‘I am a normal woman with plenty of not strictly normal hobbies’

SP’s ShowNews (SP’s): At 64 when you look back, what do you see as the one memorable moment that stands out?

Radka Máchová (Máchová): It is a very difficult question. I don’t have an isolated most memorable moment. I still remember my first parachute jump, my first solo flight and my first solo aerobatics flight! I cannot forget my first loop as a leader of our aerobatics formation and my first Federation Aeronautics International (FAI) Grand Prix competition at Motegi, Japan, in 2002. I was very apprehensive.

SP’s: Why were you apprehensive?

Máchová: FAI World Grand Prix Motegi 2002 was for me my first competition in my capacity as a team leader. Pilots in my team were more experienced than I was. I started training for the position of leader from the spring of 2002, giving me little time. I was very anxious as it is really a nerve-racking situation when flying in a competition or display flight as opposed to a training flight.

SP’s: How many hours of flying experience have you accumulated?

Máchová: Forty-two years is really a long time but except for my flying with Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team, I fly only as a hobby private pilot. Till date, I have 1,120 hours of total flight time.

SP’s: What made you take up flying? When was your first aerobatic manoeuvre?

Máchová: As a young girl, I built flying plane kits and dreamt of becoming a pilot or an astronaut. My first aerobatics manoeuvre was a loop and that feeling was wonderful! Flying upside down and the feeling of the earth “above” you is indescribable.

SP’s: How did you transition to becoming an aerobatic pilot? Which other airplanes you are rated on?

Máchová: Aerobatics flying is nicer than other types of flying. The aeroplane is under your control at all times. You have a sense of belonging to the machine. I got my first taste of aerobatics during my elementary flight training. Next, I attended an aerobatics course and joined the Czech National Aerobatics Team. I have CPL with single-engine rating only. I fly all types of Zlin aircraft, piston Cessna 300, Soccata TB 10 and an ultra light. I have never flown a business jet.

SP’s: Could you tell us about your business jet charter company?

Máchová: After the “velvet revolution” in my country in 1989, when the political system changed from communism to capitalism, I had more opportunities in aviation. I worked very hard as the Managing Director of the first business jet charter company. That was a very good experience for me. Aerocharter Prague has me as the Managing Director (Personal, Commercial, Marketing, Navigation, Financial Deportments, all represented only by myself!), my secretary and hired pilots. From time to time, I work as a techniques director as well. We operated a number of aircraft from Cessna 500 to Falcon 10, Beachcraft 90 to Beachcraft 200, Cessna Caravan and Gulfstream.

SP’s: What is the most attractive feature of the Zlin 50LX?

Máchová: Zlin 50 is a very well-behaved, non-aggressive and good looking aeroplane in comparison to Extra or Xtreme aircraft.

SP’s: They say great flyers dissolve the boundary between man and machine. What is your opinion?

Máchová: It is true. Man and flying machine make one unit. You have to feel the aeroplane not only as a machine but also as a close friend.

SP’s: How many hours did it take you to master the art of formation flying?

Máchová: Aerobatics flying is not about flight hours. One aerobatic sortie is a maximum of 15 minutes. It is very strenuous and after the sortie, the pilot is too tired to perform well. Aerobatic flight hours accumulate slowly unlike in commercial flying. For formation flying, the pilot needs good flight experience, aerobatics experience and a very good set of morals. Formation flying is about team work. I really cannot say how many hours it takes to master the art of formation flying.

SP’s: What is the typical separation between your airplanes in tight formation?

Máchová: Approximately 1.5-3 metres, sometimes less!

SP’s: In aerobatic manoeuvres, what are the G forces that are experienced? How would you describe the experience?

Máchová: During display we pull +/- 5 G, sometimes more. But not more than 6.5 G. Under positive G, blood flows to the legs and with negative G, blood rushes to the head. During aerobatics sequence, G forces keep changing from positive to negative and vice versa. The pilot can temporarily lose peripheral vision and sometimes even total vision. Military pilots wear anti-G suits but we don’t. We use stomach muscles to control blood flow.

SP’s: What is the key aspect in maintaining a good, tight formation?

Máchová: The main qualities include aerobatics experience, thorough practice, sense of responsibility and importantly, 100 per cent confidence in the skill of the team members.

SP’s: What is the difference between aerobatic flying and commercial flying?

Máchová: My type of flying is nicer. We are like birds. Commercial flying is also nice but the commercial pilot does not feel like a bird. The aeroplane is too big and he is not alone in the cockpit.

SP’s: How do you keep yourself flying fit and what is the key element that defines your personality?

Máchová: I laugh, I smile, I eat, I sleep! I ride bicycles, ski, swim, scuba dive and do many other things! Hmm.... I am a normal woman with plenty of not strictly normal hobbies.

SP’s: I see a stuffed monkey in the cockpit.

Máchová: The monkey is our mascot. Over time, he has accompanied our airplanes. He flies with us in all our displays. His place is on the right echelon airplane bearing registration. OK-XRB!