Indy Transponder 22-MAY-2014 1700z

WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman Takes Controls Of Air Show Stunt Plane - CBS Local | ...“What I just did was take a guy who liked roller coasters flying,” Sean D. Tucker said after the plane landed...

Video: Flying upside-down in a Bethpage Air Show stunt plane By Tara Conry | With a parachute on my back and my seat belt pulled as tightly as possible, I stared out the window of Lt. Col. John Klatt’s Air National Guard MXS stunt plane Wednesday morning, not knowing what to expect. Klatt, a 24-year member of the Air National Guard and aerobatic pilot, was giving me a front-row seat to some of the stunts he’ll be performing in this weekend’s Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach State Park...

CapitalGazette.com:
Photos: Blue Angels put on thrilling show in Annapolis
Best photos on social media of the Blue Angels' show

Truckee Tahoe AirShow Returns in Full Force * PR Newswire | Some of the world’s finest aerobatic performers will soar through Truckee’s pristine skies on July 12, 2014. The free AirShow & Family Festival offers an exhilarating and enriching family experience that showcases Truckee Tahoe Airport’s commitment to giving back to its community through inspiring youth to learn more about career and educational opportunities in aviation, aerospace, aeronautics, science and technology...

Video: Vicky Benzing! · TVR Photography.com | Aerobatic performer Vicky Benzing flying her 1940 Boeing Stearman at the 2014 Hangar 24 AirFest at Redlands Airport.

Extreme Aerial Athletes Fly Over New York City in Wingsuits * Mashable | ...Five members of the Red Bull Air Force dove from a height of 7,500 feet above Manhattan's Financial District. The group reached speeds of 120 miles per hour before landing safely on a small barge in the Hudson River just two minutes after jumping. The stunt was performed in preparation for the Bethpage Air Show, which will be held at Jones Beach on May 24 and 25....

Air power over Suffolk - Suffolk News-Herald | This year’s Festival of Flight will combine the past, present and future of aviation as activities include everything from a traveling Tuskegee Airmen museum to a forum on drones. Happening May 31 and June 1 at the Suffolk Executive Airport, there’s something for everyone — whether they arrive by land or air — at the festival, said Dee Whittington, festival marketing chair...

Air Force pilots prepare ahead of Va. Beach air show - The Virginian-Pilot | Capt. John Cummings got out of the cockpit of the F-22 Raptor, the Air Force's top fighter jet, with ease and comfort at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton. The captain stood confidently as Col. Kevin Huyck, commander of the First Fighter Wing, boasted about the high-performance aircraft and the elite group of pilots who fly it...

Video: F-22 Raptor ready for this year's Oceanfront Air Show - wtkr.com | Hampton Roads, Va. – NewsChannel 3 got a first-hand look at a F-22 Raptor as it did every maneuver in the book, preparing for this year’s Virginia Beach Patriotic Oceanfront Air Show next weekend. “It’s always a ton of fun for me.  I get out there.  I’ve got a good airplane. The weather was great today. A little bit of wind but nothing we couldn’t handle,” said Capt. John Cummings, pilot of the F-22...

Air Show showcases each MAGTF element - DVIDS | CHERRY POINT, N.C. - The Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstrated their capabilities at the 2014 Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point “Inspiration to Innovation” Air Show May 16-18 highlighting the Marine Corps amphibious abilities. Four core elements comprise the MAGTF. The command element, ground combat element, aviation combat element and the logistics combat element...

Nominations open for 2014 Air Show Hall of Fame · General Aviation News | Air shows are one of the most popular outdoor events around the world, and each year, the Air Show Hall of Fame inducts one or more members of the air show community who have recently or historically made significant contributions to the world of air shows. Nominations may be submitted by any person or organization until July 1, 2014...

Russian Helicopters to showcase latest models at Berlin Air Show * HeliHub | Russian Helicopters, a subsidiary of Oboronprom, part of State Corporation Rostec, is bringing a line-up of commercial and military helicopters to ILA 2014, taking place on 20-25 May at Berlin ExpoCenter Airport. The company’s display can be found at stand 4209 in hall 47...

