Kirby Chambliss

Kirby Chambliss
Kirby Chambliss at Langley Park in Perth
Born	October 18, 1959 (1959-10-18)
Nationality	United States
Racing career
First race	2003
Best position	1st (2004, 2006)
Aircraft	Zivko Edge 540
Website
kirbychambliss.com

Kirby Chambliss (born October 18, 1959 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is an American commercial pilot and a renowned world champion in aerobatics.

He was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.. As a youngster, Chambliss wanted to be a pilot. His father taught him skydiving, and he loved the steep spiral in the sky the pilot put the plane into when bringing the skydivers back to the ground. During his high school years, he fueled aircraft to earn extra money. By December 1979 at the age of 20, Chambliss debuted in solo flying after formal flight training, and earned his private license the following March. In the beginning, he earned his living as a certified flight instructor and then as a night freight pilot.

His later job as a business jet pilot enabled him in 1985 to take aerobatic flight training and to buy his own aerobatic plane. Winning top honors in his very first contest, Chambliss worked the way up to the elite "unlimited" level. In 1997, he became member and then captain of the US Aerobatic Team. He won four U.S. national championships and a number of medals at the world championships. He holds the title 2000 Men's Freestyle World Champion.

Chambliss racing in Perth, Western Australia

Chambliss enjoys performing in traditional airshows throughout the year when he is not training or competing. Since 2005, he takes part at the international aerobatic competition Red Bull Air Race World Series as a member of the Red Bull Team along with his team mate Hungarian Péter Besenyei. The champion of 2004, Chambliss finished the 2006 Series as the champion again with four wins of eight rounds on his Zivko Edge 540 aircraft. To stay in shape for enormous g-forces and exact timing, he trains three times a day and four days a week in the sky.

A pilot with more than 24,000 logged hours of flying, Kirby Chambliss, his wife and fellow pilot, Kellie and their baby Karly Nicole live in a house in Flying Crown Ranch, Arizona, USA, attached to his hangar.

Kirby Chambliss at the Red Bull Air Race World Series
Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Points	Wins	Rank
2003	DNP	3rd											4	0	3rd
2004	1st	1st	2nd										17	2	1st
2005	9th	4th	4th	DNS	2nd	2nd	2nd						21	0	3rd
2006	1st	3rd	1st	CAN	1st	5th	3rd	1st	3rd				38	4	1st
2007	4th	6th	4th	3rd	CAN	5th	5th	2nd	5th	2nd	CAN	6th	28	0	4th
2008	5th	3rd	1st	CAN	4th	1st	12th	2nd	CAN	8th			46	1	4th
2009	9th	DQ	3rd	3rd	8th	5th							34	0	4th
2010	6th	8th	5th	3rd	3rd		CAN	CAN					17	0	6th
Total													167	8

Legend:

• CAN: Cancelled
• DNP: Did not participate
• DNS: Did not show
• DQ: Disqualified
• NC: Not classified

See also

• Competition aerobatics

References

• Red Bull Air Race World Series official website
• Kirby Chambliss official website

Sporting positions
Preceded by Péter Besenyei	Red Bull Air Race World Series Champion 2004	Succeeded by Mike Mangold
Preceded by Mike Mangold	Red Bull Air Race World Series Champion 2006	Succeeded by Mike Mangold