HUNTER racing pilot Matt Hall has overhauled his plane just eight weeks into the 2018 Red Bull Air Race season.
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Hall began the season over the United Arab Emirates, but will take a very different aircraft into the second round over Cannes, on the French Riviera, this weekend.
A heavy paint job over Abu Dhabi left Hall off balance, reducing his handling ability and leaving the former RAAF wing commander to start the season with a fifth-place finish.
Hall said his plane would have added precision after the overhaul.
“It had a new paint scheme and as a result the tail was quite heavy, which made it sensitive to pitch,” Hall said. “
“We had it shipped on a truck up to the middle of Germany where our team there and teams from America worked on it.
“Then the Australian team went to Germany via the USA to put it all go back together so I could test fly it.
“Fingers crossed we have made it slightly faster, but also more manoeuvrable.”
The second round of the Red Bull Air Race begins at midnight Sunday Australian time.
Matt Carr
Matt began his Newcastle Herald career as a cadet in 2009. He is a Walkley nominated reporter who has covered councils, police and general news rounds across the Upper Hunter, Port Stephens, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Newcastle. Now his focus is on digital storytelling and breaking news.
Matt began his Newcastle Herald career as a cadet in 2009. He is a Walkley nominated reporter who has covered councils, police and general news rounds across the Upper Hunter, Port Stephens, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Newcastle. Now his focus is on digital storytelling and breaking news.
