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Hannes Arch of Austria turned the Red Bull Air Race World Championship upside down in his second season, becoming the first European to win the title and a national hero in his native Austria. With his background in adventure sports such as mountain climbing, hang-gliding and B.A.S.E. jumping, Arch showed that the right focus and fitness along with innovative techniques and technology is the modern formula for success in the Red Bull Air Race. Shattering the notion that decades of experience flying military or commercial jets was the way to the top, Arch jumped all the way from 10th place in the overall standings in his rookie season to the precision race’s pinnacle in 2008. By far the most consistent pilot last year, Arch showed he had nerves of steel in high-pressure conditions; he finished with two victories and seven podiums – and the only time he failed to make the top three he ended up a solid 4th.

“Trying to defend my title is going to be harder than it was getting to the top,” Arch said. “It was completely unexpected for me to win the championship in my second season. It was also exhausting. My goal was to get up to the middle of the field. Everything just fell into place. My team played a very big role, especially my technician Vito (Wypraechtiger). He made sure my aircraft was in top shape all the time. I’m looking forward to defending the championship.”

The affable Austrian said his personal highlight of 2008 was winning the first race of his career in Budapest. His smashing victory in the next race in Porto two weeks later put him into the championship lead for the first time in his career, ahead of his rival and mentor Paul Bonhomme of Britain. Clinching the title in Perth in Qualifying was another highlight of the season, putting an extra swagger in the supremely self-confident Austrian’s stride. But Arch, who has been a race pioneer with high-tech modifications to his plane and a rigorous fitness regime, warned that the competition will be even tougher in 2009. He and his team have been working hard to improve his plane further. “We’ve done lots of modifications,“ said Arch, whose success last year was not limited to flying and his Red Bull Air Race rivals could not help but notice the crowds of female fans regularly hanging around his hangar at locations around the world.

“I started my fitness programme in January and we’ve built up a strong team so I can focus on the racing.” He plans to remain based in Salzburg - “because it’s got the best infrastructure and it’s close to my home”.  Arch, whose rapid rise to the top has given four rookies in 2009 hope that they could soon figure in the title hunt, expects to see a five-way battle for the 2009 championship. He believes perennial favourites Bonhomme and American Kirby Chambliss – who finished 2nd and 3rd last year – will be nipping at his heels. But he also expects Britain’s Nigel Lamb (7th in 2008) in his ever-improving MXS-R and France’s Nicolas Ivanoff (9th last year) to rise up to challenge his supremacy as well.

Arch started hang-gliding at the age of 16 after years of competitive skiing. He progressed to paragliding, working as a test pilot and making thousands of paragliding flights around the world. The next step was B.A.S.E jumping; he made hundreds of leaps off cliffs plunging at speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour. He once climbed the west ridge of the Eiger mountain and jumped off the north face. He flew his Edge 540 underneath the Mozart pedestrian bridge in Salzburg in front of 10,000 spectators, just a few metres above the Salzach River. Arch is also a professional helicopter pilot. In 2005 he was the Red Bull Air Race’s Aviation Manager and Race Director before switching over to compete.

Flying achievements
2008: Red Bull Air Race World Champion
2006: Freestyle Aerobatics European Champion (Unlimited)