Redbull Air Race

Transporting 380 tons of equipment around the world

SALZBURG, Austria - The Red Bull Air Race may be a major sporting and physical challenge for the pilots, but it is also a huge challenge for the Red Bull Air Race logistics team that works feverishly away from the spotlight to ensure that each race gets off the ground without a hitch in 10 different locations around the world.

The elaborate infrastructure that is packed up and transported to the events around the world includes the Grid Stand which is the tower at the temporary runway, the High Flyer's Lounge for hospitality guests, the hangars for the racing aircrafts, the portable barges that the Air Gate pylons are built upon, the electronics equipment, kitchens, catering equipment as well as a mobile broadcasting centre where the TV programme is produced. To make sure that the infrastructure can be moved around the world in time for races in Europe, the United States, the Middle East as well as Australia, there is even a second set of equipment consisting of all these elements.

Boeing 747 gives its wings

A Boeing 747 cargo plane gives the race infrastructure its wings, transporting equipment to the first race in Abu Dhabi, to the United States, back to Sweden and eventually from Europe to Australia. Right now, 380 tons of equipment are en route to the United Arab Emirates either as air or sea freight. “All the material is transported to Abu Dhabi in 40 containers on ships and two fully loaded Boeing 747 cargo planes”, explains Red Bull Air Race logistics manager Christof Reichl.

It takes three days to dismantle the entire race infrastructure from the moment the last plane has returned to the temporary runway at the end of the race. And that's where the journey to the next race location begins. Depending on means of transport, the material can be travelling several weeks to the next location. “Shifting 380 tons from one continent to another is a big challenge for the whole logistics crew, but our motivation is seeing the pilots competing in jaw-dropping races and crowds cheering on them when everything is up and in place", adds Reichl.

Kay, E., (2009). Transporting 380 tons of equipment around the world [online] Redbull Air Race. Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 2 July 2009].