Press
information issued on behalf of: The British Helicopter Team
19th August 2008
British Helicopter team continues World Rankings rise
The British Helicopter team rose to third place in the world rankings
following this year's World Helicopter Championship, held in Eisenach,
Germany, from 13th to 18th August. This indicates a continuing
improvement by the team, which came fifth in the World Helicopter
Championships in Austria in 2002 and fourth in the Championships in
France in 2005.
"This progress puts the title of World Helicopter Champions firmly in
our sights for the 2011 competition, being held in Russia," commented
the British team manager - and former Championship competitor - John
Matchett.
The Russian team, which won its ninth World Championship title in
Germany (out of the 13 competitions held) achieved 96 per cent of a
‘perfect' score, with 3730.8 points out of a maximum possible of 3900
points. The British team, which took third place, was only 12 per cent
behind this.
"The Russians and the Germans produced some of the most stunning and
competitive flying that I have ever seen," said Matchett. "The
Russians, in particular, produced some superb performances - and, in
some events, achieved the amazing result of incurring almost no
penalties at all."
In selecting and preparing the British team for this year's
Championships, Matchett, a businessman and entrepreneur by profession,
applied psychology and business strategic thinking.
He commented: "It's always a ‘David and Goliath' battle against the
Russians, all of whose pilots are full-time professionals. Nonetheless,
the British team not only has the skills to win the competition but we
are developing the drive and the mindset to succeed despite the
‘pressures' of international competition.
"The British team captain, David Monks, is used to representing his
country in international competition, having previously represented
Great Britain at both swimming and badminton," Matchett added. "Ron
Watkins, Jeff James and Michael Buckland are among the British Army's
leading helicopter pilots; while Alastair Sutherland is one of the most
experienced civilian pilots in the country and the winner of five
British Championships - and Martin Rutty is the current British Club
Champion.
"In addition, the British team included Caroline Gough-Cooper and
Imogen Asker, winners of two Ladies World Championships.
"The British team did extremely well to compete on level terms with
teams that are wholly professional and which attract a large amount of
sponsorship," he said. "We're deeply grateful to our team's sponsors -
Haywards Aviation; Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay; Enable Software; EADS UK;
Sywell Aerodrome; Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, and Eazzee - for
making it possible for us to challenge so effectively for the World
Title this year.
"It's important that we consolidate our prominence in this sport and
develop an even better team for the next World Championships in 2011,"
said Matchett. "To do so, we need to attract further sponsorship to
fund the training and equipment we need if we are to lead the world in
this event."
The World Championship's final table was:
Russia 3730.8 points
Germany 3484.4
Great Britain 3256.2
Austria 3241.0
France 2943.7
Ukraine 2381.0
Switzerland 1896.0
In all, 48 teams competed in the Championships. The maximum possible
points total - that is, with no penalties for each event - is 3900.
end
About The British Helicopter Team
Announced by the team manager, John Matchett, on behalf of the
Helicopter Club of Great Britain, this year's British team for the
World Championships is:
-
David
Monks (Captain) & Jonathan Penny
-
Ron
Watkins (Coach) & Jeff James
-
Caroline
Gough-Cooper & Imogen Asker
-
Martin
Rutty & Simon Lichtenstein
-
Alastair
Sutherland & Colin Morison
-
Andrew
Taee & Michael Buckland
-
Peter
Barker & Candy Stockton
In
addition, Dennis Kenyon will take part in the Freestyle (aerobatics)
category.
All seven crews will compete for the individual World Championship as
well as Event Championship Awards. The top five crews will compete for
the overall Championship Team Award in which the top three scores of
the five crews count in each event.
For further details, visit:
http://www.britishhelicopterteam.co.uk
About
the World Championships
The World Helicopter Championships was conceived over 30 years ago
after two helicopter pilots - one British and the other German - met,
by chance, in an airport lounge and discussed which country they
thought had the world's best helicopter pilots.
This led to the first World Championships being held in 1971 in Vodick,
Poland. The event now takes place every three years and continues to
maintain a strong interest with potential host nations competitively
bidding every three years to hold the event.
The rules for the Championships are determined and controlled by the
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). Each event within the
World Championship is designed to test the flying and navigational
skills of both pilot and co-pilot.
All participating countries are members of the FAI Rotorcraft
Commission. Most delegations from each country hold their own national
competitions every year in their home country to the rules of the World
Championships.
The Championships consist of a number of tasks:
The types
of helicopter allowed in this year's Championships are: Robinson R44;
Robinson R22; Bell 206 JetRanger; Eurocopter EC120; SA341 Gazelle;
Alouette II; Alouette III; Mil Mi-2; MD 500; Schweizer 300; Eurocopter
AS350, and Agusta 109.
About The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), is the world air
sports federation and was founded on 14th October 1905, in Paris. Now
an organisation of some 100 member countries, its world headquarters
was established in Lausanne, the Olympic Capital, in 1998.
The FAI is a non-governmental and non-profit making international
organisation with the basic aim of furthering aeronautical and
astronautical activities worldwide. Its activities include establishing
rules for the control and certification of world aeronautical and
astronautical records.
Further information from:
John Matchett, British Helicopter Team, 01295 788394;
jm@matchettuk.com
Bob
Little, Bob Little Press & PR, 01727 860405;
bob.little@boblittlepr.com