator Dietmar Kainrath, Seso Media Group
Producers Michael Bergmeister, Wolfgang Stecher Lithography Josef Mühlbacher, Clemens Ragotzky Printed by Offset 5020, Bayernstraße 27, A-5072 Siezenheim
www.redbulletin.com
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3. Gallery
“The volume was almost switched off and with the engine at idle
I could just about hear the race director, but at full rpm I could
hardly hear anything. While I was in the holding area I tried
to find a solution but I couldn’t. I went to the track unprepared
and unfocused, the flight was bad. This influenced my flight.”
Sergey rakhmanin had iSSueS with the radio juSt before hiS flight in the wild card SeSSion
Photography: Vladimir Rys/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race
red bull air race magazine 5

4. “I made mistakes and had two pylon
hits. I had enough time to aim between
the gates, but the wind pushed me out of
my line in the track and I didn’t make the
correction. I don’t know why I did that,
but it’s definitely all experience. But I’m
not worried about being at the bottom
Photography: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race
of the table as it’s only my second race.”
Martin Šonka on the race in Perth
red bull air race magazine 7

5. “Given that I thought I might have hit two pylons in the
Top 12 – it must have been turbulence – I didn’t think
I’d progress through to the next round, but I ended up
in the Final so that’s pretty good. Coming fourth is
not great, but what I did was backed off to avoid the
penalty and that’s what effectively cost me the race.”
Nigel lamb oN his fourth-place fiNish iN perth
Photography: Paul Kane/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race
8 red bull air race magazine red bull air race magazine 9

6. rookies
“I really am looking forward to getting
our new motor. But we wouldn’t have
made it anyway. The 2-second penalty
was my fault and I can’t blame it on
the plane. I guess the vertical turns were
the secret here, and I was still a little too
high and that probably hurt my time.”
kirby chambliss on his eighth-place finish
Photography: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race
10 red bull air race magazine red bull air race magazine 11

7. BULLEVARD
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
REVIEW
PERTH
Pos Pilot Nationality Plane Points
1 Paul Bonhomme GBR Edge 540 22
2 Nigel Lamb GBR MXS�R 18
3 Hannes Arch AUT Edge 540 14
4 Matt Hall AUS MXS�R 14
5 Pete McLeod CAN Edge 540 14
6 Peter Besenyei HUN MXS�R 11
7 Kirby Chambliss USA Edge 540 10
The week hadn’t started well, with the it was anything other than an anticlimax. his lead in the Championship. Splitting
8 Matthias Dolderer GER Edge 540 10
Race Airport temporarily abandoned Hannes Arch, the 2008 World Champion, Arch and Bonhomme was Australia’s own
The Perth podium: Matt Hall 9 Michael Goulian USA Edge 540 9
because of inclement weather, the course won his first race in a year having flown a Matt Hall, recording his highest finish and
in second, Hannes Arch in first 10 Nicolas Ivanoff FRA Edge 540 9
proving almost impossibly difficult and typically gutsy, stunning final round that formally dispelling any remaining doubt
and Paul Bonhomme in third. 11 Yoshihide Muroya JPN Edge 540 5
one pilot crashing for the first time in the put everything on the line. Meanwhile, as to his championship credentials.
12 Alejandro Maclean ESP MXS�R 0
history of the Red Bull Air Race – although reigning World Champion Paul Bonhomme Perhaps best of all was the fact that
finished third, ending his string of each of the Final 4 flew clean and, as 13 Sergey Rakhmanin RUS MXS�R 0
he had a lucky escape. But for the weekend
the sun shone. It dried out the wet grass consecutive victories at three and halting a race director Drew Searle dragged out the 14 Martin Šonka CZE Edge 540 0
of the runway at the Race Airport, there remarkable run of consistency that has tension, each must have thought he was 15 Adilson Kindlemann BRA MXS�R 0
were huge crowds of spectators and seen him finish first or second in every in with a genuine chance of being named
against the blue, blue sky over the Swan round since Perth 2008. No doubt the victor. As the gap between them
River, we had a real contest on our hands. Bonhomme landed down-hearted, though was tiny, the championship moves on
After the chaos of Abu Dhabi, Race Day in with an eye on the bigger picture, he to Rio de Janeiro with that which every
Perth seemed exceptionally normal, though actually managed to increase racing series craves: unpredictability.
