Haute Voltige Time Challenge
 
The Race

The "Haute Voltige Time Challenge" featured the world's finest stunt-pilots, selected among current or former World Aerobatic Champions (less than 10 years), as well as FAI World Grand Prix competitors.

Combining aerobatic figures with the challenges of a race against time, the "Haute Voltige Time Challenge" required skill, precision, iron nerves and, of course, clear judgment of the appropriate trajectory to be the fastest.
This was the ultimate aerobatic challenge, a thrilling sports competition designed to offer the stake, the suspense and the show.

Close to the audience but beyond safety distance, the course to be flown consisted of 11 gates and/or turning points in an area of approximately 600 meters large by 300 meters deep.
Each turning point was represented by a pylon 6m high with Haute Voltige banner 4mx50cm, and each gate is represented by two pylons placed at 20 meters apart (minimum). Positioned in such a way that the energy of the aircraft is never oriented towards the crowd.

Pilots had to fly one by one through these 11 control points in sequence, in any position they wished (normal, inverted, knife-edge), except when precised.
They had to select the most appropriate speed and the ideal trajectory to be the fastest while performing upright (gate 5) and inverted (gate 7) ribbon cuts, vertical rolls (after 6 and 7) and loops (9). 

There was no time penalty, but disqualification was applied for:

crossing the display line

missing a compulsory figure and not trying again

failing to fly through a gate and not trying again


failing to fly around the correct side of a pole and not trying again

The winner was the pilot flying the circuit in the shortest time. An International Jury monitored observance of the rules throughout the race.

 
Motegi 2003


The race was put on hold in 2003 after the crash of A. Krotov, then current vice World Aerobatic Champion, who miraculously survived.

 
 
 
 
 
 
© 1996-2018 Jean-Louis Monnet. All Rights Reserved