Melissa Burns

Proven in the air. Built for the pressure. Ready for the next stage.

Born in Pittsburgh, USA, Melissa Burns has spent more than 20 years performing as a professional airshow pilot and skydiver, flying across six continents. Her career spans both elite performance and education, including her role as an instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she helps develop the next generation of pilots.

Burns has already achieved success at the highest levels of aviation sport. In 2015, she secured third place in the Unlimited category at the World Aerobatic Championship, and in the same year claimed the title of fastest female in the world in wingsuit racing.

Her ambition to enter air racing has been a long-term pursuit. Inspired by the early days of the Red Bull Air Race, she acquired her own Edge 540 in 2005, with a clear goal — to one day compete at the highest level of the sport.

Over two decades in airshows have shaped her defining strengths: composure under pressure, precise decision-making, and consistency in high-risk environments. These qualities translate directly into racing, where control and accuracy determine performance.

“Through airshows, I’ve always encouraged people to chase their dreams. AIR RACE X is where I get to live that message myself.”

In 2026, Burns enters her first AIR RACE X season.

With experience, resilience, and a lifelong ambition behind her, she now takes the next step — into a new arena in the sky.