Michael Goulian

Michael George "Mike" Goulian (born September 4, 1968 in Winthrop, Massachusetts) is an American aerobatic national champion aviator who raced in the Red Bull Air Race World Series under the number 99.

Michael Goulian
Goulian in 2010
Born (1968-09-04) September 4, 1968 (age 55)
NationalityUnited States United States
SpouseKarin Goulian
Websitemikegoulian.com

Biography

Goulian racing in London in 2008
Goulian flying his Edge 540 at the 2017 Red Bull Air Race of Chiba

Goulian was born into an aviation business family, which founded Executive Flyers Aviation, one of the largest flying schools in the Northeastern United States in 1964.[2] Michael's father Myron Goulian (also known as "Mike") was an FAA examiner. Michael grew up by washing airplanes and sweeping the hangar floor. He learned to fly before he could drive a car and soloed in a Cessna 150 on his 16th birthday in 1984.

Inspired by the 1980 movie Cloud Dancer,[3] Goulian began his aerobatic training in 1985 during his pilot study. He then established an aerobatic school within Executive Flyers Aviation. While earning his living as a corporate airline pilot, Goulian worked his way toward the top ranks of air show display flying and competition aerobatics and became US National Champion in the Advanced Category at the age of 22, making him the youngest pilot ever to have won that competition.[4] In 1992, he was the top-ranked US male aerobatic pilot and Silver Medalist in the Unlimited Category, an achievement he repeated in 1993. In 1995, he became the US National Champion in the Unlimited Category. He was a member of the US Aerobatic Team in 1994, 1996 and 1998.

In 2006, Goulian was awarded the prestigious Art Scholl Memorial Award for airshow showmanship by the International Council of Airshows (ICAS).

Goulian is co-author of a series of books called Basic and Advanced Aerobatics, published by McGraw Hill, which became the industry standard for aerobatic flight training manuals.

He is the co-founder of two Bedford, Massachusetts, United States-based aviation companies: Linear Air, which offers air taxi services using very light jets and piston-powered aircraft, and Mike Goulian Aviation, which is a Cirrus aircraft training, management and rental company.

In 2021, AOPA named Goulian chairman of its Hat in The Ring Society, a philanthropic foundation that promotes aviation access, safety and education.[5]

He flies a Cirrus SR22T for his business and personal travels,[6] and is an avid skier, ice hockey player and golfer. He has been married to Karin Goulian since 2000, with whom he has one daughter: Emily (born 2006).

Racing record

Red Bull Air Race World Championship

2004-2010

Michael Goulian
at the Red Bull Air Race World Series
Year123456789101112PointsWinsRank
2004
DNP

DNP

4th
306th
2006
6th

9th

5th

CAN

DNS

4th

5th

5th

6th
1105th
2007
7th

DNS

11th

7th

CAN

6th

DNS

9th

9th

9th

CAN

2nd
608th
2008
11th

5th

8th

CAN

7th

11th

8th

6th

CAN

10th
1608th
2009
14th

14th

6th

1st

9th

11th
22110th
2010
4th

11th

8th

6th

7th

13th

CAN

CAN
2409th
Series not held between 2011 and 2013

2014-

Year12345678PointsWinsRank
2014
DNS

12th

12th

9th

12th

11th

10th

6th
3012th
2015
12th

6th

4th

11th

9th

7th

9th

6th
13010th
2016
5th

10th

13th

10th

4th

6th

10th

CAN
19.75010th
2017
6th

8th

5th

12th

3rd

10th

14th

7th
2809th
2018
1st

3rd

2nd

4th

2nd

12th

1st

8th
7323rd
2019
3rd
213rd

Legend:

  • CAN: Cancelled
  • DNP: Did not participate
  • DNS: Did not show
  • DQ: Disqualified
  • NC: Not classified

See also

References