Kirby Chambliss

Kirby Chambliss
Kirby Chambliss 2017 in Porto
Surname	Kirby Chambliss
Born	October 18, 1959 in Corpus Christi , Texas
Red Bull Air Race World Championship
Racing team	Team Chambliss
plane	Edge 540 V3
Placements / titles
champion	2004, 2006
Placement (year)	03rd (2003) 01st (2004) 03rd (2005) 01st (2006) 04th (2007) 04th (2008) 04th (2009) 04th (2010) 10th (2014) 11th (2015) 08. (2016) 04. (2017) 06. (2018)

Kirby Chambliss (born October 18, 1959 in Corpus Christi , Texas ) is an American aerobatic pilot and one of the participants in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship .

Career

Beginnings

At the age of 13, Chambliss was allowed to control the control stick of his father's self-made airplane. However, his official training did not begin until 1979 and ended in March of the following year with the acquisition of the private pilot's license. While in high school, Chambliss made money as a night freight pilot. He subsequently embarked on a professional career as a pilot and worked as a flight instructor and cargo pilot. He became Southwest Airlines' youngest pilot at 24 and captain at 28.

Chambliss is married to the former pilot Kellie and lives with her and daughter Karly on the "Flying Crown Ranch" in Arizona.

Competitive aerobatics

When he had to acquire an aerobatic license for a job as a pilot of a business jet , he discovered his interest in the sport and as a result acquired his first own aerobatic plane in the form of a Pitts S2A in 1985 .

In total, Chambliss won five US titles in the "Unlimited Level" category. In 2000 he became freestyle world champion, one of a total of 13 world championship medals. In addition to his international championship titles, the admission to participation in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship is a clear indication that Kirby Chambliss is one of the world's best in his sport.

Greatest sporting success

Kirby Chambliss in his Edge 540 in Perth 2006

Edge 540 V3 from Kirby Chambliss at the Red Bull Air Race 2017 in Chiba - N14KN

• Freestyle World Champion 2000
• USA champions 1998 and 2002–2005
• Vice World Champion 2003
• Red Bull Air Race overall winner in 2004 and 2006

Red Bull Air Race

With two world championship wins and eight race wins, Kirby Chambliss is one of the most consistent and successful pilots in the history of the Red Bull Air Race. The American veteran has been a consistently competitive force in air sports throughout his career and has made it onto the podium eleven times in twelve seasons since 2003 - only missing the top three in 2014.

In 2015 and 2016, Chambliss found its way back to its old strength and was able to celebrate another victory in 2017 after nine years and also dream of his third world title. The American won two races, but poor results in the other races thwarted his plans.

Kirby Chambliss at the Red Bull Air Race World Championship
year	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	Points	Victories	rank
2003	DNP	3.											4th	0	3.
2004	1.	1.	2.										17th	2	1.
2005	9.	4th	4th	DNS	2.	2.	2.						21st	0	3.
2006	1.	3.	1.	CAN	1.	5.	3.	1.	3.				38	4th	1.
2007	4th	6th	4th	3.	CAN	5.	5.	2.	5.	2.	CAN	6th	28	0	4th
2008	5.	3.	1.	CAN	4th	1.	12.	2.	CAN	8th.			46	2	4th
2009	9.	12.	3.	3.	8th.	5.							34	0	4th
2010	6th	8th.	5.	3.	3.	6th	CAN	CAN					41	0	4th
The series was suspended between 2011 and 2013
2014	11.	10.	9.	4th	10.	10.	11.	7th					7th	0	10.
2015	DNS	7th	11.	10.	12.	3.	11.	12.					9	0	11.
2016	4th	6th	3.	4th	9.	8th.	14th	CAN					30.25	0	8th.
2017	11.	4th	8th.	1.	1.	4th	6th	10.					53	2	4th
2018	3.	12.	13.	10.	3.	8th.	8th.	3.					34	0	6th
2019	8th.												11	0	8th.

(Legend: CAN = canceled; DNP = not participated; DNS = not started; DSQ = disqualified)

Web links

Commons : Kirby Chambliss  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official website of Kirby Chambliss
• Red Bull Air Race

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Red Bull Air Race: Kirby Chambliss | Red Bull Air Race. Retrieved on December 19, 2017 (German). 
2. ↑ Photo report: Kirby Chambliss wins the Red Bull Air Race in Budapest . In: Austrian Wings . ( austrianwings.info [accessed December 19, 2017]).