Photography: Balazs Gardi, Paul Kane/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race, Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race
PREVIEW
RIO
So here we are, back in Rio for our first visit
since 2007. Back then, in front of the biggest
Nigel Lamb is consistently racking up the finals
and is due something better. Meanwhile, two of
sporting crowd in Brazilian history, the track last season’s rookies, Matt Hall and Pete McLeod,
proved to be a happy hunting ground for Paul have dragged themselves into contention by virtue
Bonhomme, who managed to beat Alejandro of their performances in the first two rounds of
Maclean in the head-to-head final. Paul has gone 2010. McLeod is sure to take the step up into
on to bag 10 more victories since then and is the the Final 4, while Hall won’t be satisfied with
reigning World Champion; Alex is still searching his second place in Australia for very long. But
for that elusive first win – but who knows, maybe changes are afoot further down the order with
Rio will work its magic? There’s plenty of other rumours of game-changing new engines and
contenders: the combination of Hannes Arch aerodynamic modifications refusing to go
and the Edge 540 V3 looks incredibly quick; away. The only thing to do is watch the skies!
12 RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE 13

8. BULLEVARD
logbook
Pitlane news
Planes under water, power plants that accelerate to podium finishes
and tough stewarding that won’t accept any compromise.
1 Down unDer. Serendipity struck Sergey’s had a revolutionary crankshaft that 1
the Perth race with the pilots undergoing an made anyone in an adjoining hangar think
underwater survival course just two days before NASCAR had come to town. There will be more
Adilson Kindlemann’s crash. Jandakot Airport, changes for Rio. The US teams are planning
where the teams were based for much of the on changing their power plants.
week, is home to ERGT Australia, a commercial
safety training organisation specialising in 3 rules. There was a decrease in the
preparing for that eventuality. The pilots got to number of penalties awarded in Perth, in
practise their underwater egress techniques in the comparison with Abu Dhabi. It could have been
pool using a bespoke submersible rig, as well as the more benign conditions, or simply that the
refamiliarising themselves with the compressed pilots have now got the message. The officials 2
air bottles each plane carries and studying have decided to take a much tougher line this
procedures employed by the rescue divers. year with infringements. Race directors Jimmy
DiMatteo and Drew Searle are keen to improve
2 engines, engines. Thanks to a rule the overall consistency of decision-making and
change, each team is allowed to travel with a are sticking to the letter of the law. DiMatteo: “The
spare power plant this season. Before the race in judging is not any different than last year. There’s
Perth, Hall, Besenyei and Rakhmanin all switched a renewed focus to make sure it’s consistent,
their engines. Peter raced with a model carrying briefed to the pilots and followed through.” It’s the
fewer kilos, Matt with his ‘hot’ power plant, instead iron fist in the velvet glove – though a couple of
of the ‘safe spare’ he used in Abu Dhabi. And pilots are still arguing it’s the other way around… 3
INSIGHT
IN THE THE NEW TOUGH
HIGH SPECS FOR AIR RACING
TRACK
Photography: Balazs Gardi (1), Getty Images (2), Markus Kucera (1); Illustration: Seso Media Group
Steve Jones, former Red Bull Air Race pilot and
now race expert and co-commentator, takes us through
the race in Rio de Janeiro. Think yourself into the position
of a race pilot, get ready and start flying the track.
