Kirby Chambliss

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kirby Chambliss
Kirby Chambliss at Langley Park in Perth
Red Bull Air Race World Series Record
Date of Birth October 18, 1959 (1959-10-18) (age 48)
Team Red Bull
Year of Début 2003
Country Flag of the United States United States
Best Position 1st (2004, 2006)
2006 Position 1st (38 points)
Plane Zivko Edge 540
Website www.chamblissaerobatics.com

Kirby Chambliss (born October 18, 1959 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is an American commercial pilot and a renowned world champion in aerobatics.

He was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.. As a youngster, Chambliss wanted to be a pilot. His father taught him skydiving, and he loved the steep spiral in the sky the pilot put the plane into when bringing the skydivers back to the ground. During his high school years, he fueled aircraft to earn extra money. By December 1979 at the age of 20, Chambliss debuted in solo flying after formal flight training, and earned his private license the following March. In the beginning, he earned his life as a certified flight instructor and then as a night freight pilot.

His later job as a business jet pilot enabled him in 1985 to take aerobatic flight training and to buy his own aerobatic plane. Winning top honors in his very first contest, Chambliss worked the way up to the elite "unlimited" level. In 1997, he became member and then captain of the US Aerobatic Team. He won four U.S. national championships and a number of medals at the world championships. He holds the title 2000 Men's Freestyle World Champion.

Chambliss racing in Perth, Western Australia
Chambliss racing in Perth, Western Australia

Chambliss enjoys performing in traditional airshows throughout the year when he is not training or competing. Since 2005, he takes part at the international aerobatic competition Red Bull Air Race World Series as a member of the Red Bull Team along with his team mate Hungarian Péter Besenyei. The champion of 2004, Chambliss finished the 2006 Series as the champion again with four wins of eight rounds on his Zivko Edge 540 aircraft. To stay in shape for enormous g-forces and exact timing, he trains three times a day and four days a week in the sky.

A pilot with more than 24,000 logged hours of flying, Kirby Chambliss, his wife and fellow pilot, Kellie and their baby Karly Nicole live in a house in Flying Crown Ranch, Arizona, USA, attached to his hangar.

Flag of the United States Kirby Chambliss
at the Red Bull Air Race World Series
Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Points Wins Rank
2003 Flag of Austria
DNP
Flag of Hungary
3rd
4 0 3rd
2004 Flag of the United Kingdom
1st
Flag of Hungary
1st
Flag of the United States
2nd
17 2 1st
2005 Flag of the United Arab Emirates
9th
Flag of the Netherlands
4th
Flag of Austria
4th
Flag of Ireland
DNS
Flag of the United Kingdom
2nd
Flag of Hungary
2nd
Flag of the United States
2nd
21 0 3rd
2006 Flag of the United Arab Emirates
1st
Flag of Spain
3rd
Flag of Germany
1st
Flag of Russia
CAN
Flag of Turkey
1st
Flag of Hungary
5th
Flag of the United Kingdom
3rd
Flag of the United States
1st
Flag of Australia
3rd
38 4 1st
2007 Flag of the United Arab Emirates
4th
Flag of Brazil
6th
Flag of the United States
4th
Flag of Turkey
3rd
Flag of Spain
CAN
Flag of Switzerland
5th
Flag of the United Kingdom
5th
Flag of Hungary
2nd
Flag of Portugal
5th
Flag of the United States
2nd
Flag of Mexico
CAN
Flag of Australia
6th
28 0 4th
2008 Flag of the United Arab Emirates
5th
Flag of the United States
3rd
Flag of the United States
1st
Flag of Sweden
Flag of the Netherlands
Flag of the United Kingdom
Flag of Hungary
Flag of Portugal
Flag of Spain
Flag of Australia
12 0 4th
Total 130 6 3rd

Legend:

  • CAN: Cancelled
  • DNP: Did not participate
  • DNS: Did not show
  • NC: Not classified

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[edit] References

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Péter Besenyei
Red Bull Air Race World Series Champion
2004
Succeeded by
Mike Mangold
Preceded by
Mike Mangold
Red Bull Air Race World Series Champion
2006
Succeeded by
Mike Mangold