Radio control air-show and fun-fly scheduled - Paragould Daily Press | Piggott Radio Control Modelers will host its 17th annual Spring R/C Air Show and Fun-Fly and competition May 31 and June 1 at Pfeiffer Field in Piggott, half mile east of the Piggott Swimming Pool...

Red Arrows air show coming to Donegal at the end of next month - Highland Radio (podcast) | The Red Arrows will take to the skies over Donegal at the end of next month to bring a spectacular close to the 2014 LegenDerry Maritime Festival. The display, which is being jointly promoted by the three councils in Donegal, Derry and Limavady will mark the departure of the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Yacht Race from Greencastle on Sunday 29th June 2014...

Red Arrows flyover for Shrewsbury River Festival - shropshirestar.com | The daredevil team will appear in the skies above the county town at approximately 2.56pm on Sunday, June 8, before heading off to perform at the Cosford Air Show. The air display team aims to fly west of the Quarry bandstand and over St Chad’s Church. Last year’s event, which takes place in the Quarry Park and on the River Severn, attracted over 7,500 visitors...

Sentimental Journey starts Tuesday - The Garden City Telegram | "Sentimental Journey" will be on display and available for rides and tours Tuesday through June 1 at Garden City Regional Airport. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was the primary bomber used by the American Air Force against Nazi Germany...

World War II-era warbirds visit Livermore - Contra Costa Times | LIVERMORE -- A trio of World War II-era warbirds will roar into Livermore Airport for the Collings Foundation's annual Wings of Freedom Tour on Memorial Day weekend. The planes will be in town Sunday through Tuesday...

World War II hero from Houston, MN sought for autograph - Coon Rapids ECM Publishers | Out of 80 men who made up the five-man flight crews of the 16 B-25 bombers of the Doolittle Raiders, only four remain alive today...

Congressional Gold Medal honoree to speak at Hangar #1 - Shore News Today | LOWER TOWNSHIP — Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum will close its 2014 Historic Lecture Series on Thursday, May 29, at 7pm. Lectures are free and light refreshments are provided. Bernice “Bee” Falk Haydu, Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) will be the highlight of the free Historic Lecture Series. From 1942 to 1944 the WASP were the first women to fly military airplanes for the Army Air Force in WWII. In 1944, at age 23, Haydu started the 7-month training program (almost identical to that of the male cadets) at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas. After graduation she was stationed at Pecos Army Airfield, Pecos, Texas. which was an advanced training field...

IndieGOGO Campaign for B-17G ‘Lacey Lady’ * Warbirds News | WarbirdsNews recently held a conversation with Sean O’Brien, Director of Operations for the B-17 Alliance Group. The organization, based in Aurora, Oregon is working to preserve the famous Gas Station Flying Fortress, B-17G 44-85790 known as “Lacey Lady”. The B-17 Alliance Foundation has set up a IndieGOGO campaing with the objective of raising US$30,000....

Video: Warbird museum to honor Armed Forces with hangar dance, exhibitions - St. George Daily Spectrum | ST. GEORGE –Memories fade as years pass, but a local nonprofit museum in the St. George Municipal Airport complex aims to preserve some of the United States' history of involvement in wartime air campaigns...

Amelia Earhart Set To Complete Round-the-world Flight - Aviation International News | Contemporary aviatrix Amelia Rose Earhart stopped at EBACE 2014 this week, one month before she takes off from Oakland, California on The Amelia Project, attempting an aerial circumnavigation of the earth that her namesake never completed. Unlike her namesake, she will be flying a modern Pilatus PC-12 NG single-engine turboprop equipped with a Honeywell Apex glass cockpit and satellite communications by Inmarsat and Satcom1 that will enable her to stream the entire flight to followers around the globe. “The capability we have in this aircraft is incredible,” Earhart said while standing in front of a PC-12 NG at the Pilatus static display here at EBACE yesterday...

