Martin Šonka

{{Infobox aviator

|name=Martin Šonka

|image=Red Bull Air Race Oporto 2017 - 36.jpg

|image_size=250px

|alt=Martin Šonka

|caption=

|full_name=

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1978|3|26|df=y}}

|birth_place=Dvůr Králové nad Labem, Czechoslovakia

|death_date=

|death_place=

|death_cause=

|resting_place=

|resting_place_coordinates=

|monuments=

|nationality={{flag|CZE|name=Czech}}

| education = University of Defence

|spouse=

|relatives=

| air_force = Czech Air Force

|first_race =2010

|racing_best = 1st (2018)

|racing_aircraft = Zivko Edge 540 V3

|website=[http://www.martin-sonka.cz martin-sonka.cz]

}}

Martin Šonka (born 26 March 1978 in Dvůr Králové nad Labem) is a Czech aerobatics (unlimited) and a former fighter pilot in the Czech Air Force. He has raced in Red Bull Air Race World Championship since 2010,{{cite web|url=http://www.redbullairrace.com/cs/Satellite/en_air/Article/Two-new-pilots-for-2010-Red-Bull-Air-Race-season-021242806739411 |title=Two new pilots for 2010 Red Bull Air Race season |access-date=2010-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208161825/http://www.redbullairrace.com/cs/Satellite/en_air/Article/Two-new-pilots-for-2010-Red-Bull-Air-Race-season-021242806739411 |archive-date=2010-02-08 }} becoming the World Champion in the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship season.

Biography

= Beginnings =

Martin Šonka began his aviation career in 1997. In this year he flew a glider for the first time and started his studies at University of Defence in Brno as a pilot. In 1999 he gained his Private Pilot Licence. Between 2001 and 2005 he attended Jan Perner Transport Faculty at University of Pardubice (Department of Transport Management, Marketing and Logistics). He finished his studies with a master's degree in 2005.

= The Czech Air Force =

His military career started in 2000 in Pardubice. Two years after he moved to the air base in Náměšť nad Oslavou and in 2006 to 21st Tactical Air Force Base at Čáslav where he began flying L-159 Alca. In 2012 he has finished the type rating for the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. In 2014 he was forced to leave the army due to his busy racing schedule.

= Aerobatics =

In 2005 he became a member of the Czech national aerobatic team. He used to fly Su-31, however in the past few years he is training and competing with Extra 300SR.

Red Bull Air Race

In 2009 Šonka passed all Red Bull Air Race qualifying camps and gained The Red Bull Air Race Super Licence. Then he was nominated for a 2010 season rookie.

