RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Bringing new talent to the Red Bull Air Race is essential to the development of the sport and for introducing new technical developments into the mix. French pilot Nicolas Ivanoff has already shown that he wants to take his team to new heights with the ambitious overhaul of his Edge 540 in the off-season. To compliment this commitment to pushing the boundaries, Ivanoff has also overhauled his team and is working with a new technician for the 2010 season.
Bringing on board Swiss aircraft engineer, Martin Barth, Ivanoff has really tightened up his race team set-up this year. With an impressive CV behind him, Barth has an array of relevant maintenance licences placing him high up among the ranks of the race techs. He does admit however, that he is on a steep learning curve with the Red Bull Air Race and is humble enough to know that the new role is unlike any other he knows.
“It’s true I have lots of experience working on everything from 747 airliners to small single seat aerobatic planes but there are many technicians here who have much more experience on race planes,” says the Swiss tech, who usually works from a small airfield in Hausen, close to Zurich. “Perth was the first race I did on my own and it definitely takes experience to learn all the special race technical rules. It’s not impossible but it takes time.”
KEEPING THE BALANCE
Working alongside long-time team coodinator Jean-Paul Kieffer, Barth provides the perfect antidote to ‘aerial artist’ Ivanoff. Often emotionally charged, the French pilot is complemented for his instinctive flying style but struggles to be consistent from one race to another. Barth could be the voice of reason the team needs to achieve consistency in the championship.
“He’s really thorough and knowledgeable about the regulations and rules because he has so much experience. He is also really organised,” explains Kieffer, who perhaps sits somewhere in the middle of the impulsive Ivanoff and measured Barth. “The other thing we really liked about him is his calm and considered nature. If we are too close to the race and Nicolas wants to change something, he will say ‘let’s wait and not do this as a last minute thing, I need two hours to do this properly’. He knows exactly what he is doing. This is also very helpful in keeping things calm and we know the plane is ready to fly. He is very professional.”
PRIORITIES
Barth is an interesting character – he doesn’t own a TV, loves flying remote controlled aircraft as a hobby and despite the huge global reach of the Red Bull Air Race, he only heard about it a few months before he joined the team. This simplistic approach to life could be just what the unpredictable Ivanoff needs to keep him focused on the flying. Barth’s quiet disposition and self-assured presence is certainly a calming influence in the bright orange hangar at the Race Airport. Even when the pressure is mounting, Barth says he believes staying level-headed is the way forward.
“You have to remember the priorities, especially on race day,” he states, matter-of-factly. “Fuel, smoke oil that kind of thing. It’s not about making big changes. That’s probably the challenge, especially if the team is nervous. I joined this team and so yes, of course I have these feelings about winning but I need to rise above this and always put safety first.”
CONTRASTING PERSONALITIES
When it comes down to it though, Barth knows that the pilot is the one out there in the track and ultimately the technical direction must come from him. That’s not to say there won’t be some tense moments in the hangar if they disagree.
“Sometimes it’s possible that Nicolas can bring me out of my balance!” he jokes, admitting that like in any team the natural harmony takes time to settle. “But most of the time I am calm. In this business I have seen a lot of accidents and you can either become hard-skinned or leave the industry. I think of Nicolas as my customer – he tells me what he wants to achieve and I try to make it happen. He is the one flying the plane so he knows how it feels.”
Follow all the action on the Red Bull Air Race Live Blog.
Comments
Add a comment