Untitled-4 1 4/19/10 8:02:34 PM
It’s a fairly straight line from Air Gate 1 to penalty seconds added to your lap time, for start tensing your muscles again for the GRAVITY DEFIER
the chicane, so that will allow you to set up Incorrect Knife. Not good. So, angle off a little approaching Vertical Turn, it’s going to be GW-3000BD
early for a smooth line through it. The first to make some space. Pause in knife flight just high G! Twist a little during the pull-up to
big decision comes with Gate 3. When can you long enough to clear the Gate and then nudge adjust your line to Gate 8. This will be the
start the right turn? Too early and you won’t be the control stick left and back, to reverse the finish Gate next time around, but not yet. The
able to get your race plane’s wings level before bank and start the hard, high-G, 270-degree chicane will be more gentle the second time,
reaching Gate 4. Too late and your time will be left turn. Remember to tense your stomach because your airspeed is lower. Concentrate An aviator’s watch that defies the forces of gravity
slow. Every 10th-of-a-second delay here will and leg muscles to counteract the G-force. on super-smooth handling, and flying as close
take you 10m in the wrong direction. The other Rock your head back a little to get early sight to the pylons as possible – take a bit of risk! Resistant to centrifugal gravitational force*
race pilots will think you’re just sightseeing! of the approaching red Gate 6. Not too tight On this lap, you will have a little less G and a • Radio controlled (EU, USA, Japan, China) • Solar powered • 1/100 sec. stopwatch
Now be careful. Having cleared Gate 4, if you a turn here though, because there still needs little more time between Gates. Even your best • Auto hand home position correction • Hybrid mount construction • World time • Alarm
head straight towards the red Gate 5 there to be enough room to swap into right knife race engine cannot stop the speed reducing, • Full auto-calendar • Shock resistant • Vibration resistant • Water resistant up to 20 bar
will not be enough space to get the aircraft before reaching the Gate. Pause until clear because of aerodynamic drag, in all the big *The performance to withstand the outward force (centrifugal gravitational force) on Matthias Dolderer
into right knife flight before your race plane of the Gate, then roll hard left to line up with 7. turns. But less speed will allow you to cut a an object created when it is rotated, a force which is proportional to the object’s mass. Red Bull Air Race Pilot
enters the gate. That little error will get two There’s a little breathing space here, but few corners and save a few meters, so go for it!
14 RED BULL AIR RACE MAGAZINE
www.g-shock.eu

9. BULLEVARD
Lucky numbers
career count
Numbers are often just numbers, but there are others that really amount to something.
7
Alex Maclean is 40, he first solo-ed at 17 (totally illegal!), he enjoys celebrating his
August 6 birthdays and races with the number 36. Check out his life as a pro in figures...
AILERONS
They control the aircraft’s ability to rotate around its
longitudinal axis; they govern the rate of roll – and
for a race plane that makes them the control surface
with arguably the biggest impact on performance.
200
(In 2002, at only 200m, Alex's plane came apart during an aerobatic
manoeuvre he was practising. He had to bail out.)
“The control system of the plane failed and the chance of surviving
inside that plane was 0.1 per cent. Everything happened really fast,
(He’s been seventh 12 times so far.) “I
don’t bother about standings. Even
when I’m competing I’m not too
concerned what place I achieved.
That just builds pressure. The best
thing is just to try and do things right
and be as fast as possible. Ultimately,
I don’t really remember it anymore. I bailed out, the parachute I’m chasing time, but in reality I’m
opened, I saw the ground and I survived. It happened very close to chasing the right path, the perfect
the airfield back at home in Madrid. I just walked in the direction line through the track. And eventually
that I thought the airfield was and heard people shouting, “Alex, that should lead you to a good result.”
Alex!” When I came back home after the hospital, my kids were
sleeping. I just sat in their room and watched them sleeping and
41
asked myself: ‘Is this worth it and is it fair to them?’ And looking
(Total number of races flown.) “I
at this innocence sleeping, I came to the conclusion that it was,
still get nervous, my stomach gets
because that was my life and my soul and that was what I needed.
