Dream becomes reality
LONDON, Great Britain - The dream finally became reality for the four new pilots who made their race debut at the inaugural round of the 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Abu Dhabi in April with two of the newcomers securing all-important championship points. As they prepare to shake things up further in San Diego this weekend all eyes will be watching to see if it was a case of beginner’s luck... or if these new guys mean business.
The new recruits certainly made their presence felt among the more experienced competitors last month. With soaring temperatures of up to almost 40 degrees C and new G-race suits to get used to, the rookie pilots had plenty to contend with aside from the pressure of performing well in the track. With crowds lining the sandy shores of the Corniche on 17-18 April, the four new faces came under great scrutiny as they showed the world just what they are capable of. Despite flying a bevy of stock Edges and MXS-R race planes these pilots were able to rise to the challenge to battle it out against the increasingly modified range of competitor machines. Taking home 8 points between them, and earning utmost respect from their veteran colleagues for safe yet dynamic flying, hopes are high for the San Diego round this weekend 10/11 May as the newcomers prove they are a force to be reckoned with.
Matt Hall (Australia)
Australian former F-18 pilot Matt Hall stole the show in Abu Dhabi as he consistently wowed in training sessions and automatically earned a place in the Top 12 round and moved effortlessly into the Super 8s. Clearly posing a threat to many of the midfield contenders, Hall even had the top dogs on guard after sparkling clean runs and extremely smooth flying.
“I’m not trying to ruffle feathers,” said a surprised Hall ahead of the Super 8 session. “I’m just trying to do well and be safe, we’re about down to minimum weight with the MXS-R – and have done nothing to it – so it’s testament to MX Aircraft. I’m not getting much help from the other pilots now and they’ve all started offering me cake at lunch!”
Hall made air race history as the first ever pilot to score so highly in their debut race, coming 5th overall. Collecting 7 points in Abu Dhabi, Hall sits at 5th place in the Championship table below Britain’s Nigel Lamb but ahead of former World Champions Mike Mangold and Kirby Chambliss. Hall’s coach and mentor, former race pilot Steve Jones was understandably over the moon with the result. “The new pilots bring a breath of fresh air to the competition and they are so laid back. They are the future.”
Matthias Dolderer (Germany)
Another satisfied rookie was Germany’s Matthias Dolderer, who left the UAE with his first championship point for an 11th place finish. On race day he put in a convincing run to get him through to the Top 12 session earning him the chance to fight for a place in the Super 8s but missed out as the more experienced pilots quickly outpaced the German rookie.
“I’m still learning a lot and we need to do a lot of work on the aeroplane which is 20kg heavier than Matt Hall’s MXS-R. That’s a huge difference when you’re pulling 10G,” said Dolderer. “Everything is absolutely standard except the wingtips. We know where the improvements need to be made so we just need to get the money from somewhere!”
Yoshi Muroya (Japan)
Yoshi Muroya, also flying an Edge 540, had a productive and skill-sharpening series of flights in Abu Dhabi but failed to score any points. Cool, calm and always collected – even after he was given the call to “knock it off” after a pylon on the Quadro deflated during one of his Qualification flights – Muroya was able to look forward to the next session with a positive attitude.
The Japanese pilot has been refining his technique at home ahead of the San Diego round –– he’s been practising in his alternative plane, simulating a race track environment using visual references as virtual pylons. “Maybe I need to buy some real ones!” he joked. “I’ve practised the precision manoeuvres that I’m having trouble with. I’m working on getting more consistent in the track.”
Pete Mcleod (Canada)
Credit also goes to Pete McLeod, 25, who demonstrated great maturity despite being the youngest pilot in the field. Flying beautifully in training and Qualifying, the Canadian rookie managed to post some respectable times despite having a particularly slow Edge 540. The Abu Dhabi dream was shattered for McLeod however in the Wild Card session when he surprised everyone by touching a gate early on in his run, causing some of the pylon’s fabric to catch on his wing and resulting in him vacating the track for safety reasons. He’ll be trying to avoid making the same mistake this weekend.
“It’s difficult to pinpoint only one thing I learned in my first race because it was a nonstop learning experience,” says McLeod, philosophical after the disappointing result. “My pylon hit on race day was a good experience for me, not the hit itself but the factors contributing to it.”
Taking part in his first ever race lived up to McLeod’s expectations and he admits it’s “the coolest thing I’ve ever done” and is looking forward to San Diego. Taking advice from his dad, who is also a pilot, McLeod will aim to continue to fly smoothly in the second round of the championship and seek out the fastest race lines.
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