Photo: Simon Pukl | Lukson.com
What is RBAR
The Red Bull Air Race is a relatively new, high performance motor sport. During an Air Race, a pilot is required to race through inflatable ’Air Gates’ laid out to form a slalom course in the sky.
The objective is to navigate the track in the fastest possible time while
incurring as few penalty points as possible. It is a competition where precision and skill are crucial to success. As well as requiring full mental concentration, the pilots are also being pushed to their physical limits, manoeuvering their aircraft at speeds of up to 400 kph (even in the tightest curves they’re still flying at 200 kph) and withstanding gravitational forces that can reach 10G.
Race Track & Competition
The race track is approximately 1.4 kilometres in length and consists of a series of inflatable pylons known as ‘Air Gates’ (Each inflatable pylon is 19m high, with a gap of 10-14m between the posts. A plane’s wingspan is approximately 8m).
click here to view protocol panoramaPilots must fly through a predetermined aerial race track in each session. They must pass between the parallel air gates in a predetermined order and way, making either a horizontal crossing, also known as a level crossing (gates marked in blue) or a vertical crossing, also known as a knife-edge crossing (gates marked in red). Pilots must fly through a slalom gate (marked in red), which is an Air Gate consisting of three single pylons, with the choice to fly narrow or wide through it. Failure to complete any of the above maneuvers correctly results in penalty seconds being added to their race time. For more serious breaches of the rules, pilots can also be disqualified (for example: flying too low, crossing a flight line, flying into clouds, deviation from the prescribed course, touching a gate,..). Pilots fly individually against the clock and compete in knockout rounds with the two fastest pilots going head to head in the final.
Aircraft
Air Race aircraft have to be extremely stable. During a steep turn, both pilot and plane are subjected to forces which can reach up to 10G, meaning they are ten times their normal weight. In principle, the plane should also be as lightweight as possible, and not just because of the high G-forces.
click here to view Corniche road panoramaModern aircraft seldom weigh more than 600 kilos because they are constructed using extremely light but very stiff composite materials, such as carbon fibre. Their light weight combined with a highly efficient steering system results in an agility that normal aircraft, even modern fighter jets, cannot begin to match.
click here to view Hangar 1 panorama
click here to view Hangar 2 panoramaAmong the few aircraft that are suitable for racing, there are differences in engine power and flying performance that can have an important influence on the pilot’s chances of winning. The Zivko Edge 540 is currently considered the best: with a top speed of 426 kph and weight of only 530 kg, it can withstand forces of up to 15G. This is the plane favoured by many of the pilots including 2006 Red Bull Air Race World Champion, Kirby Chambliss.
click here to view Runway 1 panorama
click here to view Runway 2 panoramaSafety and Emergency Plans
Comprehensive safety measures are put in place at all Air Races to minimize any chances of an accident. To this end, the pilots that qualify for the World Series must meet strict entry criteria that prove they are amongst the best race pilots flying today.
If an accident should happen during a Race, an emergency plan is put into operation immediately with a rescue team ready to assist and local hospitals put on alert. An ambulance team is in attendance at each Air Race, equipped with the finest rescue equipment, while a helicopter is seconded to provide emergency transport to hospitals.
The Air Race World Series is supervised by the FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale), an organization committed to promoting physical and moral qualities, technical knowledge and skills, is the official supervisor of the safety aspects of the RBAR.
10 Locations over the Globe
The 2007 World Series was held on four continents and visits carefully selected exciting locations around the globe. The Air Race is a crowd-puller. In 2006, over six million spectators attended the eight races of the series. Barcelona and Istanbul each drew crowds over 1 million – and exceeded all expectations.
Links:
Red Bull Air Race Abu Dhabi 2007 web site
Simon Pukl's web site Lukson.com
Related articles in this issue:
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Previous articles about Simon Pukl:
REDBULL XFIGHTERS MADRID 2006
NEBESA, HEAVEN IN SLOVENIA
EARTH TEMPLES, MATJAŽ KRIVIC’S PORTRAIT AND NOMADIC LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
