 |
Mr. Jiri Tlusty, Formation Leader
The Flying Bulls Aerobatic Team
|
At the turn of the 21st century Jiri Tlusty, Sr., was multi-tasking. While leading his Red Bull sponsored "Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team" to a 2002 gold medal win in the FAI World Gran Prix, he was also test flying and consulting with his son, Juri Jr., the founder of TL-Ultralight, in the development of a new airplane. The result of this collaboration is the high-tech StingSport, the world’s best flying light sport aircraft. When we fly the StingSport today, it is clear that the spirit of the Flying Bulls informs the design and performance of our airplane.
The senior Tlusty founded an aviation dynasty that began in 1960. The younger Tlusty founded a company, TL-Ultralight, that is leading the way into the future of recreational flying.
BLACK ACRO
In 1960, the government of Czechoslovakia employed Mr. Tlusty, Sr., to train pilots for the Army. What the government did not know was that he and a fellow instructor pursued a separate, private agenda, spending as much time as possible hiding from their Army charges behind clouds and practicing aerobatics. They called this illicit activity “Black Acro.”
 |
The original Box Trener team
With one of their Zlin Trener aircraft.
|
Mr. Tlusty soon obtained backing to organize an aerobatics team sponsored by the Army, flying silver and red Zlin aircraft powered by 160 horsepower, in-line six engines. Mr. Tlusty, together with his best friend, Mr. Bozej Struz, and two other accomplished pilots, flew and trained new pilots out of a small airfield at Chrudim, about 60 miles east of Prague, and called their team "Box Trener." Although he says he would have preferred to be a wingman, the team elected Mr. Tlusty the formation leader, a position he held for 41 years. During those years, he, his country and his team went through many transformations.
From the beginning, Box Trener was known for its tight formations and smoothly executed precision formation maneuvers. The team’s excellence brought growing fame that soon became a source of awkwardness for the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, for with it arrived invitations to perform in non-Communist countries. Mr. Tlusty was eventually able to convince party officials that granting permission to the team to perform abroad would be an opportunity to show the flag of Czechoslovakia, and they were allowed to travel under diplomatic passports (ordinary Czech citizens could not leave the country).
 |
Mr. Tlusty leading the
Flying Bulls Aerobatic Team
|
What was it like for four young pilots from Communist Eastern Europe, with no money in their pockets, to travel west of the "iron curtain?" Their first performance, in Austria, was an eye-opener in more ways than one. Here’s how Mr. Tlusty tells the story:
“When the people I met learned that I drove a [Russian] Volga and flew an airplane, they thought I was rich, so I acted the part. We were all broke in the early days, of course, but the army supplied our planes and supported us with fuel, parts and mechanics. We were able to perform in many European cities, always accompanied by the police, who came along to ‘protect’ us when we were traveling beyond our own borders.
“For our first air show, in Austria, we were paid $6,000, an astonishing amount of money. We all agreed not to keep it, but to turn it over to the Communist party official who was in charge. That way we might be able to get permission for another visit. Imagine our surprise when the official handed the check back to us and said ‘I don’t want this; this is just a piece of paper!’ He did not trust the Western banking system and demanded cash.
“So we went back to the show sponsors and asked for cash. The sponsors called all of the women at the entry gates because they had cash in their aprons. They collected the air show gate entrance fees from each of the women to cash our check and allow us to return home with hard currency. The party official was pleased. And we were pleased, because we were allowed to continue our travels.”
 |
One of the signature formations of
Box Trener and the Flying Bulls
|
That was just the beginning. Mr. Tlusty quickly led Box Trener to became one of the most crowd-pleasing, and judge-pleasing, aerobatic teams in history. While the Czech people were leading the way out from under Communist domination with their “Velvet Revolution,” Mr. Tlusty and his wingmen were also leading Europe to a revival of aerobatic flight.
In 1989, a year of dramatic political change all around, they got a new sponsor, new airplanes, and a new name: “The Unimax Devils.” And 1990 brought even more changes, with Zlin 50LX aircraft, another new sponsor, and another name change, this time to “Sky Box” in honor of one of their trademark minimum-separation formations.
Along the way, the original team members all retired from competitive flying except for Mr. Tlusty, who retained his lead position as new and highly skilled pilots came on board. In 2001, the team was invited to join the Red Bull family and became “The Flying Bulls Aerobatic Team.”
THE YAK, THE CLOTHESLINE AND EVA
That might be the end our story if it were not for the Yak and the clothesline. And the power line. And the poles. But the story is not really about clotheslines, power lines and poles; it’s all a about a lovely lady named Eva. Once again, let’s let Mr. Tlusty tell it.
 |
Mr. Tlusty, flying lead
|
“The Box Trener practice area required that we pass over a certain area near Parovitza, a very small place. What would you expect of a young man who flew a formation of four Zlins and Yaks upside down all over Europe, if he knows that a beautiful young lady lives in a remote farmhouse in the team practice area? Don’t you think it is entirely natural to have a flight of four show up outside her bedroom window? Sounds normal to me!
“The world’s greatest pilot, Mr. Tlusty thinks to himself: 'This is my house, my low pass, my display of skill, my girlfriend.' So the team makes a very low formation fly-by to impress the lady.
“It works well and she comes outside. Only now, the a wingman peels off and makes a high chandelle to align himself at about 3 meters off the deck and goes right by her waving.
“Wait, this is Mr. Tlusty’s turf! So he must do the same only better, and of course lower. Now he is just above the tree line and thinks, 'After the trees I will drop down to propeller grass cutting height,' which of course he does. Looking good, he thinks, but he does not see the power line.
“Zap! Power for 150 square kilometers is out.
“Zap! The power line is wrapped around his right main gear. Next, the clothesline.
“Zap! He and the Yak have gone through a clothesline full of laundry. Still at the ground level they are now headed for a garden in which a very (7 month) pregnant lady is digging potatoes! She blissfully remains focused on her chores and, kneeling, is only about 1 meter high.
 |
Four sides, four corners.
Why it's called a box formation.
|
“The great acrobatic pilot is now along for the ride but lifts the wing to get the mother-to-be under it as he passes over. He looks back and she is standing now, confused.
“But wait! Ahead there is a row of pipes sticking up from the ground. The Yak attacks! Pipes are thrown everywhere; one hits the pregnant lady’s husband, one cuts the wing in half and one comes into the cockpit for a visit but stops just inches from Mr. ‘Great Pilot’ Tlusty’s chest.
“When all the noise stopped, metal pipes, flailing propeller blades and oil are everywhere. Fortunately there is no loss of potatoes, no loss of baby (a boy), and no loss of life. But the great pilot must pay 700 Crowns (About $35) to satisfy the pain of the husband and replace the laundry on the line.”
“Nevertheless, in 14 days he has a new plane and is leader of the formation flight in the team’s first visit to Austria. He still has the propeller from that Yak.”
Mr. Jiri Tlusty still has Eva, too, the beautiful young woman who consented to become his wife. And he shares his lifelong love of flying with his son, Jiri, a mutual passion that thrives today in their collaboration on the development of the TL-StingSport aircraft.
There's a great action video featuring Mr. Tlusty at the Flying Bulls Website.
 |
A clutch of FAI gold medals.
|
Go back to the Owners page
|
