Paul Bonhomme
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| Paul Bonhomme | |
| Red Bull Air Race World Series Record | |
| Date of Birth | September 22, 1964 |
| Team | Matador |
| Year of Début | 2003 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Best Position | 2nd (2007) |
| 2006 Position | 4th (26 points) |
| Plane | Zivko Edge 540 |
| Website | www.airracepilot.co.uk |
Paul Bonhomme (born September 22, 1964) is an English aerobatics and commercial airliner pilot.
Bonhomme was born into an aviator family. His father was an airline pilot and his mother worked as a flight attendant. His brother is a commercial pilot.
Bonhomme's flying career started in 1980 at White Waltham Airfield as a general dogsbody by cleaning hangars, polishing aircraft and refuelling aircraft.
At age 18 he gained his Private Pilot License and subsequently became a flight instructor. In 1985 he became an air taxi pilot and in 1987 joined Air Cymru, a Welsh charter airline, flying the Boeing 737.
His aerobatics career started in 1986, flying an Ultimate Pitts. He went on to fly the Yak-50, Extra 300 and then the Sukhoi Su-26 in 1991. He has flown over 500 public displays and also flies vintage fighters for "The Fighter Collection" at Duxford Aerodrome.
Aircraft types Bonhomme has flown include the Supermarine Spitfire (MkV, MkIX, MkIXT and Mk14), Hawker Hurricane, P-40 Kittyhawk, F4F Wildcat, F6F Hellcat, F8F Bearcat, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-63 Kingcobra, P-51 Mustang and AD-4 Skyraider.
Since 1994 he has been flying formation displays around the world with his colleague Steve Jones in "The Matadors" team. The team won three gold medals and one silver medal in the FAI series. He has competed in the Red Bull Air Race World Series since 2003.
Bonhomme enjoys also on-road and off-road motorcycling, mountain biking and playing golf.
| Paul Bonhomme at the Red Bull Air Race World Series |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Points | Wins | Rank |
| 2003 |  3rd |
 DNS |
0 | 0 | NC | ||||||||||
| 2004 | 6th |
7th |
 6th |
2 | 0 | 8th | |||||||||
| 2005 |  6th |
 7th |
3rd |
 3rd |
5th |
3rd |
5th |
17 | 0 | 5th | |||||
| 2006 | 7th |
 8th |
 6th |
 CAN |
 2nd |
2nd |
1st |
3rd |
 2nd |
26 | 1 | 4th | |||
| 2007 | 3rd |
 1st |
2nd |
2nd |
CAN |
 1st |
2nd |
3rd |
 3rd |
1st |
 CAN |
5th |
47 | 3 | 2nd |
| 2008 | 1st |
1st |
2nd |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
18 | 2 | 1st | ||
| Total | 110 | 6 | 4th | ||||||||||||
Legend:
- CAN: Cancelled
- DNP: Did not participate
- DNS: Did not show
- DQ: Disqualified
- NC: Not classified
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Home Page of Paul Bonhomme
- Channel 4
- Aerobatic displays
- Red Bull Air Race World Series official website
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