Achievements

Red Bull Air Race

class="wikitable" style="clear:both;"
colspan=12 align=center\|{{flagicon\|Czech Republic}} Martin Šonka at the Red Bull Air Race World Championship
width="10%"\|Year !width="10%"\| 1 !width="10%"\| 2 !width="10%"\| 3 !width="10%"\| 4 !width="10%"\| 5 !width="10%"\| 6 !width="10%"\| 7 !width="10%"\| 8 !width="10%"\|Points !width="10%"\|Wins !width="10%"\|Rank
align=center ! 2010 \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|UAE}} 13th \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|AUS}} 14th \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|BRA}} 13th \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|CAN}} 12th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 11th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|GER}} 11th \|{{flagicon\|HUN}} CAN \|{{flagicon\|PRT}} CAN !2 !0 ! style="background:#cfcfff;"\|14th
align=center \|colspan=12\| Series not held between 2011 and 2013
align=center ! 2014 \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|UAE}} 7th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|CRO}} 6th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|MYS}} 6th \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|POL}} 10th \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|GBR}} 9th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 7th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 8th \| style="background:#ffdf9f;"\|{{flagicon\|AUT}} 3rd !18 !0 ! style="background:#dfffdf;"\|8th
align=center ! 2015 \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|UAE}} 10th \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|JPN}} 10th \| style="background:#dfdfdf;"\|{{flagicon\|CRO}} 2nd \| style="background:#ffdf9f;"\|{{flagicon\|HUN}} 3rd \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|GBR}} 7th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|AUT}} 4th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 4th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 8th !29 !0 ! style="background:#dfffdf;"\|4th
align=center ! 2016 \| style="background:#000000;color:#ffffff"\|{{flagicon\|UAE}} DSQ \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|AUT}} 9th \| style="background:#dfdfdf;"\|{{flagicon\|JPN}} 2nd \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|HUN}} 13th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|GBR}} 5th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|GER}} 4th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 7th \| {{flagicon\|USA}} CAN ! 31 ! 0 ! style="background:#dfffdf;"\|7th
align=center ! 2017 \| style="background:#ffffbf;"\|{{flagicon\|UAE}} 1st \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 5th \| style="background:#ffdf9f;"\|{{flagicon\|JPN}} 3rd \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|HUN}} 4th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|RUS}} 9th \| style="background:#ffffbf;"\|{{flagicon\|PRT}} 1st \| style="background:#ffdf9f;"\|{{flagicon\|GER}} 3rd \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 4th ! 70 ! 2 ! style="background:#dfdfdf;"\| 2nd
align=center ! 2018 \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|UAE}} 4th \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|FRA}} 8th \| style="background:#ffdf9f;"\|{{flagicon\|JPN}} 3rd \| style="background:#ffffbf;"\|{{flagicon\|HUN}} 1st \| style="background:#ffffbf;"\|{{flagicon\|RUS}} 1st \| style="background:#ffffbf;"\|{{flagicon\|AUT}} 1st \| style="background:#cfcfff;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 10th \| style="background:#ffffbf;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} 1st ! 80 ! 4 ! style="background:#ffffbf;"\|1st
align=center ! 2019 \| style="background:#dfdfdf;"\|{{flagicon\|UAE}} 2nd \| style="background:#ffdf9f;"\|{{flagicon\|RUS}} 3rd +2 \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|HUN}} 4th +3 \| style="background:#dfffdf;"\|{{flagicon\|JPN}} 13th +2 \|colspan="4"\| Season shortened !68 !0 !style="background:#ffdf9f;"\|3rd

class="wikitable" style="clear:both;"

colspan=12 align=center|{{flagicon|Czech Republic}} Martin Šonka
at the Red Bull Air Race World Championship

width="10%"|Year

!width="10%"| 1

!width="10%"| 2

!width="10%"| 3

!width="10%"| 4

!width="10%"| 5

!width="10%"| 6

!width="10%"| 7

!width="10%"| 8

!width="10%"|Points

!width="10%"|Wins

!width="10%"|Rank

align=center

! 2010

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|UAE}}
13th

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|AUS}}
14th

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|BRA}}
13th

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|CAN}}
12th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
11th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|GER}}
11th

|{{flagicon|HUN}}
CAN

|{{flagicon|PRT}}
CAN

! style="background:#cfcfff;"|14th

align=center

|colspan=12| Series not held between 2011 and 2013

align=center

! 2014

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|UAE}}
7th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|CRO}}
6th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|MYS}}
6th

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|POL}}
10th

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|GBR}}
9th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
7th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
8th

| style="background:#ffdf9f;"|{{flagicon|AUT}}
3rd

!18

! style="background:#dfffdf;"|8th

align=center

! 2015

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|UAE}}
10th

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|JPN}}
10th

| style="background:#dfdfdf;"|{{flagicon|CRO}}
2nd

| style="background:#ffdf9f;"|{{flagicon|HUN}}
3rd

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|GBR}}
7th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|AUT}}
4th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
4th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
8th

