Red Bull Aircraft Engine Turnover

ebykowsky

ebykowsky

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How often do the Red Bull Air Race aircraft need to overhaul or replace their engines? I know NASCAR does it pretty darn frequently, so I'd imagine Red Bull would do the same thing, especially with all the stress they put on them in high-G maneuvers. Any knowledgeable thoughts?
 
Not quite... I think the engine overhaul costs would be pretty insignificant compared to the other expenses of operating a team, so that would be one of my last worries. So nope, I'm just doing a bit of preliminary research on a random idea I had.
 
I'm sure they either overhaul or just put a new one in at the end of the year. Hardcore aerobatic performers like Sean Tucker completely tear down their aircraft at the end of the show season. It's essentially a new aircraft the following year.
 
Velocity173 said:
I'm sure they either overhaul or just put a new one in at the end of the year. Hardcore aerobatic performers like Sean Tucker completely tear down their aircraft at the end of the show season. It's essentially a new aircraft the following year.
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That is my understanding as well... I'd say at least at the end of the season, and they very likely have another engine in the trailer ready to go at any time as well.
 
Or maybe a new engine or rebuild quite often. They take all this into consideration before they start. Good mechanics, good shop, etc. they write it off anyway. Surely they have one or two spares ready at all times. Can probably change it out in an hour.
 
Thanks for the responses guys; while I do realize they're more or less educated guesses, that does help put a ballpark on it.
 
Goulian had an open house a few years back and they were talking motors. Don't recall how long the motors last but they passed around custom pistons that were $70,000 each. And completely useless because after they had them designed and built Redbull went to identical blueprint motors.
 
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