Matthias Dolderer - Red Bull Air Race


	EUROSPEEDWAY LAUSITZ, GER

	DAYS HRS. MIN. SEC.

Race Pilot

Name	Matthias Dolderer
Nationality	Germany
Date of Birth	15 September 1970
Residence	Tannheim, Germany
Flight hours	7.000
Aircraft	Edge 540
Race no.	21
Interests	Tennis, skiing, biking
Career Highlights	Podium: 1 (Barcelona)

Matthias Dolderer made his debut in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in 2009. The 39-year-old German is one of the most promising talents on the circuit and is definitely a strong force to be reckoned with in 2010.

“The Red Bull Air Race has everything I love about flying and motor sports: speed, precision and the fight against the clock.”

Dolderer had a sensational run in the second half of his rookie year, scoring more points in the final 3 races (22) than anyone - except world champion Paul Bonhomme and runner-up Hannes Arch - to thoroughly shake up the race hierarchy. He finished his first season in style with a third place on the podium in Barcelona.
The newcomer’s dazzling results in the latter part of the season struck fear into the hearts of the title contenders. He is confident of more glory in 2010 now that he has a full year’s worth of experience under his belt. Dolderer spent much of the off-season in the United States together with his team, flying, training physically and working on his Edge 540. He has set his sights on a top four finish for 2010. Dolderer, an intensely competitive man, has an aggressive style of flying. Highly focused, he is always looking for ways to improve his performance. Off the track, he easily reverts back to his fun-loving character. The pilot from the south of Germany brought a myriad of innovations to the race, including a charter flight filled with fans to the Budapest round and a Playmate deployed as a mascot to keep team spirits high.

“Flying has been my passion from the very first moment and my inspiration. I’ve spent my whole life in hangars, on airfields and in the cockpit.”

Dolderer, who has 25 years’ flying experience, owns the Tannheim Airfield and the Tannheim Flight School. He took his first flight aged 3, with his pilot father. He was raised at his parent‘s flight school and at the early age of 5 became hooked on machines and fast cars, making his first solo flight at 14. His life has revolved around aviation ever since.

The lifetime aviator gained his glider and microlight licence at the age of 17. Just a few days later, he finished 3rd in the German Championships. At 21 he became the youngest flight teacher in Germany. Together with his sister Verena, Dolderer took over Tannheim Airfield to continue their family’s vision: “To establish a meeting place for aviators, enthusiasts, amateurs as well as professionals.” The legendary Tannkosh event, Europe’s biggest Fly-In, became reality in 1993.

Dolderer has spent almost 7,000 flight hours in the cockpit of more than 100 different aircraft types, made 24,000 landings and has participated in numerous international competitions across the globe.

Get to know more about the Red Bull Air Race...

Flying achievements

Flying Bulls


2009	3rd place Red Bull Air Race Barcelona
2009	9th place Red Bull Air Race World Championship 2009
2008	Qualified at the Red Bull Air Race Qualification Camp and selected to race in 2009
2008	German Aerobatic Championships, 4-minute freestyle program 2nd place
2008	German Aerobatic Championships, “Unlimited” Category, 1st place
2008	World Aerobatics Cup, Czech Republic, “Unlimited” Category, 2nd place
2008	European Aerobatic Championships, “Unlimited” Category, 19th Place
2007	Participation World Aerobatics Championships “Unlimited” Category
2007	Participation German Aerobatic Championships “Unlimited” Category
2006	Participation German Aerobatic Championship, “Advanced” Category
1991	Microlight European Championships, German Champion
1990	Microlight World Championships
1988	Microlight European Championships
1988/91	Microlight German Championships

For nearly 20 years the growing number of technical and historic airplanes that make up the Flying Bulls have been collected from all over the world. Matthias Dolderer became an official Flying Bulls pilot in 2002, where he stills performs with different types of aircraft when not flying at the Red Bull Air Race. His favourite plane is the Chance Vought F4U-4 "Corsair".

The idea of the Flying Bulls was born in the early nineties – at first, it was just a tight-knit group of pilots and technicians collecting and flying fascinating aircraft from the great eras of aviation until the incorporation of “The Flying Bulls” in 1999. In early 2003, the Flying Bulls received their own maintenance hangar in the form of Hangar-8; static displays can be seen in Hangar-7 (www.hangar-7.com). The collection includes the Chance Vought F4U-4 "Corsair", North American B-25J "Mitchell", P-38L "Lightning", Douglas DC-6B and lots more.

More information on www.flyingbulls.com

Home Base Tannheim Airfield

Matthias’ home base is at the Tannheim airfield, one of the very few family-owned and -operated public airfields in Germany. His father, Max Dolderer, founded the airfield 100km west of Munich in 1976. Together with his sister Verena, Matthias took over Tannheim airfield in 1993 to continue the family’s vision of providing a meeting place for aviators, enthusiasts, amateurs as well as professionals.

Every summer aviation enthusiasts gather for the unique experience of TANNKOSH. This FLY-IN, which was established by Matthias and his sister Verena in 1993, has grown and become well-known over the years - enhanced by the magic mood from pilots all over Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, England, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Czech Republic, France and many more countries.

Nowadays, thousands of pilots and their families and friends, aircraft builders and major aircraft companies visit Europe‘s biggest FLY-IN with their biplanes, aerobatic and historic aircraft, helicopters, ultralights, parachutes, war birds, etc. to fly formations or solo displays, perform in front of an enthusiastic audience, or just party at the „Rock in the Hangar“ — a platform for lively and international communication and understanding between aviators.

Log on www.tannkosh.com and www.flugplatz-tannheim.de