Chocks away for round the world flight - Kirriemuir Herald | A Forfar teddy bear is living up to his name by undertaking an epic round-the-world flight to raise money for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA). James Bigglesworth Bear, the mascot of 2231 (Forfar) Squadron, Air Training Corps, took off from Perth Airport on Monday on the first leg of the 30,000-mile flight as a passenger with former Scottish Aero Club chairman Dave McElroy. Mr McElroy is aiming to complete the flight in his single-engine Piper Comanche in 80 days...

Video: Kirby Chambliss Explores New Career in Break Dancing by Tyson Rininger | Red Bull has a new promo enabling famed pilot, Kirby Chambliss to challenge world class break dancers.

Poll: Awesome Or Ugly? The 1960's Era 'Dyke Delta' Homebuilt * AirPigz | I can still remember being somewhere in the EAA campground at Oshkosh in about 1970 or 1971 and hearing John Dyke talking to someone about his Jetsons-like Dyke Delta. Even as a 10 year old I knew this airplane was something very special. I assumed then that...

Powering Imagination partners with Museum of Flight · General Aviation News | SEATTLE — On this date in 1927, Charles Lindbergh landed in Paris, electrifying the world with his historic 33.5-hour journey. Today Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, is unveiling a partnership between Powering Imagination and Seattle’s Museum of Flight for future Lindbergh flights...

Inspiring Youth by Team Oracle | It was a magical morning, sharing the joy of flight with 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at Brentwood North Elementary School in New York. Sean stopped in to talk about pursuing dreams, experiencing flight and living your dreams. He shared a video about Every Kid Can Fly and...

Free flights for kids at Young Eagles rally By Janine Dorsey | TBO.com - Kids who aspire to be pilots when they grow up can have their dreams take flight this weekend when they visit the Young Eagles Flight Rally. On Saturday, May 24, at the Tampa Executive Airport, the Experimental Aircraft Association is hosting the event offering free airplane rides for children from ages 8 to 17 years old...

Blue Angels - Random-osity | Blue Angels. The big part of the air show last weekend was the Blue Angels. The show did not disappoint. The maneuvers and flight patterns they flew were amazing. They literally take your breathe away! They are flying within...

NASA's saucer-shaped craft preps for Kauai flight test - KHON2 | NASA is preparing for a Kauai test launch of their Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project. The earliest launch window is on the morning of June 3, 2014. LDSD is a rocket-powered, saucer-shaped test vehicle that was built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, with final assembly at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai...

Rancho Murieta Airshow is BACK!

Contributed by  Marilyn Dash

Twenty-five years ago, the Rancho Murieta Airshow was legendary. This small privately owned airport southeast of Sacramento was centrally located to several military bases. Because of this proximity, during their heyday they were able to attract military acts from Mather, McClellan, and Beale to name a few. Pictures from those days show U2s, B-52s and even an SR-71 making appearances to the delight of crowds.

This year the new airport owner, Bradley Beer, along with Air Boss, Mike Smith joined together with local businesses and airport tenants to bring back the glory days in celebration of Armed Forces Day. With only three months to plan and put on the show, this was a great event all around.

The event started with the Performer and VIP Barbecue on Friday night while tenants of the airport put on a Flour Bombing event to the delight of the crowds. In Aviation, Flour Bombing is when a lunch bag filled with flour is dropped by a “bomber” while the pilot maneuvers the aircraft over the target – generally a circle drawn on the runway or in a nearby grassy area.

The next morning by 7am the airport was buzzing with activity. Volunteers and vendors had arrived and the final touches to the setup were completed. The crowds started to trickle in around 9am and the field closed at 10am to airborne traffic.

A lazy morning of RV formation flights by the West Coast Ravens Formation Group kept our eyes to the skies while Mike Carpentiero hopped rides for locals in “Stanley” his 1930 New Standard D-25 Biplane. Stanley holds four people in the front cockpit and he was kept quite busy with happy passengers all day on Saturday.


