Video: Inside Lycoming's Thunderbolt Engines For The 2014 Red Bull Air Races
Monday, February 10, 2014 at 05:44AM
I really like the new format in the re-start of the Red Bull Air Races where each race aircraft has an engine and propeller that has been tuned to produce the same performance. For this kind of racing I think putting the emphasis on the pilot's skill is the most interesting way to go. And those standardized powerplants are the incredible American designed and built Thunderbolt customized engines by Lycoming.
Lycoming has been in the same location since they began building horizontally opposed aircraft engines back in 1929... and hopefully they'll stay right where they are if they remain strong and keep building great engines. It's a really nice American success story.
Screenshot: Red Bull Air Racer and a very hardworking Lycoming Thunderbolt engine
The first of the reborn Red Bull Air Races will take place in Abu Dhabi February 28 - March 1 (2014) and from what I can see it will be available to watch on some form of Fox Sports. If I can figure out exactly where it'll be airing I'll post that in a week or so.
Screenshot: Lycoming Thunderbolt engine production in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
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