Aerobatics championships on sporting aeroplanes are always a fascinating sight. But what if the pilot is making "dancing steps" to the accompaniment of, say, Vivaldi? Not often do we witness such a performance. However, soon Russia will host a show like that, called Russian FAI World Grand Prix 2007.

"Aquatoria of Luxury Life" decided to find out more about the championship and talked to the organisers of the Russian lap: Ivan Sisnyov, CEO of Project: sport sports marketing agency, honoured master of sports, absolute world champion and repeated winner of world championships and FAI World Grand Prix Cups, as well as Victor Chmal, Technical Director of the upcoming Grand Prix.

FAI World Grand Prix has been held since 1996, but never in Russia. Was it difficult to arrange the championship to be held in this country?

Ivan Sisnyov: Right you are, the event of such level, combining high-achievement sport and performance qualities, is held for the first time this year. It wasn’t hard to come to an agreement with foreign partners, because this process is very clear and plain. There’s FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, International Aeronautics Federation) that handed over the rights to hold the championship in Russia to our agency. Much harder was to organise the event here, because there are many technical complicacies, from providing aircraft to getting licenses and flight permits. But we had a very good and concerted team working on the project. It was our agency on the one side and, on the other, enlisting such specialists as Victor Chmal who solves problems like getting up into the air in no time.

Victor, as you’ve repeatedly taken part in the competition, tell us more about what the Russian lap is going to look like.

Victor Chmal: The unusual thing about the competition is that the flights are accompanied by music. Each pilot chooses a melody to taste and makes up a consecution of figures. It’s like an optional programme in figure skating, with only difference that it takes place in the skies. Don’t forget about the smoke trace that not only outlines aerobatics figures but also appeals to the public, for instance, when the pilot draws a heart in the sky.

The championship will be judged by 6 judges on a ten-point scale. The score includes flying performance, level of difficulty, versatility of figures, the pilot’s artistic qualities and also whether the flight matches the music.

I. S.: I’d like to add that it’s crucial to keep the rhythm and at the same time perform the figures impeccably. Both categories are judged. This combination is important both for the judges and the public that will listen to the music and see the aircraft in the sky, as well as watch the coverage from the pilot’s cabin transferred to the big on-the-ground screens during the flight. We hope that the competition will be judged objectively because all the judges are officially delegated from FAI. According to their assessment three winners will be chosen.

Is it difficult to match aerobatics figures and music?

V. C.: It’s equally difficult and exciting. Because, in a way, it’s art. The pilot chooses the music and makes up new figures accordingly; the moves can’t be copied or repeated, they are, in a way, author’s exclusive work. There’s no copyright, though, as it is often impossible to describe the techniques.

Most of the participants who applied for the competition are from Russia. Are Russian pilots the best in the world at the moment?

V. C.: For the Grand Prix 10 best pilots are chosen, according to the results of the world championship. We have only 9. Six are from Russia and three are from abroad (champions of Spain, France and Switzerland). At the moment all the winners are from Russia, that’s why the upcoming Grand Prix is practically held under the Russian flag. Our pilots are the most skilled in the world. For the last three years our team took all the first prizes at European championships.

What models of planes are going to be used by pilots?

V. C.: We’ll use the Russian Su-26. Around 60-70% of pilots fly these planes at world championships now. They are universally considered the best for aerobatics and are high-enduring while fulfilling complicated tasks.

What pressures do they have to endure, by the way?

V. C.: The normal pressure when piloting is from +10 to –9. What do the figures mean? If an above-zero overload is created, the pilot is pressed into the seat and his weight increases tenfold, which means if I’m 80 kilos, my weight will be 800 kilos under such conditions. The below-zero overload, on the contrary, pushes you out of the cabin with the same strength, you are only held by the five straps, which are the only reason you’re still inside the cabin. Such changes occur all the time.

There are three female pilots among the participants. How do they manage to compete with men?

V. C.: Our members of the fair sex will compete on equal terms. There will be no concessions, and noone will allow that. The pilots are very good indeed.
All our female pilots are absolute world and European champions. Svetlana Kapanina is a fivefold world champion, Svetlana Fedorenko – twice absolute champion of Europe, Lena Klimovich is repeated world and European champion.

Where and when is the competition to be held?

I. S.: The championship will take place at the Ramenskoye aerodrome in Zhukovsky, from the 24th to the 26th of August. The first day will be devoted to qualifying, and the main competition will take place during the next two days. The competition will be held as part of the programme of the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS 2007. We use it as a starting ground for the competition. We expect to see lots of spectators, almost all MAKS visitors. We’re going to construct a 4,000-m² business zone, install the stands and equip a VIP-area for high-rank guests. The award ceremony for the winners will also take place there, with handing out of medals, cups and gifts from our sponsors. I’d like to add that our prime task now is to hold a quality event from technical, sporting and commercial points of view. As for later, our plans are not restricted to the Moscow region only. We have received the official support of ROSTO-DOSAAF and plan to hold the competition in other regions of Russia as well.

Project: sport sports marketing agency was founded in the end of 2005 by an experienced team of advertising and marketing professionals. Project: sport specialises in development and organising sporting marketing events, as well as competitions. The agency not only prepares and sells sponsorship packages, but also carries out project maintenance, from strategy and creative sponsorship concept development to organising PR, ATL and BTL events.

Dmitry Gnatenko

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