RED BULL MATADORS

The Red Bull Matadors team is one of the UK’s most dynamic aerobatic teams, featuring top British pilots: Paul Bonhomme and Steve Jones.

Paul Bonhomme and Steve Jones are considered to be two of the best in the world and have again been selected to compete in the Air Race World Series in 2008, having each taken wins in the 2006 and 2007 series. The Red Bull Matador display is designed to demonstrate the truly remarkable performance of the Sukhoi aircraft.

The two pilots fly their planes in a variety of formation patterns. The display also includes some extreme manoeuvres including the crossovers, where Paul and Steve fly towards each other at a combined speed of 400mph.

HISTORY OF THE TEAM

The team began in 1994 as ‘The Sukhoi Duo’ and was created with the aim of showcasing the Sukhoi aircraft as a truly spectacular demonstrator of both unlimited and formation aerobatics. Paul Bonhomme has been the team’s leader since 1994 with Steve Jones joining as the wingman in 1997. They have performed all over the UK and Europe, and have toured China and Japan and the Middle East in the FAI World Grand Prix series: an aerobatic competition with solo and formation categories.

The Matadors have scooped three gold and two silver medals in the formation category, including a Gold medal at the 2004 World Grand Prix in Al Ain, UAE.

ABOUT THE PILOTS

Paul Bonhomme lives in Cambridgeshire and started his flying career at White Waltham airfield as a general dogsbody, moving on to be a flying instructor, air taxi pilot and now an Airline Captain flying a 747 for British Airways. Paul has been flying aerobatics since the age of 17, and started displaying in 1986 for Richard Goode in his “Ultimate Pitts”. He has flown over 500 public displays and also flies vintage fighters for The Fighter Collection and Old Flying Machine Company at Duxford. His favourite aircraft is, without doubt, the one he is in at the time. His hobbies include on and off-road motorcycling and mountain biking.

Steve Jones lives in Gloucestershire and is the wingman in the team. Steve started his flying career as a glider and banner-tower, before going into air taxi flying. He describes himself as a “failed crop-spray pilot”, referring to an early ambition. Instead Steve became an Airline Captain and now flies a 747 for British Airways. With extensive experience flying in air races and competition aerobatics, he was the UK Freestyle Champion in 1995 and overall British Aerobatic Champion in 1996. He has been flying in displays since 1993. His hobbies are “anything mechanical” which includes model steam trains and vintage racing cars. He is currently building his own aeroplane. Most recently they won the Boeing Trophy at Waddington in July 05 for the Best Flying Display. As well as flying as The Red Bull Matadors they also fly aerobatic displays, either with a single aircraft or as a team of two, aiming to provide a spectacular demonstration of unlimited aerobatics to be enjoyed by aviation experts and first time spectators alike. The aircraft are available nationally at local events, garden parties and weddings.