After a three year absence, the Red Bull Air Races are coming back to the skies in February.

The series started in 2003, and features pilots who fly through a series of lightweight plastic pylons at speeds well over 200 miles per hour, with several aerobatic maneuvers required to complete the course. Many of the courses have the pilots flying just a few feet above the ground, and one even includes flying under a bridge. The series was put on a hold after the 2010 races as the increasing speeds and high-g maneuvers raised safety concerns.

Beginning in Abu Dhabi, a 12-pilot field will once again be competing in a slightly modified Red Bull Air Race series for 2014. Like the original, the updated series will consist of pilots flying through the course which requires them to fly either level, or in a 90 degree bank through each of the pylons (which tear like paper and collapse if clipped by a plane). But the minimum altitude pilots fly through the pylons has been raised from 65 feet to 80 feet, and some of the most extreme high-g-force maneuvers such as the sustained 270-degree turn called the "Quatro" have been eliminated.

But not to worry, pilots will still be pulling up to 10-g's, and for anybody who hasn't seen the races yet, 80 feet is still crazy low to be racing an airplane at over 200 mph. The pilots will also being using a common engine and propeller combination in an effort to further increase safety (and reduce costs, we're guessing).

The seven races includes two stops in the United States, both at stadium raceways. In September the air races will take place at the Texas Motor Speedway, and in October they will head to Las Vegas. Other races will take place in Malaysia, Poland, Great Britain, and China.

Several of the former champions of the series are back, including former Southwest Airlines captain Kirby Chambliss of Arizona. In the video below, Chambliss says the raceway settings provide a unique perspective for spectators, because those high in the grandstands will be able to look down on the airplanes as they fly through the course.

Another new feature this year will be a development series that will give new pilots a chance to hone their skills before racing with the veterans.

Back in 2010, the Red Bull Air Races were finally evolving into a competitive series with racer times getting closer as more pilots learned the intricacies of the sport. We're looking forward to 2014 carrying on the momentum right where the speed-seeking aerobatic pilots left off.