Credit: Ken Linde
Wide variety of aircraft in attendance.

Military aircraft were on scene including a C-130 from Pt Mugu and a Chinook helicopter - both of which provided tours all day to the fans. Their crews were gracious to all of the attendees and were delightful to have around.

The Show opened with the National Anthem and Dan Buchanan filling the sky with streaks of smoke and color in his version of “Rocket’s Red Glare, Bombs Bursting in Air.”

Sandy Sanders and Wayne Handley handled the announcing for the show. Many aviation facts were shared during the day, with many long time airshow fans in the audience saying, “I didn’t know that”. Even I learned a thing or two that day.

Vicky Benzing showed her versatility with her Extra 300 performance. She has logged nearly 6000 hours in everything from aerobatic aircraft to helicopters and even flies her company’s Gulfstream. She is a very accomplished pilot and is the only other woman currently racing at Reno with me. Her airshow performance is filled with energy and excitement.

Then, Bill Stein took to the ski in his Zivko Edge 540. Bill had previously flown with the Red Baron Stearman Squadron and is now touring the US as a solo performer. Besides his high powered performance, Bill’s aircraft sports an amazing paint scheme which actually changes color as the sun reflects against the state of the art paint. The California audience was lucky to see his show, since he’ll be on the road for nearly the entire season, showcasing his talent around the country.



Credit: Mark E. Loper
Stein’s Zivko Edge 540 with the cutting edge paint keeps your eyes to the skies

P-51 Mustang Aerobatics flown by veteran, Dan Vance, was up next. Dan is a true professional. He flies for a major airline and can be seen racing his Speedball Alice at the Reno Air Races where he is also a check pilot for the Unlimited Class. He puts on a wonderful aerobatic routine and a great addition to the Air Show Circuit.

Dennis Sanders was up next flying Argonaut, the Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 powered by an R2800 and outfitted with smoke generators on both wing tips, allowing it to visually demonstrate the effects of wing tip vortices and its awesome aerobatic performance.


Credit: Ken Linde
Argonaut with the smoke generators – always exciting to watch

Julie Clark closed the show with her “Smokin’ T-34 Mentor”. Julie has retired from flying for a major airline, but is still available to entertain the crowds with her patriotic routine. She is also great with the fans, especially the kids. This is her 32nd year flying aerobatics in air shows and is a “mentor” to many of us!


Credit: Ken Linde
Caption: Julie Clark's Patriotic Aerobatic Display

Before the weekend started, Bradley Beer, owner of the Rancho Murieta Airport , said “The airshow will not only be an exciting event in our community. It gives us an opportunity to support the USO by donating a portion of the proceeds to them. This will be the best airshow in our region this year.”

And he was right. He also said that if they broke even, he would be happy to do it all again next year. Now that they have more than three months to plan and execute – 2013 will be even better. Circle the first weekend in June 2013 on your calendars now!

Reno Update

The Pylon Racing Seminar was held in June with a great turn out of Rookies and Veterans taking to the course for practice and evaluation. The new Unlimited Course was flown by both Steven Hinton and Dennis Sanders to assess the changes. Both of them walked away with positive comments, so we should be okay with the new course changes.

Also in June, the initial race entries were due to RARA. And it looks like we are in for a solid year of racing. While the numbers aren’t over the top, we have more than many expected – with 22 Unlimited Racers already registered. All of the other classes are short of a full field, but we are all hoping for additional late entries to round out the field.



Credit: Rob Miller
The Pylons are waiting…

Air Racers 3D Movie

Also, you should know that the Air Racers 3D Movie is working on a premiere event at Reno during Air Race Week. Stay tuned for additional information, but we are looking at September 7th - 20th viewings around the Reno area.

And don't forget the September 12th event in Sacramento. I will keep the information coming.
Until then...

Fly low...fast and you know the rest...

Marilyn Dash
Ruby Red Racing

PS... always looking for Race Sponsorship, if interested, drop me a note.