2
messed up before every race. When
So the next day I went back to the airfield and flew.”
you’re in holding position and
waiting for your 30-second call and
you know that you have to tune up
(Second place, first podium the engine, set up the fuel mixture,
finish in Rio 2007.) “At that prepare the smoke system… Every
time I couldn’t believe it. One time I get into the track it’s like
of the main reasons for the first time. But in a sport like
achieving the podium was this, it actually could be pretty
11
the race format back then. I dangerous to be too relaxed.”
was flying consistently,
which led me onto the
podium, not the fast time.
When all those people were (Pylon-hits in total on race weekends.) “Either you can see
cheering me on, I was really it coming and you can’t avoid it or, you can avoid it, but
happy, amazed.” it’s more dangerous than just hitting it. And at times you
just scratch it, don’t feel anything and don’t even realise it.
“The aim is to optimise your ailerons which makes the surface more effective.” The devices are also weight-balanced Manoeuvring the plane between the pylons is like parking
to have the most roll-rate for the least Aileron design is an area where the Edge to reduce ‘flutter’, ie unwanted vibrations a car on a parking lot during an earthquake and at high
deflection,” explains Team Abu Dhabi 540 and MXS-R demonstrate different that can occur at high-speed. speed. Everything is shaking. You have to fly a precise
technician Vito Wyprächtiger. “The bigger design philosophies. Whereas the MX has a While it’s possible to adjust ailerons for flight line and cope with tail wind, side wind, turbulence."
the deflection, the greater the drag and full-span aileron, on the Edge they terminate particular conditions, it’s very rare for
180
Photography: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
the slower the lap. What you want is a before the wing joins with the fuselage. a racing team to do so. “Every pilot likes
small deflection that doesn’t interfere “Providing it doesn’t restrict your roll-rate, a different feeling, ranging from rock
with a fast roll-rate.” I think that’s probably an advantage for the solid to soft, and generally we just find
In a simple trade-off, a faster rate of roll Edge, because you have less of a changeable a set-up at the beginning of the year and (Alex’s height.) “There is an optimal height for a pilot,
requires a greater deflection of airflow, surface under G-loads,” says Vito. then leave it,” says Vito. “Changing the because of the size of the cockpit and the design of the
but the Red Bull Air Race mechanics are The ailerons are assisted by ‘spades’ – the set-up has an enormous effect on the planes, so the rules regulate the global size of the
experienced at minimising drag. “There flat metal plates attached by lever-arms to handling of the plane, and just like a wingspan, which relates to the size of the plane. A good
are a few tricks,” says Vito, “such as closing their undersides, which reduce the force a racecar driver, a pilot wants to have his height would be between 175 and 182cm. I’m pretty much
up the gaps where the aileron is hinged, pilot needs to apply to effect a manoeuvre. plane behave the same at every race.” there. I’m 180, but I’m very short-legged and have a long
upper body. This doesn’t make it very comfortable.”
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10. BULLEVARD
ME AND MY BODY
YOSHI MUROYA
Flying with absolute precision under incredible pressure, coping with high G-forces,
reacting in a fraction of a second – it’s almost impossible for the human body. How does
the Japanese pilot cope? With a head for heights and a calm mental attitude…
NUTRITION
is really
“The catering here offers quite healthy food, which
comfortable for me. I’m eating everything and still I
always IN SHAPE
lose about 2kg during race week. I don’t know if it’s because “I like to keep in shape with running, and I like
of the food or the flying. But normally I don’t lose weight
easily. cycling and swimming and working out at the
What I avoid are sweets. White sugar is not good, because it gym. Three days, I stop exercising before
pushes your blood sugar up and down, and fortunately
I don’t the race, to relax my muscles. That’s how you
. For us gain maximum power. It’s only after the race,
like it in general. In Japan, nobody eats a lot of sweets
it’s weird to eat sweets after the main course.” when I get back home, that I do muscle training
with heavy weights. But not too much, otherwise
my muscles will grow too much.”
