Profile
Jurgis Kairys was born in Sharipovo, Krasnojarsk, Siberia, on May 6, 1952, his parents were exciled by soviets from Lithuania in 1951. Jurgis family were able to return to their home Berže village in 1959 Lithuania when Jurgis was 6 years old. His interest in flying was inspired when going to school he was watching birds and planes. Agriculture planes was located near his home, small boy Jurgis was trying to be near them and help. In 1973 Jurgis graduated Viborg Aviation Technics school. He became an airframe mechanic, engineer and in 1974 was able to start flying aerobatics at the Kaunas Aerobatic Flying Club in Lithuania. In 1984 fgraduated Academy Civil Aviation in Sankt Petersburg becoming engineer pilot. Engineering knowledge was essential in developing his pilot career. His talents and determination were obvious and he became a member of the elite National team in 1976.
The style of acrobatics we see today was developed over thirty years ago by Lithuanian friends Jurgis and Steponas Artiskevicius competing with each other and coaching each other in the Lithuanian and from 1977 Soviet teams. Today every unlimited pilot flies in the aggressive style promoted by the Lithuanians in the seventies. Jurgis engineering and piloting skills were recognized when he was asked to work as a test pilot for the Sukhoi Design Bureau in 1989 to develop the Sukhoi 26, 29 and 31. Completely new experimental aerobatic aircrafts started to dominate in the Unlimited Aerobatic World. Jurgis won Five medals in Freestyle World Aerobatic Championships, two gold and three silver. Jurgis two times became World Grand Prix of Aerobatics overall champion. In 2003 Jurgis won first Redbull Airrace in Zeltveg, Austria. Also has a collection of awards from a variety of international contests and competitions. This legacy continues to this date with the Su31 winning again Silver medal in the 2009 WAC in Silverstone, UK.
Jurgis has always been looking for new flight possibilities in Unlimited Freestyle aerobatics. In 2004 He modified the Moscow aviation institute project and developed it into his "JUKA" aircraft. Since then Jurgis has been fine-tuning this aircraft for betterfuture displays and competitions.
Jurgis has invented several aerobatic maneuvers: “Slide Pass”(1992), "Kairys Wheel“(1987), "Small Loop”(1992) and was the first to successfully perform the “Cobra”(1992) maneuver in a propeller driven aircraft in Farnborough aviation exhibition. Also he is the first aerobatic pilot to hover his aircraft like a helicopter.
All those skills, experience and innovation combined makes Jurgis Kairys one of the highest level and most impressive Airshow pilots as well. In airshows all around the world the performances and special show programmes are unexpected, every time it is worth to hope for something new and exciting.
Major achievements:
1974 Started flying aerobatics, Aircraft Zlin 326A
1976 Member of Lithuanian Aerobatic Team
1977 Member of Soviet Aerobatic Team, until Lithunian Independence in 1990
1979 First Gold medal in International Competition in Hungary
1981 First Gold medal in European Championship in Austria
1982 First Gold medal in World Championship in Austria.
Started the development of Aerobatic Aircraft SU-26 at Sukhoi Design Bureau
1984 For the first time competed in World Championship with an aircraft SU-26
1988 Silver medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle flying Su26, Bronze medal Overall
1990 Gold medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle flying Su26
1992 Third overall in World Championship in France
First test flight of SU-31,
Breitling Masters, 1 Silver medal
Demonstrated Jurgis originated worlds first Slip Hover pass, Cobra and
Small Loops at Farnborough
1993 Breitling Masters, 2 Gold, 1 Bronze medals, Su31
1994 Gold medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle in Su26
Breitling Masters, 2 Gold, 2 Silver medals, Su31
1995 Breitling Masters, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze medals, Su31
1996 Silver medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle, Su26
FAIWGPA 1 Gold medal, Su31,
First in the World official permitted Under bridge flight in Kaunas, Lithuania,
Yak 50
1998 FAIWGPA 1 Gold, 1 Bronze medals, Su31
1999 FAIWGPA 2 Gold medals, Su31.
Special Millennium flight under all 10 Bridges in the City of Vilnius, Lithuania
2000 FAIWGPA 1 Gold, 1 Silver medals, Overall series winner, Su31
Worlds first ever officially permitted inverted under bridge flight in Kaunas,
Lithuania, Su26
2001 FAIWGPA Unable to compete due to damaged aircraft in Seoul airshow, South Korea
(Lost blades of propeller damaging the engine during the display flight).
2002 FAIWGPA Motegi, Japan, Winner , Su31
2003 General modifications were made to "Juka"
Winner, first Red Bull Air Races, Zeltweg, Austria, Su26
2004 FAIWGPA Al Ain, Emirates, Winner, flying"Juka"
First demonstration Flights in the Southern Hemisphere At Warbirds
Over Wanaka
2005 FAI WORLD GRAND PRIX WINNER - 5TH SERIES
2004 - 2005 at the 2005 FAI CENTENARY AIR SHOW, Lausanne, Switzerland .
Jurgis Kairys becomes overall top placed pilot over 10 years of FAI World
Grand Prix Competitions!
