0 c 6 c - Nigel Lamb

Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Red Bull Air Race Pilot
Born 17th August
in Mutare, Rhodesia
(now Zimbabwe)
Married to Hilary
Price, also from
Zimbabwe
1987
With his wife Hilary, bought the
aerobatic team operating company and
aircraft to operate a formation aerobatic
team in Europe for the next 6 years.
2000
Became manager of the
Breitling Fighters display team.
Birth of third son, Ben.
1986
1976
Pilot’s Wings. Flew
piston aircraft, Jets
and helicopters.
April. Competed in his
first Unlimited Aerobatics
Championship and was selected
to represent Great Britain in the
World Aerobatic Championships
1992
1986
1974
Pilot training in
Rhodesian Air
Force
55 c
23 c
86 c
5c
3c
6c
1984
1956
1980
September. Won his
first British Aerobatic
Championship title. Went on
to win 8 times consecutively
(1986 – 1993)
Left the Air Force as an
instructor and moved to
the UK to join the Marlboro
Aerobatic Team.
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
2006 - 9th position. Extra 300S & MX2
2007 - 9th position flying the MX2
2008 - 7th position flying the MX2 / MXS
2009 - 6th position flying the MXS
2010 - 3rd position flying the MXS.
RBAR took a break
1996
Leader of first civilian
aerobatic team to fly in
China. Birth of second
son, Dan.
Birth of first son, Max
2005
Chief Pilot for the film Fly Boys. Joined
the Red Bull Air Race for the last three
races of the season flying a mid-wing
Extra 300 two seater.
2001 - 2002
2014
Nigel was involved in the filming
Smoke on for
of Dark Blue World and Harts
RBAR Return!
1994
War where he flew the OFMC
Took the aerobatic team
Spitfire and P51 Mustang.
to fly in Asia. Trained to fly
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
DC8 cargo jet.
2010 - 2013
Pantone 186 c
As Aviation Director for Breitling, Nigel
co-ordinated tours for the Breitling Jet
1999
Team to the Near East in 2011 and in
Team pilot in Breitling Fighters Team
Asia through 2013.
flying WWll fighters operated by Old
Flying Machine Company (OFMC).
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Pantone 116 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
BREITLING RACING TEAM
PRESS OFFICER
[email protected]
nigellamb.com
+44 7828 172 460
[email protected]
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
What Makes Nigel Lamb So Unique?
• Flown over 80 different types of aircraft, over 9,600 flying
hours
• 1,787 displays flown in 32 countries
• 8 times consecutive winner of the British National Unlimited
Aerobatic Championship
• 6 Years in the Rhodesian Air force, flying jets and
Helicopters
• Led his aerobatic team in Asia for 5 years, the Golden
Dreams Team based out of Ipoh in Malaysia.
• Led the first civilian formation aerobatic team to fly in
China in Zhuhai 1996
• Led the Golden Dreams Team on a challenging 9 week, 8
cities, 72 displays tour through China in 1998
• Team manager and display pilot for the Breitling Fighters
Pantone 280 c
Display Team
Pantone 186 c
• Still flies the Spitfire and P51 Mustang regularly on the air
display circuit in England.
• Been associated with Breitling since 1999
55 c
23 c
86 c
5c
3c
6c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Quick Quotes
“Our sport is all about man, machine and a battle against time. We have to find the
right combination of aggression and precision to create the smoothest flight possible
in order to find those elusive small fractions of seconds all the way around the track”
“The thing I most love about flying, I know it’s a cliché, but it’s being free from the
earth, three dimensional freedom, flying like a bird”
“Competing against the clock you definitely don’t want to be in the present, you
need to be just a fraction of a second beyond the present, otherwise you get behind
the machine”
“When you’re in a plane which is rolling at 400 degrees per second and you’re going
up to 10 G’s you’ve got to concentrate on a different kind of breathing”
“Extreme precision, we’re looking for every point zero five of a second – tiny little
increments”
“To find the physical and mental state of mind where you are really at your best
performance
is very
Pantone 655
c difficult”
Pantone 123 c
186 c of our own destiny, for me the biggest fear is allowing yourself
“WePantone
are the master
to become complacent”
“Getting the engine started, knowing that I’m going onto the track is a fantastic
feeling”
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Pantone 116 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
BREITLING RACING TEAM
PRESS OFFICER
[email protected]
nigellamb.com
+44 7828 172 460
[email protected]
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Nigel Lamb - Born 17.06.56
2010, and will be hoping to achieve this or better after the 3
year break.
He has been a display pilot for more than 30 years racking up
in excess of 1,770 displays in over 30 countries. His flying skills
have also featured in several major movie and commercial
productions, such as “Dark Blue World”, “Hart’s War”, and
“Fly Boys”.
Living in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, when he’s not flying he
enjoys skiing, scuba diving and racquetball. Nigel is married to
Hilary and they have three sons: Max, Dan and Ben.
