Red Bull cancels air races worldwide

[bmc]

Red Bull Air Race has announced that it is canceling its races worldwide for 2011, including the only Canadian stop.

The organization said Thursday on its website that it will use the time to fast-track technology to improve safety during the races, which involve high-speed flight manoeuvres through an obstacle course of large inflated pylons.

Windsor, Ont., was due to host the race in 2011, after holding successful events in both 2009 and 2010.

The small single-seater planes reach maximum speeds of close to 400 kilometres per hour, subjecting pilots to severe G-forces.

In April, a pilot from Brazil hit the water in Perth, Australia, but escaped with only minor injuries.

Extreme G-forces in the turns can make a pilot feel 10 times heavier than normal.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/story/ ... 00729.html

[Snowy]

They always put a good show on in Windsor, so it will certainly be missed in 2011.

2012 should bring some exciting races though!

[Hedley]

Deleted.

[OceansEdge]

Reading the announcement on Matt Hall's website - the buzzwords all sound like there's a lot more going on then they want to say

http://matthallracing.com/archives/1943

The organization will use this opportunity to fast track the technological advancements currently in the making which would further improve the already high levels of safety.

There is a need to revise the main organization and commercial areas to realize the full potential of the sport including the development and reinforcement of strong host city partnerships which would secure a long term race calendar.

[Heliian]

That's very odd that they would cancel the races like that. It's a great show that they put on and I don't think it would be any less great if they reined in the limits a little to make it safer. Now, if you let them all race the course at the same time and use solid pylons, that would make it waaay more interesting

[Hedley]

Deleted.

[mag check]

Safety isn't the reason for cancelling the rest of the year, new red tape for the next few races caused the cancellation.

[Hedley]

Deleted.

[mag check]

No one cares that MX aircraft is pulling out(certainly not Red bull), only a few guys fly them anyway. Most run the Edge 540, and if MX is out, then the rest will switch over to the Edge, or the new Extra 330 LT.
With the state of finances in Hungary, and Portugal, let's just say there was some "creative" new red tape, and fees that they required to race there, and Red Bull wasn't going to do it.
Better to cancel, and find other countries for next year than to give in to their new "fee schedule".

[cdnpilot77]

I had the pleasure of spending the weekend in the High Flyers Lounge for the entire weekend of the 2009 races in Windsor. Subsequently, my wife and I were fortunate enough to share a table for that weekend with Chris and some of the MX people. He was nothing short of exceptionally professional and very personable, so for him to release this statement with such obvious disdain for the RBAR conglomerate goes a long way in speak of the series.

It is spectacular entertainment, but safety should always be paramount and if they are playing with the lives of those pilots, which is the entire reason the series exists, and not holding that responsibility with the highest regard, then they should absolutly NOT be operating!

[OceansEdge]

Ah well ... there's always Reno

[Highflyinpilot]

Other than the obvious fact that they are flying that close to the water and at those speeds, what else is unsafe about it??

It is an apparent risk these pilots take, they know about it and they accept it.

obviously there is something more to this.

[mag check]

obviously there is something more to this.

Yes there is, as I said:

With the state of finances in Hungary, and Portugal, let's just say there was some "creative" new red tape, and fees that they required to race there, and Red Bull wasn't going to do it.
Better to cancel, and find other countries for next year than to give in to their new "fee schedule".

[Highflyinpilot]

It cant be the only reason!!! Cancel a whole sason for increased fees, Im sure they'd make it back in revenues.

[jeta1]

.

[Highflyinpilot]

he is probably saying something along the lines of " hhmmmm, I guess im not racing next year"

[Fredster]

Interesting to learn

I always enjoyed watching the air races

Possibly mx will be back if rules and organisation changes for the better

Only downside is the intense air polllution tho (as with most races mind you)

[. ._]

That's too bad. They're super cool.

[fleet16b]

Personally I am not an big Air Race fan and find it just as boring as watching NASCAR however I have friends that are involved in air racing.
I am told that the RBAR are not actually races but a staged event where all the pilots are hired by Red Bull and all take turns being the "winner".
Gues it doesn't really matter as long as people get entertainment out of it.

Can anybody confirm this ?

[Brewguy]

....... Im sure they'd make it back in revenues.

Uh, okay, sure. I highly doubt this thing pays for itself as it is.

Do you have any concept of how expensive it is to run just an ordinary air show? Well if you do, add a few zeroes to the end. This traveling road show of theirs must cost an absolute bloody fortune to put on.

The revenue they get directly from the event (ticket sales, selling broadcasting / advertising, etc) wouldn't even scratch the surface. The rest is surely advertising budget from Red Bull - and that's a hell of a lot of energy drink to have to sell. I'm sure this events remaining days / years are numbered as it is. The marketing people will eventually crunch the numbers and get the result that tells them 'this has been done to death', and they'll move onto other 'extreme' events to flog their brand. Maybe something like surfers jumping sharks.

[oldyellr]

Thought I'd look here first for the answer, but I don't see anything. Yes, there's lots of stuff I can find out from Google News, stuff about "safety", blah, blah, blah. But what's the scuttlebutt? Anybody here closse to the aerobatic scene care to share?

[Jerz]

The official statement is as always PR BS. Look at the history of the Red Bull Racing and it becomes quite obvious. Who are the old hands of Red Bull? How old are they? Do they have hair? If so, what colour is it? Are they safe? Do they sale Red Bull vodkas to teenagers? Who does? Are these guys safe? It is marketing, not a rocket sience...

[oldyellr]

You make some interesting observations, Jerz. I guess I would liken the Red Bull air races to unlimited hydroplane racing or America's Cup yacht racing; i.e., for the rich and famous and adventurous. However, it's a fantastic spectacle for the Great Unwashed, and you don't even have to spend an arm and a leg to watch if it's in your area. Not sure who the target market for Red Bull are, but at age 69 I've never tried it, nor am I even curious. . I would expect it's yuppies who want to put in 12 hours at the office, then 12 hours clubbing.

However, I was thinking more in the terms of Formula One racing. That's run by a billionaire who charges each participating country tens of millions of dollars to participate. Since Red Bull runs one of the more successful F1 teams, I'm sure this goldmine has not gone unnoticed by them. I'm curious how the Red Bull air races have been run up until now. Did Detroit or Windsor have to pony up $30,000,000 to host the races? Maybe Red Bull is realizing they're missing out on a huge source of revenue and are using "safety" as an excuse to reevaluate their position. I can see the Windsor losing the races to a higher bidder. China?

[Big Pistons Forever]

....... Im sure they'd make it back in revenues.

Uh, okay, sure. I highly doubt this thing pays for itself as it is.

Do you have any concept of how expensive it is to run just an ordinary air show? Well if you do, add a few zeroes to the end. This traveling road show of theirs must cost an absolute bloody fortune to put on.

The revenue they get directly from the event (ticket sales, selling broadcasting / advertising, etc) wouldn't even scratch the surface. The rest is surely advertising budget from Red Bull - and that's a hell of a lot of energy drink to have to sell. I'm sure this events remaining days / years are numbered as it is. The marketing people will eventually crunch the numbers and get the result that tells them 'this has been done to death', and they'll move onto other 'extreme' events to flog their brand. Maybe something like surfers jumping sharks.

I think you are absolutely right. The Red Bull team have figured out that the Air Race thing is done and the target audience needs a new thrill. I would be amazed if the races come back in 2012.

[AEROMONKEY]

Anyone have any idea on how much a RBAR pilot makes?