The collaboration between the Red
Bull Air Race and Air BP that began with the 2017 season has been extended for a
further three years. As
official fuel and carbon reduction partner, leading international aviation fuel
and services supplier Air BP provides fuel for cutting-edge raceplanes - and a
great deal more. Safety, efficiency, carbon reduction and an eye to the future
are all part of this unique collaboration.
With a presence in over 50
countries and more than 800 locations, Air BP is a natural fit for the Red Bull
Air Race and its globe-spanning World Championship. “There’s a lot to what
they’re doing and how they’re helping us,” says Red Bull Air Race Technical
Manager Jim Reed.
Of course, the quality of
the fuel itself is paramount. Without a high standard of fuel, race crews would
struggle to find optimal engine settings. Challenger Class pilot
Kevin Coleman
of the USA comments, “Having high-quality, dependable fuel is key to the Red
Bull Air Race. There are a million things going through a pilot’s mind on a race
weekend, but when Air BP provides the fuel, I know it’s clean-running and
dependable.”
Australia’s Master Class
pilot Matt Hall
agrees, pointing out that fuel quality doesn’t affect performance only. “When
thinking about safety, there is one thing that might not immediately come to
mind, and that is the fuel we put in the aircraft. It is a critical safety item
for us to get right every single time,” he explains.
With best-in-class expertise not
just in product quality and safety, but also in operations, technical design and
innovation, Air BP brings more to the table as well. For instance, the Red Bull
Air Race uses 8,000 to 10,000 liters of fuel for each race week (plus jet fuel
for helicopters involved in production), so - especially with varying
regulations for transportation of fuel worldwide - management of logistical
issues is vital.
“Our race at the Lausitzring in
Germany was a good example. At one point we had three airports operational
simultaneously: the Race Airport at the track, another airport that was the base
for the Challenger Class, and also a training airport,” Reed remembers.
“Logistically that’s quite a challenge, and Air BP did an amazingly good job of
getting the fuel to where we needed it, when we needed it.”
The Red Bull Air Race
collaboration with Air BP begins early in the off-season.
Peggy Walentin,
Flight Operations Manager for the Red Bull Air Race, describes, “I look at the
statistics from the previous season and discuss with Air BP how much fuel we
need at each location, giving them exact GPS coordinates, while Jim tells them
which day he needs the fuel. Then before each race we do a call with everyone
involved: from the local Air BP teams to the responsible person at Air BP
headquarters, and we discuss what we need, what they can provide and what they
can bring according to local regulations. I’m impressed – they’re very
professional in a very friendly way.”
In 2017, Air BP sent a team of
auditors to examine the refueling process at the Red Bull Air Race, offering
recommendations for improving safety and efficiency. “It was very helpful for us
to see how we can improve our fueling operations even further, and I think they
also learned a lot about what we require, what the racing environment means in
this motorsport. They put a lot of effort into it,” Walentin remarks.
Further, Reed notes, “They also
gave us ideas on better ways to test fuel to make sure that teams are abiding by
the rules and not using additives.”
The mutual learning on both sides
extends to a special collaboration that started outside the racetrack in 2017.
The goal: to reduce carbon emissions.
“We want to play our part in
creating a lower carbon future by reducing and offsetting carbon emissions, and
Air BP is supporting us with their expertise,” says Walentin.
Jon Platt,
Air BP’s Chief Executive Officer, says, “As well as being the global fuel
partner for the Red Bull Air Race, we are also the carbon reduction partner.
We’re improving fuelling efficiency for the teams at the same time as offsetting
the emissions from the fuel used over the season.”
The aviation industry has
ambitious carbon reduction targets and Air BP is bringing their experience and
capabilities in this area to the sport. “We’re offsetting carbon emissions
through environmental projects which are proven to make a difference, helping to
improve livelihoods in the communities where they are based. Whether it’s forest
protection in Africa, or biomass energy in China, Air BP and Red Bull Air Race
are working to reduce the carbon impact of the season,” adds Platt.
Both sides are enthusiastic about
the possibilities. “Like us, the people at Air BP are very motivated, and I
think they have found in the Red Bull Air Race partnership an extra push to
develop farther,” Walentin states. “We learn from each other, and we are looking
towards tomorrow.” |