280 c
thePantone
Red Bull
Pantone 186 c
During his five years in
Air Race, Nigel has
been an inspiration for many other pilots and fans with his
determination and meticulous approach to the sport that
has paid off handsomely with his ascent towards the top of
the standings. Lamb took a career best third place overall in
55 c
23 c
86 c
5c
3c
6c
Born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) English pilot Nigel Lamb
was inspired to take up flying by his father, who was a Royal
Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot in World War II. He first applied to
join the Rhodesian Air Force at 11 and was finally accepted
at 18. He went on to fly piston aircraft jets and helicopters
until 1980 when he left the Air Force and moved to England
to join the Marlboro Aerobatics Team. In 1986 he began flying
in Aerobatics competitions, and to this day, Lamb is still the
only pilot to have won the British National Unlimited Aerobatic
Championship eight times consecutively.
A friendly and approachable man, he has pushed the sport
forward with his pioneering work on the high-performance
MXS-R aircraft, finally reaping the rewards of those efforts with
second place finishes in three of the six 2010 races: Dubai,
Rio de Janeiro and New York. He has an unwavering work
ethic and is always looking for ways to fly the tracks faster and
more efficiently.
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Pantone 116 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
BREITLING RACING TEAM
PRESS OFFICER
[email protected]
nigellamb.com
+44 7828 172 460
[email protected]
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Nigel Lamb In Depth
What do you think made you choose a career in flying, or
did flying choose you?
I always fancied the idea of flying. My father was a fighter pilot
in the second world war, although he didn’t talk about it much
I guess the interest stems from there. We lived on a farm in
the middle of nowhere; had no television but my parents were
avid readers. The house was full of books, thousands of them,
I read all of the aviation related ones. When we climbed the
mountains on the farm, we would always see eagles soaring
along the cliffs. Looking down and imagining the freedom to
fly gave me a tremendous buzz.
What inspired you to leave the Air Force and travel to
England to begin a career in aerobatics?
Pantone 280by
c Richard Bach. The
I read a book about barnstorming
Pantonein186
idea of flying around and landing
a cpaddock, reading the
wind direction from smoke or the movement of the leaves in
the trees, not having a windsock and not even landing at an
airport was very appealing to me. I always loved aerobatics, it
was part of my military training, and I loved the idea of being
55 c
23 c
86 c
5c
3c
6c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
a professional airshow pilot. That thought and barnstorming
encouraged me to look towards England, which I thought
would be most likely place to give me an opportunity. I saw
a job advert for a display pilot in the UK and although it was
over a year old I flew to London and persuaded Philip Meeson
to offer me a job.
Which aviation figures do you most respect?
I really admire some of the earlier pioneers, when I think back
to how difficult it must have been early on in aviation. Charles
Linburg’s Atlantic crossing in 1927 flying the Spirit Of St Louis
has to stand out. Jimmy Doolittle American aviator, and war
hero. He did a lot of pioneering work with aircraft instruments
to help the mail pilots during WW2 and also with aviation fuel.
Nearer to home, Alex Henshaw; he flew London to Cape
Town and back in 1939 completing the 12,754-mile round
655 c 10 hours and 16 minutes. With the technology
tripPantone
in 4 days,
Pantone 123 c
of the
day, it was absolutely unbelievable; extraordinary. I had
Pantone 186 c
the privilage to meet him several times and my father flew with
him as a Spitfire test pilot in 1944 -45.
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Pantone 116 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
BREITLING RACING TEAM
PRESS OFFICER
[email protected]
nigellamb.com
+44 7828 172 460
[email protected]
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
What is your favourite aircraft to fly to date, and is there a
particular aircraft you haven’t yet flown but would like to?
For handling the MXS because it is just the most fantastic
airplane for handling and maneuverability. For nostalgia, my
favourite aircraft to fly is the Spitfire.
One I would love to fly? That’s a tricky one, probably a Cosmic
Wind, which is a tiny little race plane designed and built in
America post Second World War.
What have you been doing since 2010 during the three
year gap?
During the last three years I moved on to other things and
kept myself busy but was always hoping the Red Bull Air
Race would come back. I’ve spent my time flying a lot and
managing aviation projects for
Breitling.
Pantone
280 c The biggest project
Pantone
186 c
was as Coordinator to help the Breitling
Jet Team on their
2011 tour to Greece, Turkey, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon and
then, more recently an 11-month tour of Asia. Both tours have
been exciting and rewarding challenges.
55 c
23 c
86 c
5c
3c
6c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
What do you look forward to the most going into the first
race of the season, and how do you prepare for the world
Championships?
