Air shows and aerobatics as a whole home a wide variety of airplanes. Even among the Red Bull Air Race family, each pilot has his choice of aircraft. Some masters fly an MXS or an MXS-R, while others choose the Edge540 V2 or V3. Many are familiar with Kirby’s Edge540, but what made the Edge Kirby’s ultimate choice?
In his early stages of aerobatic competition, Kirby climbed through the categories in his Pitts (pictured above). As he continued to excel, it became his goal to fly unlimited. But he faced a problem – he became aware that the unlimited sequences were so far advanced, his Pitts just didn’t have the performance to keep up. He knew if he really wanted to succeed in competition, he would have to transition from a biplane to a monoplane.
“At the time, the choice was really a monetary one. I’d had my eye on the Extra, but there was a significant price difference between that and the Edge. I decided to purchase the Edge, but in the end, the Edge chose me.”
Kirby continued his journey in aerobatic competitions with his Edge, but still held interests in an Extra. When later presented with the opportunity to test fly one, he was a little shocked.
“I was ready to do anything I needed to purchase this airplane if it proved to be that much better, but the Extra immediately told me, ‘I can’t do this, I can’t do that!’ It just didn’t have the pure performance that the Edge did.”
From that point on, it was always the Edge. Kirby has now spent so much time in them that he jokes the wings are mere extensions of his own arms!
