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Visit MASM at the AOPA Fly-In October 6 & 7, 2017 Groton, Connecticut, in booth #12

We look forward to seeing you there!

Thank you to Joe Dini for his generous sponsorship of MASM’s booth!

AOPA FlyIn Groton CT

Michael Goulian and Team 99 have returned to the podium at the Red Bull Air Race in Kazan, Russia with a brilliant third place finish.

For Team 99, this podium finish is the realization of a goal they have been working towards in earnest over two seasons of racing. It serves as validation of the hours of effort improving their Edge 540 race plane, honing their strategy, and refining the dynamics within the team. Leaving Russia, trophy in hand, allow Goulian and his team to set their aim higher, with a clear sight to a race win.

The podium finish is especially rewarding given the challenging conditions of the race course.

“The goal today was to fly very cleanly, and very fast. We flew fast but not always so cleanly, until it mattered in the final 4. So, we were really fast all day, some of the fastest net times there, but gate 4 as it was a problem for everybody, was a problem for us as well. But, we realized our goal today…”

Tattered remnants of pylons filled the air in Russia like confetti at a parade Sunday morning. A subtle wind pushed the race pilots further into the harshest corners of the race course. 7 out of 14 pilots toppled a pylon in the first round of competition, knocking several favorites out of the running and turning the competition into a free-for-all.

Goulian, flying in the first heat of the Round of 14, had to fly without the advantage of watching the misfortune of his competitors. He would be the first to slice a pylon, though his time of 1:00.531 was still fast enough to allow passage into the Round of 8 as the “fastest loser.” The two pilots sitting atop the World Championship leader board; Japan’s Yoshi Muroya, and the Czech Martin Sonka were unable to best Goulian’s time, ending their respective bids for victory.

Moving into the Round of 8, Goulian was matched against Christian Bolton of Chile. Bolton amassed an unfortunate string of penalties in his flight, presenting an open window for Goulian and Team 99. The course bit again, with Goulian striking pylon #4, though he held on to an impressive 3 second lead over Bolton. Goulian moved into the final round of competition for the first time of the 2017 season.

For the Final 4, Goulian had to fly clean and he delivered. First to fly was fellow American Kirby Chambliss, whose run of 0:58.378 was an impressive time for his competitors to beat. Goulian, flying second, was able to maintain a clean line, avoiding the pylon hits that had plagued earlier flights that day, and threw down a time of 0:59.650. That time would hold Goulian in second place as Petr Kopfstein logged 6 seconds in penalties with two pylon hits in his third run. Canadian Pete McLeod; the fastest pilot all week, seemed to have the contest won as he quickly outpaced Chambliss’s time. A two-second penalty for incorrect passing of a gate would destroy McLeod’s run for top of the podium, though he was able to push Goulian to third, with a time of 0:59.125

Final Standings:

1. Kirby Chambliss – 0.58.378
2. Pete McLeod – 0:59.125
3. Michael Goulian – 0:59.650
4. Petr Kopfstein – 1:04.297

http://mikegoulian.com/news-category/goulian-returns-podium-russia?mc_cid=c294039678&mc_eid=1f82d978cd

Michael Goulian and Team 99 will head into the Round of 14 with a 5th place qualifying finish. Goulian was able to fly two penalty free runs on Saturday in a field besieged with pylon hits, and disqualifications. Less than half a second separates Goulian from 2nd place, and the team is confident they know where they can make up that difference.
“There is a magic half of a second on the eastern portion of that track. As long as we can find it and take advantage of it, we’ll be in good shape tomorrow.”

Faced with the most demanding race course of the 2017 season, Goulian and Team 99 rocketed into the qualifying round with a clear aim. Their strategy relied on Goulian’s ability to execute with a degree of precision that has become the signature of his air show flying career. The Russian race course shows its teeth after gate 3 (gate 10 on the second lap) where the air race pilots must execute a hard, high-G left turn before reversing back to the right to pass through the inflatable pylons of gate 4 (Gate 11 on second lap) at a seemingly impossible acute angle.

Complicating things even further, the prevailing wind Saturday was 180 degrees off from everything the pilots had seen during previous practice rounds. With such a drastic shift in conditions, pilots were essentially seeing the race course for the first time all over again. Anticipating how the wind would effect the optimal race line was crucial for a clean flight.

Race day action will kick off Sunday, with Goulian facing Spain’s Juan Velarde in the first heat of the Round of 14.

Fans in the United States can follow the Red Bull Air Race live ticker feed beginning at 7am EDT or catch the rebroadcast on NBC Sports Sunday night at 11pm

SATURDAY’S QUALIFYING RESULTS: 

1. Pete McLeod (CAN): 54.562
2. Martin Šonka (CZE): 56.339
3. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA): 56.450
4. Kirby Chambliss (USA): 56.703
5. Mike Goulian: (USA): 56.837
6. Matt Hall (AUS): 57.068

http://mikegoulian.com/news-category/goulian-qualifies-5th-kazan