I’m looking forward to being back in a racing and competitive
environment. It will be interesting to see which race plane
and which team is the most competitive, given all the new
regulations and standardized engines and how this will effect
the different aircraft types. There is no training in a ‘track’ apart
from at the races, which is pretty unique compared to other
sports. During test flights I practice tight, fast manoeuvres
such as Half Cubans and rolls, this helps to finesse the man
and machine partnership and also keeps me current with ‘G’
tolerance and fast rolling orientation.
ArePantone
there 655
stillc further modifications you would like to make
Pantone 123 c
to the
MXS?
Pantone
186 c
Yes, Aerodynamic Drag reduction, there are lots of small
modifications I would like to do.
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Pantone 116 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
BREITLING RACING TEAM
PRESS OFFICER
[email protected]
nigellamb.com
+44 7828 172 460
[email protected]
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
game. You’re focused, know exactly the line you want to take,
and you’re not thinking about anything else.
Peace of mind, I’ve known him for over 30 yrs. Not only is he
multi talented with immense engineering knowledge, in many
spheres of engineering – engines, airframes, composites, but
he is also a very experienced pilot. He flies the MXS as well so
he really does understand what it’s all about.
Hux is very good at setting things up so I know everything’s
done, if he says “all good” I don’t even have to question it. I
think there are very few people you can say that about.
How do you unwind after a race?
How important is it for you to mentally prepare before
a race?
Somehow you have to find a balance between being too
relaxed and too ‘hyped up’. You need to be feeling ‘sharp’ but
not under so much pressure that you do not fly in a natural
Pantone 280 c
precise and smooth manner. Pantone
It’s very186
important
that when you
c
start the engine you are looking forward to the race, and that
you’re mentally and physically prepared. You need to be in a
frame of mind where you can get the best out of yourself and
the machine, and feel that you are absolutely on top of your
55 c
23 c
86 c
5c
3c
6c
Tell us what makes Nigel Huxtable, your technician, so
important to you?
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
I like to go and have a nice Cup of tea after each flight before
the final race, and then I’ll be preparing myself for the next
flight. After the final race, I certainly enjoy a party with my
team and all of the air race teams. Of course, I always look
forward to getting home to my family, and this is where I can
really unwind.
What are the physical implications on your body?
You have to have very strong body-core and neck muscles to
Pantone 655
withstand
thechigh ‘G’ forces and stress from the 400˚/second
Pantone 123 c
rollPantone
rate. You
to have good techniques and exercises for
186 need
c
looking after your back and your neck. We specifically train
these muscle groups to deal with the pressure.
Good aerobic fitness is essential so I aim for 40mins running
or racquetball 3 times a week. My preference is racquetball,
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Pantone 116 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
BREITLING RACING TEAM
PRESS OFFICER
[email protected]
nigellamb.com
+44 7828 172 460
[email protected]
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
which also helps improve mental agility as well as strategy,
reflexes and satisfying the desire to win. In addition, I have
some exercises I try to do 3-4 times a week for about 20
minutes each time. It’s a mix of Yoga and Pilates, stretching
and core exercises, also using a TRX suspension trainer. All
this is easy to do in your hotel room.
Which has been your favourite location to race so far and
why?
Lausitz Ring in Germany was my favourite venue because,
like some of the locations this year, (Ascot, Dallas, Vegas)
everything is on site. Also it’s over land, which I much prefer
because of the perspective and the sense of speed you get.
It’s also comforting to know that if you have a engine failure
you have a lot more options to land and you know you won’t
have to go swimming!
Second to that I would say Pantone
Longleat
was very much
280 which
c
Pantone
186
c
a pilots location, not so good for the public because of road
access, viewing etc. The runway was actually Lord Bath’s
driveway, but the track itself was in amongst the trees on the
side of a hill, it was absolutely amazing, and my first ever Red
Bull Air Race, so it will always be memorable for me.
55 c
23 c
86 c
5c
3c
6c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Can you describe flying through the track?
Once you have got yourself into that place of feeling completely
prepared, and you’re looking forward to coming into the
track it all becomes second nature. You aren’t thinking about
G-forces, you also don’t think at all about the control inputs
because the aircraft is just an extension of your body. You’ve
chosen a line that you want and you’re doing whatever’s
necessary to get your body along that line. It involves intense
concentration with huge amounts of activity going on with
air gates flashing past the cockpit every few seconds. The
satisfaction of a well-flown race is tremendous.
What are your plans for the future?
I’ll see how this season goes, and what opportunities arise for
the future. I will keep flying for as long as I can whilst I feel I’m
Pantone 655and
c at the top of my game. Looking beyond that,
competitive
Pantone 123 c
I will
probably
Pantone
186 c concentrate on vintage aircraft and continuing
air shows with interesting airplanes as a hobby.
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 116 c
in case of small size embroidery or print
Pantone 116 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 280 c
Pantone 186 c
Pantone 655 c
Pantone 123 c
Pantone 186 c
BREITLING RACING TEAM
PRESS OFFICER
[email protected]
nigellamb.com
+44 7828 172 460
[email protected]