Hannes Arch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hannes Arch
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Arch in 2010
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| Born | 22 September 1967 |
| Died | 8 September 2016 (aged 48) Heiligenblut am Großglockner, Carinthia, Austria
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| Nationality | Austrian |
Hannes Arch (born September 22, 1967 – died September 8, 2016) was an amazing pilot from Austria. He was famous for competing in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship from 2007 until 2016. Hannes Arch even won the World Championship title in 2008!
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Hannes Arch's Amazing Life
Hannes Arch was born in a town called Leoben in Austria in 1967. He grew up in Trofaiach and later lived in the city of Salzburg. Before becoming a famous pilot, he was a certified mountain and ski guide. This means he was trained to lead people safely through mountains and on ski trips.
Starting His Racing Journey
In 2006, Hannes Arch showed off his flying skills. He won a special qualifying round in Phoenix, USA. This win allowed him to become the very first Austrian pilot to join the exciting Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
His first race was on April 6, 2007, in Abu Dhabi. He didn't make it past the first round that time. But in his second race in Rio de Janeiro, he finished fourth! This earned him his first points. He ended his first season in 10th place overall.
Becoming a World Champion
The year 2008 was much better for Hannes Arch. He started strong with two second-place finishes and two third-place finishes. Then, he achieved his very first victory in Budapest. He won again in Porto, which put him in the lead for the championship.
On November 1, 2008, Hannes Arch became the World Champion! He won the title in Perth, Australia, after a great qualifying flight. It was a huge moment for him.
More Success in the Skies
Hannes Arch kept flying high in 2009. He won the first race of the season in Abu Dhabi. He finished on the podium (top three) four times out of six races. He never finished lower than fourth place that year. He ended up as the runner-up, just behind another great pilot, Paul Bonhomme.
Like many other pilots in the Red Bull Air Race, Hannes Arch flew a special plane called a Zivko Edge 540. This plane is known for being very agile and fast.
Beyond Air Racing: Base Jumping
Hannes Arch was also known for his incredible skills in base jumping. This is an extreme sport where people jump from fixed objects like cliffs or buildings. He made headlines with his daring jumps.
In 2000, he and another jumper, Ueli Gegenschatz, base jumped from the north face of the Eiger mountain. They did it again in 2003 from the north face of the Matterhorn. These were truly amazing and brave feats!
Other Ventures
From 2010, Hannes Arch was in a relationship with Miriam Höller. She is a German stuntwoman and action model. In 2014, Hannes Arch helped a company called AKG Acoustics create a special headset for pilots.
A Sad Day: Hannes Arch's Final Flight
Sadly, Hannes Arch passed away on September 8, 2016. He was in a helicopter crash in the Austrian Alps. He was flying supplies to a mountain lodge called the Elberfelder Hut.
The accident happened shortly after 9:15 p.m. The helicopter hit the side of a mountain. Hannes Arch died in the crash. A passenger, the owner of the mountain hut, was seriously injured but survived. Hannes Arch was buried in Trofaiach on September 13, 2016, with his closest family.
Creating the Red Bull X-Alps
Hannes Arch also left a big mark on the world of paragliding. He came up with the idea for a very tough international competition called the Red Bull X-Alps. In this race, the best paragliding pilots travel across the Alps. They go all the way from Austria to Monaco. They can only travel by air (paragliding) or by foot. It's a race against the clock! This event quickly became known as one of the hardest adventure races in the world.
See also
- Competition aerobatics
