Matt Hall is the display pilot and
director of Inverted Downunder. He is a third generation pilot, a current
RAAF Fighter Combat (Top Gun) Instructor, international unlimited aerobatic
competitor and the first Australian to be selected to compete in the Red Bull
Air Race World Championship, starting in 2009.
Matt was born in Scone NSW, and
grew up in the Newcastle region. While he joined the RAAF to "see the world" he
was soon posted back to nearby Williamtown, where he has spent the majority of
his RAAF career. He currently lives on the beach at Merewether, and is
once again flying at Williamtown.
See below for more information on
his flying, military
and aerobatic background:
Matt has a long flying history, having started
flying with his Dad at an early age. He is a third generation pilot, with his
grandfather flying in World War II.
His first solo was at age 15 in a glider, and he
gained his aircraft pilot's licence at the age of 18. He is licensed in
gliders, ultra lights and hang gliders, and has had one parachute jump. He
has over 4000 hours in various aircraft types, over 700 in light aircraft and
over 500 doing aerobatics. (As these flights are often only 20-30 minutes,
this adds up to many more take offs and landings!)
He has over 300 hours in the display aircraft,
the Giles 202, and is certainly exploring the limits of both himself and the
aircraft.
He is passionate about general aviation and light
aircraft, with the Mustang P-51D being his fifth aircraft! (Vans RV-4, Acrosport II
bi-plane,Cherokee 180C and Giles 202).
He is currently researching his next aerobatic
aircraft, in preparation for his Red Bull Air Race career.
Matt is a current Royal Australian Air Force
Fighter Pilot, with over 1500 Hornet hours. He is at the top of his field
as a Fighter Combat (Top Gun) Instructor, and in 2006 completed a tour as the chief instructor
for this demanding course.
He has received many awards along the way,
including Dux of Pilot, Hornet and Fighter Combat Instructor courses,
the 1997 Fighter Pilot of the Year and was awarded a Chief of Air Force
commendation for his performance as the Chief Instructor of the 2006 FCI course.
He spent three years in the USA on a USAF
exchange programme, flying over 500 hours in the F-15E Strike Eagle, including
combat. For his efforts, he was awarded combat decorations by both the US
and Australia.
Matt resigned from the RAAF in January
09, paving the way for a full time career as a Race Pilot.
Matt has been flying aerobatics for many years,
becoming more serious about competition and display aerobatics whilst on his US
exchange. He travelled widely to air shows, fly ins and aerobatic
competitions, and was inspired by performances at the 2003 World Aerobatic
Championships (WAC) in Florida. Through involvement at competitions and as a
member of the International Aerobatic Club, he was able to be coached and
mentored by many of the top US competitors and performers.
Initially competing in his Acrosport II biplane,
he won the US East Coast Aerobatic Championship at the Sportsman level. He soon
reached the limits of the aircraft's capabilities, and moved up to the Giles
202, which he brought back to Australia, as the first of type. He won the NSW State Aerobatic Championships at
Intermediate level in the Giles 202 in October 2005.
In April 2006 he won the Australian Aerobatic
Championships at the Advanced level, his first Nationals and Advanced
competition. In April 2007 Matt moved up to Unlimited and competed at the
Australian National Aerobatic Championships, placing second overall, but first
in Freestyle. He went on to compete in the US Nationals in September in Rob
Holland's MX-2, achieving 10th place overall, and 5th in the Freestyle
competition.
In November 2007 Red Bull offered the chance to
participate in a series of Training Camps under ex world champion Patrick Paris,
as a lead up to the 2008 European Aerobatic Championships. In the lead up, he
competed in the World Aerobatics Cup in Prague, finishing 8th, then achieved
the required top half finish in the European Championships, finishing his
eligibility requirements for selection for a Red Bull Air Race Qualification
camp. He aims to be the World Champion within
the next five years.
In September he successfully completed the Red
Bull Air Race Qualification camp, becoming the first Australian to be awarded
the coveted Red Bull Air Race Super Licence. Finally in November heard the
news that he was selected to join Air Race World Championship circuit in 2009.
Matt is in the process of setting up his race team, and finding the perfect
aircraft for his rookie year.
Competition aside, Matt also spends a significant
amount of his aerobatic flying working on his high energy display flying. This
is a new style of "freestyle" flying, in which the pilot uses the aircraft
surfaces in novel ways to develop new manoeuvres such as end over end tumbling
and other heart stopping entertainment! |
