Who should we look out for this year?
Of the new pilots, there’s a guy called Matt Hall – he’s as close as it gets to Tom Cruise. Top gun in the Australian airforce, he’s a natural pilot. I’ve seen him fly F18s out there and he really is a phenomenon. The other rookies are all very, very new.
What about the old favourites?
Of course, there’s the Brit Paul Bonhomme, who’s been pipped at the post twice. He wants it, but whether he gets it seems to be a different matter. He’s fallen foul of the judges twice, and last year in Portugal he got robbed of a lot of points by the judges and, in effect, handed the championship to Hannes Arch.
What about the Americans?
Kirby Chambliss struggled a lot last year with his aircraft, but the American I’d look out for this year is Mike Mangold. He’s like something out of Star Trek. He keeps coming out with these fantastic modifications, like putting little carbon dents on his aircraft – now all the pilots are copying him. I think he’s going to be messing around with his propeller this year, so we’ll see.
What about a surprise package?
The surprise package is Sergey Rakhmanin. Quite frankly, he’s been flying a dog of a plane for the last few years, but he’s getting a new model for 2009 and the rumour is that he’s getting what’s called an MXS. That really is the difference between night and day, compared with what he was flying before.
Who is the most popular pilot?
One of the most popular pilots on the circuit is the Hungarian Peter Besenyei. When we go to Budapest, the guy is treated like a God; he really is a national hero, and it’s the only country I’ve ever been to where people have literally stalked one of the pilots at the hotel.
Who are the worst losers?
The worst losers are the Americans. Talk about spitting the dummy! You’ve gotta beat them up to shake the other guy’s hand. The best winner has to be Hannes Arch. He was genuinely amazed that he did it last year and was very gracious. He didn’t talk about how good he was. He talked about how much help he’d got from Mike Mangold; how much Paul had helped him. Without their contributions, he would have had a difficult time.
So, the big question: who’s going to win?
I’ve said this for the last three years: Paul Bonhomme to win in Abu Dhabi, and Paul Bonhomme to win 2009. You’d think I’d get it right by now. Third time lucky?
I wish I could fly…
Indoor Skydiving
If you want to experience two minutes of freefall flying but don’t fancy doing so at more than 4 feet above springy, safe, soft flooring, try indoor skydiving. Good fun for groups and acrophobes alike!
Dhs180 per person, www.bluebanana.com
Microlighting
Essentially a hang-glider with an engine and a seat, classes are available for those willing to brave the thrillingly narrow, exposed confines of the microlight cockpit.
A course costs Dhs12,000, including 10 hours of assisted flight. 055 212 0155
