Red Bull air racer Mike Mangold killed

Mike Mangold, winner of the very first Red Bull Air Race series, was killed in an aircraft crash in California at the weekend. Mike was flying an L39 jet in the Apple Valley Airshow, close to where he lived. The aircraft crashed on takeoff, according to reports.

Mike Mangold’s whole career had been in aviation, starting with the US Air Force where he became one of the top fighetr pilots of his generation. He flew more than 2,500 hours for the air force, mostly in F-4 Phantoms, from various bases around the world. In 1983 Mike was the Outstanding Graduate of the Air Force?s ‘Top Gun’ fighter weapons school.

After leaving the USAF, he became a commercial pilot, flying Boeing 757/767 airliners for American Airlines. He also took up aerobatics, winning several titles before joining the first Red Bull Air Race world series in 2005 – and winning it.

Mike Mangold doing what he loved: flying fast! [Photos: Red Bull]

Mike was 60. He is survived by his wife Julie, and his two children Nick and Melissa.