The Flying Bulls are a private aircraft fleet stationed in Salzburg, Austria, formerly owned by the founder of Red Bull, billionaire and aviation lover Dietrich Mateschitz.
The Flying Bulls are based at Hangar 7 in Salzburg, which was built by Red Bull specifically for their needs. Hangar 7 is open for public display, while the next door Hangar 8 is used for maintenance and restoration.
History The collection of the Flying Bulls goes back to the aerobatic pilot Siegfried "Sigi" Angerer (1949-2022). He had his first flying expieriences at the time he was 15 years old. In his lifetime he completed over 24,000 flights across 70 different aircraft types. In 1990 he met Mateschitz at an airshow in Innsbruck, Austria, where he was performing with his F4U Corsair. After teaching Mateschitz how to fly on a Piper PA-18, he gained him (and Red Bull) as a sponsor for his aircraft. Together they founded the Flying Bulls in 1999. Angerer was chiefpilot until his retirement in 2012.
The Flying Bulls have collecting rare aircraft like the Douglas DC-6B, formerly used as the presidential airplane for the Yugoslav leader Tito, a Pilatus PC-6, several demilitarized Alpha Jets, as well as multiple helicopters like the Bell AH-1 Cobra. In 2009 a Lockheed P-38L Lightning joined the fleet.
Furthermore the collection consists of a fully aerobatic Bölkow Bo 105, a Bell 47, a North American T-28, a North American B-25J, a Chance Vought F4U, amphibious aircraft like the Cessna 208 Amphibian and Aviat Husky, a Stearman PT-17, a Fairchild PT-19, as well as a P-51D since 2021.
In 2013 a Bristol 171 Sycamore was restored to airworthy condition again, and is the only airworthy example in the world. In 2023 the Flying Bulls acquired a Sikorsky S-58.
In May 2026 it was announced that a F-86 would join the fleet together with its pilot Frédéric Akary.
Fleet The Flying Bulls fleet consists of various aircraft and helicopters. Some of them are equipped specifically for TV broadcasting and photo flights. The majority is displayed at airshows and events. Among the fleet are european or worldwide rarities such as the Douglas DC-6B, the Canadair F-86 or the Bristol 171.
Tables correct as of may 2026 +Aircraftpicturetyperegistrationyear of constructionAviat HuskyOE-CKW2006Beech T-34OE-ADM1955Boeing PT-17OE-AMM1943Canadair F-86 MK6F-AYSB1956Cessna 337 SkymasterN991DM1969Cessna 208 AmphibianOE-EDM1996Chance Vought F4U-4OE-EAS1945Douglas DC-6BOE-LDM (ex N996DM)1958Extra 300 LXOE-ARN OE-ARO2013Fairchild PT-19N504291943Grumman F8F-2N68RW1947Lockheed P-38N25Y1944North American B-25JN6123C1945North American P-51DOE-EFB1944North American T-28BOE-EMM1955North American T-6OE-ERB1942P.68TCOE-FSE2022Pilatus PC-6OE-EMD1998OE-FASDornier Alpha JetOE-FAS1 OE-FRB1
OE-FDM11980/81 1 all Alpha Jets were withdrawn from use on 22nd of August 2025 for an unknown reason +Helicopterspicturetyperegistrationyear of constructionAS 350 B3+OE-XTV2009Bell 209/AH1FN11FX1967Bell 47 G-3B-1OE-XDM1966Bristol 171 SycamoreOE-XSY1957Eurocopter EC135OE-XFB2006D-HTDMMBB BO 105CD-HSDM; D-HTDM1974MBB BO 105S - MediaD-HUDM1993
Current pilots The Flying Bulls have a number of pilots who are specifically trained for certain aircraft. pilotfunctionoperated typesEskil AmdalPilot & CEODC-6B, P-38, P-51, F4U-4, F8F-2,T-28B, T-6, PT-17, T-34, Extra 300 LXRaimund RiedmannFlight operations manager & chiefpilot fixed wing aircraftDC-6B, B-25J, P-38, P-51, F4U-4, T-28B, T-6, PT-17, PT-19, T-34, Cessna 337, Cessna 208 Amphibian, Aviat Husky, Extra 300 LX, P.68Mirko FlaimFlight operations manager & chiefpilot rotary aircraftAH-1F, Bo.105/Bo.105S, EC135, AS 350, Bell 47Frederic AkaryPilotF-86Stefan DoblhammerPilot(Alpha Jet)Eric GoujonPilotF4U-4, PC-6, Extra 300 LXFrederic HandelmannPilotDC-6B, B-25J, T-6, Extra 300 LXMiguel HochleitnerPilotF4U-4, T-28B, PC-6, Extra 300 LXHans PallaskePilotT-34, PC-6, Cessna 337, Cessna 208 AmphibianLudwig ReiterPilotB-25J, PT-17, PT-19, T-34, Cessna 208 Amphibian, Aviat Husky, Extra 300 LX, P.68Nicolas RossierPilotP-51, T-28B, T-6, Extra 300 LXMatthias SchwaighoferPilotAH-1F, Bo.105/Bo.105S, EC135, AS 350, Bell 47Siegfried SchwarzPilot & retired chiefpilot AH-1F, Bo.105/Bo.105S, EC135, Bristol 171, AS 350, Bell 47Rainer WilkePilotBo.105
Accidents and incidents A Bede BD-5J "Microjet" (N53EJ) crashed in the afternoon of the first of May 2013 near Baumkirchen (Tyrol). The German pilot Guido Gehrmann reported problems and contemplated an emergency landing on the Inntalautobahn, however he had to land near Mils. The aircraft collided with a slope, resulting in the death of the pilot.
In June 2021, a North American T-28B (OE-ESA) crashed near Jickovice (Czech Republic) on the return flight from an airshow in Poland. The aircraft impacted terrain during a low level barrel roll. The pilot Rainer Steinberger suffered fatal injuries. The photographer on the second seat survived with major injuries.
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