What is the Red Bull Air Race? Air Racing is a relatively new, high-performance aviation sport. During an Air Race, a pilot is required to fly between a series of inflatable gates in a predetermined sequence in the fastest possible time.
What date will the Red Bull Air Race be in Perth in 2008? The Red Bull Air Race will take place on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November 2008.
Where are the best viewing points? The best viewing point is at Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth (also known as the South Perth foreshore). There will be commentary, music and big screens to create a festive atmosphere. There will also be commentary on the north side of the river along Langley Park between Plain Street and Victoria Avenue.
Can I bring alcohol to the event? No, the Red Bull Air Race is an alcohol free event.
Will I be able to purchase food at the Air Race? Yes, there will be food and beverage vendors on site at Sir James Mitchell Park in South Perth and Riverside Drive on the north side of the river. The food vendors will be open on both Saturday 3 November and Sunday 4 November.
Will I need hearing protection whilst at the Air Race? No, the noise generated by the planes is not loud enough to warrant hearing protection.
Who invented the sport? The Air Race concept was created by Red Bull in conjunction with Hungarian pilot Peter Besenyei.
What types of planes are flown in the race? The planes flown in the Red Bull Air Race include the Edge 540, Extra 300S and Extra 300SHP. The Extra and the Edge are considered to be the best-suited aircraft for the Red Bull Air Race: they have an appealing mixture of precision, agility and acceleration.
How is the World Champion decided? Pilots receive ranking points during each race: the winner gets six points; second place receive five points, third four points, fourth three points; fifth two points and sixth one point. The pilot who finishes with the most ranking points at the end of the season will be crowned World Champion.
Are the Air Races always staged at air bases? The locations vary from country to country. Air Races are often staged at airstrips for obvious reasons, but they can also be staged over cities, over water and over areas of natural beauty. Sometimes the Air Race forms part of an established air show, on other occasions it is a stand-alone event.
What are the gates made from? The inflatable air gates consist of two pylons made from an ultra-light spinnaker material that rips if it is touched by a plane. The gates stand 20m high and 10 to 14m separates each pylon. If a plane hits a gate, then the pylon collapses immediately. It presents no danger to the pilot and can be inflated again in a matter of minutes. The Quadro is a gate made from four pylons.
How do pilots cross the gates? The pilots must cross the gates in different ways. They must cross at the correct height and also in a specified horizontal or vertical (knife-edge) way. Penalty seconds are added to the time if they do not perform a correct crossing.
Can a pilot be disqualified? A pilot can be disqualified for a number of reasons, all related to dangerous flying. For example, flying too low to the ground or touching a pylon with his propeller.
How can I find out more information about the Red Bull Air Race, the pilots and the rules? Visit the Red Bull Air Race official website at: www.redbullairrace.com