Red Bull Rising

However, behind the scenes the reality was most definitely a different matter. At the time reasons given by organisers were that the race was on hold to “fast track the technological advancements currently in the making to improve the already high levels of safety” and to “revise the main organisation and commercial areas”. And seemingly this is just what Red Bull has been doing.

In a commercial sense RBAR has regrouped and addressed such matters as filling foreshores with massive crowds but receiving very little income from ticketed sales. Strong relationships with the host cities have been developed to offer a long-termrace calendar. Organisationally, 2014 will see the inaugural Challenger Cup that will introduce a new generation of pilots to the race circuit in a less intense format, allowing them to step up to the next level of RBAR at a future date.

On the track, the changes will be imperceptible to the audience but make a significant difference to the pilots. The pylons will be five metres higher and while that might not sound a great deal, low down at high speed it offers another layer of safety. Similarly, the high-G 270-degree ‘quattro’ turn through a set of four pylons has been eliminated due to the risk of G-LOC (G-induced loss of consciousness). Furthermore, to reduce soft tissue damage and ‘wear and tear’ on the pilots, turns are now limited to 10Gson entry. For the crowds the action will be just as spectacular while offering a little more breathing space for the pilots.

In terms of the aircraft, 2014 sees the playing field of performance levelled like never before. The aeroplanes will all carry the standardised race-tuned Lycoming Thunderbolt 300hp (224kW) engine with a standard propeller. The ability to ‘work’ and modify an engine in development will be replaced by a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Consequently, the skill of the pilot will outweigh the ability to finance engine development as a determining factor. The transition to standard engines will also call for teams to carefully balance the airframe-powerplant combination to maintain it within the weight limitations.

These changes in organisational structure and operational aspects have all taken time. Following the meteoric rise in popularity following its launch, the Red Bull Air Race needed to pause and take stock before the growth came crashing down either financially or literally. Since 2010 organisers have made changes as a business and sought to enhance the safety margins without compromising the spectacle. And all the while Matt Hall and his fellow race pilots lay in wait.

Back on the circuit

For Matt and his race team the Red Bull Air Race was always on the horizon. Even though he grew a diverse aviation business over the intervening three years, the RBAR was always central to his plans. Amidst the air displays, corporate events, book launches and adventureflights, Matt remained committed to returning to air racing on the Red Bull circuit.

When the whispers of the race’s return became fact, he was fit, willing and ready to go. In June 2013 a secret camp was held in Slovenia to renew the race pilots’ RBAR ‘Super Licences’ and refamiliarise them with the demands of the racetrack. Nigel Lamb kindly loaned Matt his MXS race aircraft to requalify and soon he was back in Australia and making ready for 2014.

The first order of the day was to ‘unmodify’ his MXS-R aircraft to comply with the new standardised requirements for race aeroplanes. It was a task that was more simply said than done as Matt and his team carefully stripped back the layers. Ultimately the MXS stood on the hangar floor, a bare fuselage, skin, flight controls, a pair of wings and little more. There was no engine, fuel system, plumbing or avionics and a total rebuild was the net result. A new engine was fitted and his propeller was overhauled to the required specifications. Consequently his trusty MXS is in effect a brand new aeroplane, flying faster and handling better than ever before.

Personally, Matt has maintained his disciplined fitness regime in order to meet the demands of his high profile aerobatic displays. One need only visit YouTube and watch footage of Matt conducting his display at Avalon to appreciate the loads upon his body and the extreme energy exerted. This ongoing commitment has meant that when Red Bull was finally ready to race again, so was he.

As is frequently the case with Australians on the international sporting stage, Matt’s team is up against some heavily sponsored heavy hitters. What his team has achieved in the humble hangar at Maitland Airport is nothing short of incredible and his major sponsor Massel has remained steadfast and loyal. However, as Red Bull Air Race teams move more towards the ‘team ownership’ model of Formula One Racing, one wonders what Matt Hall Racing could achieve with the backing of a sponsor at a global level. Such an arrangement would really level the playing field even further for the former RAAF fighter pilot and his team.

Off and racing

Between February and November the Red Bull Air Race will cross the globe with seven races set to spectacular backdrops. From Abu Dhabi to Ascot and Las Vegas to the People’s Republic of China, the world will see the 12 pilots challenge each other in eight races over a range of varied courses. Perth does not feature on this year’s calendar, but that is not to say that it, or another Australian city, is not on the Red Bull Air Race radar as a future venue.

The race is set to re-establish itself in 2014 and keen eyes will be upon both the competition on the track and the viability of the new and improved format. The standardisation of the aeroplane’s powerplant is set to place an even higher level of emphasis upon the pilot’s skills. Similarly, any fluctuations in technical performance will now most likely stem from aerodynamic rather than engine-based causes. Pilots and their teams will need to adjust their head-space to this wealth of changes, but ultimately these changes seemed to be for the better.

If anything, the new format will suit the hands and feet of Matt Hall and the skill-sets of his Maitland hangar magicians. Their team is a grassroots operation in the truest Australian fashion, striving to compete on the world stage. When the governing rules are set at a standard level, the strengths of the individual can come to the fore. Hopefully for Matt Hall this will prove to be the case and 2014 will be a year to remember.

Red Bull rising

For many, RBAR 2014 has been a long time coming. For those set to compete the wait has undoubtedly been more difficult and tantalisingly close for too long. Now the build-up is nearing its end and race time is upon us with a level of excitement that is tangible in aviation circles. For Matt Hall it is a chance to pick up where he left off – as a genuine contender for the World Championship.

As the lone Australian on this global stage, he proudly wears our flag on his shoulder. We should all be proud of how his team has approached the challenge and support them from the first start in Abu Dhabi in all the ways that we can in this social-media connected world. While the RBAR had faded from most people’s awareness, it had always remained at the forefront of Matt’s priorities. Now is the time to regroup and cheer for him against the best in the world.

Yes it has been three years, but there is a sense that it has been worth the wait. The spectacle that is the Red Bull Air Race is something to behold and split-second finishes and torn pylons are set to excite crowds and viewers around the world once again. Like Formula One motor racing, it is an environment where the slightest over-correction or misjudgement is all that is needed to fall from the leader board. Here those errors can occur in three dimensions.

The teams are now set and their aircraft at the ready. The pilots are primed and awaiting the start. Now the hype, the talk and the technicalities are finished with and it is time to race. The Red Bull Air Race is rising once again and Matt Hall is ready to fly.