!29

! style="background:#dfffdf;"|4th

align=center

! 2016

| style="background:#000000;color:#ffffff"|{{flagicon|UAE}}
DSQ

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|AUT}}
9th

| style="background:#dfdfdf;"|{{flagicon|JPN}}
2nd

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|HUN}}
13th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|GBR}}
5th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|GER}}
4th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
7th

| {{flagicon|USA}}
CAN

! 31

! 0

! style="background:#dfffdf;"|7th

align=center

! 2017

| style="background:#ffffbf;"|{{flagicon|UAE}}
1st

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
5th

| style="background:#ffdf9f;"|{{flagicon|JPN}}
3rd

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|HUN}}
4th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|RUS}}
9th

| style="background:#ffffbf;"|{{flagicon|PRT}}
1st

| style="background:#ffdf9f;"|{{flagicon|GER}}
3rd

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
4th

! 70

! 2

! style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2nd

align=center

! 2018

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|UAE}}
4th

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|FRA}}
8th

| style="background:#ffdf9f;"|{{flagicon|JPN}}
3rd

| style="background:#ffffbf;"|{{flagicon|HUN}}
1st

| style="background:#ffffbf;"|{{flagicon|RUS}}
1st

| style="background:#ffffbf;"|{{flagicon|AUT}}
1st

| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
10th

| style="background:#ffffbf;"|{{flagicon|USA}}
1st

! 80

! 4

! style="background:#ffffbf;"|1st

align=center

! 2019

| style="background:#dfdfdf;"|{{flagicon|UAE}}
2nd

| style="background:#ffdf9f;"|{{flagicon|RUS}}
3rd +2

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|HUN}}
4th +3

| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|JPN}}
13th +2

|colspan="4"| Season shortened

!68

!style="background:#ffdf9f;"|3rd

Legend: * CAN: Cancelled * DNP: Did not take part * DNS: Did not start * DSQ: Disqualified

2009

World Championship, Unlimited - Free Style, Powered, 9th place[http://www.wac2009.com/wacresults_day10.html Daily Results - Saturday August 29, 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110124033/http://www.wac2009.com/wacresults_day10.html |date=January 10, 2010 }}" World Aerobatic Championship. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
Slovenian Nationals, Unlimited, Powered, 1st place
World Air Games, Unlimited, Powered, 5th place

2008

World Aerobatic Cup, Unlimited, Powered, 3rd place {{cite web|url=http://www.aerobaticscup.com/index.php?lang%3Den%26node%3D107 |title=World Aerobatics Cup 2008 | Results |access-date=2010-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707092100/http://www.aerobaticscup.com/index.php?lang=en&node=107 |archive-date=2011-07-07 }}
European Championship, Unlimited, Powered, 17th place
National Championship, Unlimited, Powered, 1st place

2007

World Championship, Unlimited, Powered, 29th place.[http://events.fai.org/aerobatics/fullresults.asp?id=4303&gender=o 24th FAI World Aerobatic Championships 24/06/2007 - 04/07/2007 Overall Results]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
National Championship, Unlimited, Powered, 2nd place

2006

European Championship, Unlimited, Powered, 14th place
National Championship, Unlimited, Powered, 3rd place

2005

European Championship, Advanced, Powered, 14th place
National Championship, Advanced, Powered, 4th place

2004

National Championship, Sportsman, Powered, 1st place
National Championship, Intermediate, Gliders, 1st place

2003

National Championship, Sportsman, Gliders, 1st place

2002

National Championship, Sportsman, Gliders, 3rd place

Gallery

Red Bull Air Race - Martin Sonka.jpg|Šonka taking off from Jandakot airport for the final practice before the Perth Red Bull Air Race

2017RedBullAirRaceChibaN806PB MartinSonka.jpg|2017 Red Bull Air Race of Chiba - N806PB

Martin Šonka HA-BES Malmi 4.JPG|Šonka in the cockpit of his Extra 300SR aircraft at Helsinki-Malmi airport

References

External links

[http://www.martin-sonka.cz/ Official website]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120229213020/http://www.redbullairrace.com/cs/Satellite/en_air/Profile/Martin-Sonka-021242804322196?CategoryName=Red+Bull+Air+Race&p=1238611393596#/related-content-articles Red Bull Air Race Pilot Profile – Martin Šonka]

Category:Aerobatic pilots

Category:Czech aviators

Category:Czech air racers

Category:Red Bull Air Race World Championship pilots

Category:Living people

Category:1978 births

Category:People from Dvůr Králové nad Labem

Category:Sportspeople from the Hradec Králové Region