MEDITATION
“Zazen, that’s what I’m practising daily, usually in
the evening, before going to bed. I’m used to it, so
I can do it anytime, even after lunch. I sit down on the INJURIES
floor and meditate for about 10 to 15 minutes. And “I’ve never broken anything, but I have
I only need about 10 seconds to get into meditation two scars somewhere on my head.
mode. On Race Day, when I’m trying to calm down, And that is because of flying. When I
after about 10 minutes of Zazen I’m relaxed.” was a kid I was trying to fly. I climbed
up on a tree, spread my arms, jumped
and, well, it didn’t work out. I fell on my
COMFORT ZONE head. My hand simply wasn’t a wing.”
thoughts and questions
Photography: Hamish Blair/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race, Vladimir Rys/Getty Images for Red Bull Air Race; Illustration: Dietmar Kainrath
What I’d ask...
“When it comes down to race locations, I feel
most comfortable in Australia, because it’s the
same time zone. At all other races I suffer for
about three days when I’m adapting. I have never PAIN
been to Brazil. For me it’s the other side of the “My muscles are stiff from time to time, especially
world. My flight from Japan to Rio is 12, five and around the neck during race season. I’m trying to Normally it’s the pilots who answer questions. Here, we turn the tables. So what
12 hours long. I’m travelling from Japan to the get massages, but as we are travelling around does Michael Goulian want to ask and who would he like to get an answer from?
US and then from there to Brazil. If we went so much, it is hard to get a good masseur. So
straight, it would be a 24-hour flight. I’m not I exercise before I go to bed and I stretch a lot.” ... a pilot. What’s your viewpoint … the brazilian national
looking forward to the travelling, but I’m looking of the Red Bull Air Race? Should it football team. Do you feel
forward to the race and Brazil in general.” be as much of a technology race pressure from your country to win
as it is a pilot race? or do you play for yourself?
FAMILY ... my biggest fan. What is it … a hermit. Do you live this life
“My kids keep me busy. I don’t get a lot of that makes you a fan of Michael because it’s more peaceful than
HEALTH sleep when I’m at home. During the day I work at Goulian? Is it my values, is it the dealing with society?
“Normally I don’t drink alcohol. Maybe once the airport and I try to get back home early, at way I fly, is it because I am trying … my wife. Do you feel that
a week, after I’ve worked very hard, I have one beer – around six o’clock to spend time with the kids. At to win? And, what do you think I’m caring enough and that
maximum. Alcohol makes you lose yourself and then 10 o’clock, after they fall asleep, I go to the gym, of me as a person? I pay enough attention to you?
you can drink forever if you start drinking. So, the next work out for an hour, then I do office work and … paul bonhomme. What is … the race director. When
day you are just completely destroyed. The brain about five o’clock in the morning the kids wake up your secret for consistency? you see a certain pilot or pilots
works slowly and the more often you drink alcohol, and want to play. That’s my normal life at home.” …. my father. I’d ask him if he coming through the start gate,
the weaker your brain gets. I try not to drink at all.” was afraid when he was dying. do you worry and say: “God, just
He was sick with cancer. get it over with and hope he
… a homeless person. Are now more for the experience of it? they ended up where they are? doesn’t do anything stupid?”
OUTDOORS you motivated to make a better life … steve Jobbs, apple. How did … my neighbours. Do you … michael Jackson. Watching
“In winter I go snowboarding, but in summertime I’m FASHION for yourself or are you comfortable you create a culture of innovation, look at me as somebody you can the movie This Is It, I realised that
too busy flying. There are a lot of mountains around my “I really don’t care about fashion. It just with where you are in life? perfection and ingenuity within turn to in a time of crisis? you were in an entertainment
home city, Fukushima. I started snowboarding at the has to be comfortable, look good and … michael schumacher. a huge group of people? … a catwalk model. When league above anybody else. How
age of 20, and back in the day I was really good at it.” the girls should like it. That’s it.” Having been the man to beat for … god. Is everybody good in you are walking down the catwalk, was it that you made life so
so long and now coming back – do their soul? Are murderers and do you feel that you are in control difficult to the point where you
you have the same burning desire rapists really good and it’s just of the audience or is the audience unknowingly killed yourself,
to win at all costs or is the racing a matter of circumstances that controlling you? because of all your worries?
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