Jurgis Kairys wins the prestigious 2005 Trofeo REGGIANI competition at
the Aero Club of Milano in Italy
2006 January. Jurgis wins the Al Ain Cup in solo aerobatics freestyle competition.
2008 For the first time the competition is organised under the rules of JK Formula invented by Jurgis Kairys.
2009 FAI WORLD ELITE AEROBATIC FORMULA event is organized in MAMAIA, Romania,
Silver medal in FAI World Aerobatic Freestyle Championship.
The style of acrobatics we see today was developed over thirty years ago by Lithuanian friends Jurgis and Steponas Artiskevicius competing with each other and coaching each other in the Lithuanian and from 1977 Soviet teams. Today every unlimited pilot flies in the aggressive style promoted by the Lithuanians in the seventies. Jurgis engineering and piloting skills were recognized when he was asked to work as a test pilot for the Sukhoi Design Bureau in 1989 to develop the Sukhoi 26, 29 and 31. Completely new experimental aerobatic aircrafts started to dominate in the Unlimited Aerobatic World. Jurgis won Five medals in Freestyle World Aerobatic Championships, two gold and three silver. Jurgis two times became World Grand Prix of Aerobatics overall champion. In 2003 Jurgis won first Redbull Airrace in Zeltveg, Austria. Also has a collection of awards from a variety of international contests and competitions. This legacy continues to this date with the Su31 winning again Silver medal in the 2009 WAC in Silverstone, UK.
Jurgis has always been looking for new flight possibilities in Unlimited Freestyle aerobatics. In 2004 He modified the Moscow aviation institute project and developed it into his "JUKA" aircraft. Since then Jurgis has been fine-tuning this aircraft for betterfuture displays and competitions.
Jurgis has invented several aerobatic maneuvers: “Slide Pass”(1992), "Kairys Wheel“(1987), "Small Loop”(1992) and was the first to successfully perform the “Cobra”(1992) maneuver in a propeller driven aircraft in Farnborough aviation exhibition. Also he is the first aerobatic pilot to hover his aircraft like a helicopter.
All those skills, experience and innovation combined makes Jurgis Kairys one of the highest level and most impressive Airshow pilots as well. In airshows all around the world the performances and special show programmes are unexpected, every time it is worth to hope for something new and exciting.
Major achievements:
1974 Started flying aerobatics, Aircraft Zlin 326A
1976 Member of Lithuanian Aerobatic Team
1977 Member of Soviet Aerobatic Team, until Lithunian Independence in 1990
1979 First Gold medal in International Competition in Hungary
1981 First Gold medal in European Championship in Austria
1982 First Gold medal in World Championship in Austria.
Started the development of Aerobatic Aircraft SU-26 at Sukhoi Design Bureau
1984 For the first time competed in World Championship with an aircraft SU-26
1988 Silver medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle flying Su26, Bronze medal Overall
1990 Gold medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle flying Su26
1992 Third overall in World Championship in France
First test flight of SU-31,
Breitling Masters, 1 Silver medal
Demonstrated Jurgis originated worlds first Slip Hover pass, Cobra and
Small Loops at Farnborough
1993 Breitling Masters, 2 Gold, 1 Bronze medals, Su31
1994 Gold medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle in Su26
Breitling Masters, 2 Gold, 2 Silver medals, Su31
1995 Breitling Masters, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze medals, Su31
1996 Silver medal in WAC 4 min. Freestyle, Su26
FAIWGPA 1 Gold medal, Su31,
First in the World official permitted Under bridge flight in Kaunas, Lithuania,
Yak 50
1998 FAIWGPA 1 Gold, 1 Bronze medals, Su31
1999 FAIWGPA 2 Gold medals, Su31.
Special Millennium flight under all 10 Bridges in the City of Vilnius, Lithuania
2000 FAIWGPA 1 Gold, 1 Silver medals, Overall series winner, Su31
Worlds first ever officially permitted inverted under bridge flight in Kaunas,
Lithuania, Su26
2001 FAIWGPA Unable to compete due to damaged aircraft in Seoul airshow, South Korea
(Lost blades of propeller damaging the engine during the display flight).
2002 FAIWGPA Motegi, Japan, Winner , Su31
2003 General modifications were made to "Juka"
Winner, first Red Bull Air Races, Zeltweg, Austria, Su26
2004 FAIWGPA Al Ain, Emirates, Winner, flying"Juka"
First demonstration Flights in the Southern Hemisphere At Warbirds
Over Wanaka
2005 FAI WORLD GRAND PRIX WINNER - 5TH SERIES
2004 - 2005 at the 2005 FAI CENTENARY AIR SHOW, Lausanne, Switzerland .
Jurgis Kairys becomes overall top placed pilot over 10 years of FAI World
Grand Prix Competitions!
Jurgis Kairys wins the prestigious 2005 Trofeo REGGIANI competition at
the Aero Club of Milano in Italy
2006 January. Jurgis wins the Al Ain Cup in solo aerobatics freestyle competition.
2008 For the first time the competition is organised under the rules of JK Formula invented by Jurgis Kairys.
2009 FAI WORLD ELITE AEROBATIC FORMULA event is organized in MAMAIA, Romania,
Silver medal in FAI World Aerobatic Freestyle Championship.
