Cirrus Aircraft and Michael Goulian Gear Up for Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Ascot

DULUTH, Minn., Aug. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cirrus Aircraft and Team Goulian are gearing up for the next leg of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship at Ascot Racecourse, England on Aug. 16-17.

Air race and aerobatic pilot Mike Goulian will join fellow competitors in the skies over the historic Ascot Racecourse. Ascot is home to England's premier horseracing event, Royal Ascot, and known for its challenging triangular nature, large sweeping turns and iconic grandstand.

Earlier this year, Cirrus Aircraft became a sponsor of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship for the 2014 season and a Team Supporter of Team Goulian. The sponsorship builds on the existing partnership between Cirrus Aircraft and Goulian and renews Cirrus' involvement with the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

"We're very excited to continue our journey with Team Goulian at the historic Ascot Racecourse venue," said Todd Simmons, Cirrus Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. "As with several past Red Bull Air Race events around the world, we are again anticipating an energetic turnout and we welcome the chance to introduce new air racing enthusiasts to the Cirrus Life through our partnership with Mike and the Red Bull Air Race."

The qualifying day of the race will include 24 races, as pilots look to secure a starting position at the finale for the next day. The action ramps up on August 17 with three rounds of races culminating in a finale with the final four. 

Cirrus will support Team Goulian for all remaining races in the 2014 series and is planning to have a high profile presence at race events still to come including Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas; Las Vegas, Nev.; and the last race of the year in Spielberg, Austria – home of the Red Bull Ring.

On the Fly with Mike Goulian Video Series

Cirrus fans can also get to know Goulian, hear his thoughts and insights on flying and participating in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, through On the Fly with Mike Goulian. On the Fly is a 14-part, web video series produced by Cirrus. Goulian brings to the life the athleticism and adrenaline rush of air racing, while discussing why he flies his family in a Cirrus SR22T and how he spends his time when he's not in a cockpit. Episode five is available now. 

ABOUT MICHAEL GOULIAN

Michael Goulian was born into an aviation business family and one of the biggest flying schools in the northeastern United States. Having learned to fly before he could drive a car, he became the youngest pilot ever to win the National Advanced Aerobatic Championship in 1990 at the age of 22. Michael is now a veteran air show performer with more than 20 years of experience performing in front of audiences all over the world. Goulian reached the highest level of success in aerobatic competition in 1995, when he won the U.S. National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship. He later achieved further global popularity competing in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship starting in 2005. As an air show superstar, Goulian has received all three of the industry's most prestigious awards: the ICAS Sword of Excellence, the Art Scholl Memorial Showmanship Award, and the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship. Goulian flies a Cirrus SR22 Turbo as his personal aircraft. The Goulian family's flight training center in the Boston area is one of a select group chosen to take part in Cirrus Aircraft's Jump Start flight training initiative featuring the Cirrus SR20 as the flight training platform for students of all levels.

ABOUT CIRRUS AIRCRAFT

Cirrus Aircraft is a recognized leader in general aviation. Its all-composite line of personal aircraft - the SR20, SR22 and the turbocharged SR22T - incorporate innovative and advanced performance, electronic and safety technologies, including Cirrus Perspective™ by Garmin® avionics and the unique Cirrus Airframe Parachute System™ (CAPS). To date, total time on the worldwide Cirrus Aircraft SR-series fleet surpassed five million flight hours with 95 lives saved as a direct result of CAPS being a standard safety feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The Cirrus Vision SF50 jet, with over 550 production positions reserved, will provide a new personal and regional business transportation solution: the personal jet. All Cirrus aircraft are made in the U.S. with a direct sales force in North America and authorized sales centers covering export markets in 60 countries around the world. Cirrus Aircraft is wholly owned by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., Ltd. (CAIGA). For additional information on Cirrus and its products please visit cirrusaircraft.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140813/135894

SOURCE Cirrus Aircraft