Fans ready for Cleveland National Air Show as they get a glimpse of practice * fox8.com | Friday morning, people lined up along North and South Marginal Roads, as well as the East 9th Street Pier, to get a glimpse of the planes. “It's right in front of us. You can see everything,” said Larry Smith of Solon. Thousands are expected to witness...
'Ready? Hit it!' Lutheran West teacher flies with Blue Angels (Photo gallery ... * Sun News - 
Taking flight: Toronto CNE air show preview * CANOE | Mike Wiskus flies his Pitts Special over the skies of Toronto during media flight day ahead of the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto on Friday, August 29, 2014. (DAVE ABEL/Toronto Sun). /. Mike Wiskus flies his Pitts Special over the skies of...
CNE air show plane skids off runway at Pearson, no one injured * Toronto Star | No one was injured when a small plane scheduled to fly in the CNE air show skidded off the runway at Pearson International Airport Friday afternoon. Peel Regional Police confirmed that the plane's landing gear collapsed. The two pilots inside the plane...
In pictures: Bournemouth Air Festival 2014 * BBC News | The show, now in its seventh year, features fighter jets, display teams and vintage aircraft. Red Arrows at Bournemouth Air Festival 2014. The flying takes place along the seafront, between Boscombe and Bournemouth piers, over four days from Thursday...
Canadian Lancaster Bomber grounded ahead of Bournemouth Air Festival * BBC News | Displays by the last two airworthy Lancaster bombers from World War Two have been cancelled after one suffered engine problems. A Canadian Lancaster, currently on a UK tour, performed an engine shutdown during a flight in County Durham. Its owners...
Rhyl Air Show 2014: The Blades hoping to 'have a ball' * Daily Post North Wales | Visitors can expect thrilling flips, loops and rolls at the Rhyl Air Show on Saturday and Sunday. Taking to the skies on Saturday are thrilling display team The Blades. Renowned for their cutting-edge display and breath-taking aerobatics, the former...
Meet the woman who flies stunt planes for a living * Cambridge News | Based at Little Gransden 
Pilots share joys, challenges of flight * Galesburg Register-Mail | GALESBURG — The National Stearman Fly-In attracts dozens of World War II-era biplane trainers to Galesburg every year for six days starting on Labor Day at the Galesburg Municipal Airport. Robert Preston describes owning a World War II-era Stearman...
Reno Air Races – 2014 - Here we go! · Marilyn Dash, The Pylon Place | The 51st National Championship Air Races are just around the corner. While the teams are putting the final touches on the racers, packing the tools and trailers and trying to remember what they forgot, let’s take a look at what to expect....
Experimental Solar Airship Down In Canada * Aero-News Network | Two Seriously Injured In The Accident An experimental, solar-powered airship went down in a tobacco field near the Brantford, Ontario Canada airport Friday morning, resulting in the serious injury of the two people on board...
Story of pioneer aviator Nancy Corrigan featured in new exhibit at ... * The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com | CLEVELAND, Ohio – Aviation pioneer, fashion model and Cleveland celebrity Nancy Corrigan is coming back to town for a special appearance, 31 years after her death. A new exhibit about the Irish-born flier, "Nancy Corrigan: The Model Pilot," will be...
Former presidential pilot stops by Atwater's Castle Air Museum * Fresno Bee | On his way to Oregon on Thursday, Rice came to see his friend Larry Morelock of Merced, the vice chairman and facilities chairman for the Castle Air Museum. After bidding the Air Force goodbye, both Morelock and Rice were pilots for Reno Air and then...
Boneyard Nose Art · Travel for Aircraft | Boneyard Nose Art Boneyard Nose Art: U.S. military 
CAF Takes Action Regarding Proposed FAA Rule · Warbirds News | The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a new policy on July 22, 2014, to address the non-aeronautical use of airport hangars. A summary of the proposed Non-aeronautical Use of Airport Hangars rule stated on the regulations.gov website reads, “Under Federal law, airport operators that have accepted federal grants and/or those that have obligations contained in property deeds for...
National Guard identifies fallen F-15C aviator * Air Force Link | Massachusetts National Guard officials identified the pilot of an F-15C Eagle jet that crashed in Virginia as Air Force Lt. Col. Morris "Moose" Fontenot Jr. The veteran aviator was killed Aug. 27 when his aircraft crashed in remote, mountainous terrain ...
John McTiernan is preparing to direct the film Warbirds with John Travolta * JoBlo.com | When asked about the likelihood that WARBIRDS will get made, McTiernan says he has been taking two hour meetings about the film and that they are already looking at CGI firms to handle the special effects since "it's sort of the dog-fighting movie of...
Young Eagles Flight takes Salinas students to the skies * Monterey County Herald | SALINAS >> The "Young Eagles Flight" program, sponsored by the nonprofit EAA Aviation Foundation, took about 30 girls from the Hartnell SEMAA program on a tour of our Salinas skies last weekend. It's a new partnership between the aviation group and the...
There's MORE HERE. Updated frequently.
Showing posts with label Marilyn Dash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marilyn Dash. Show all posts
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Indy Transponder 30-AUG-2014 1500z
Friday, February 28, 2014
Red Bull Air Races are Back !!
By Marilyn Dash
After a three year hiatus to revamp and rework, the Red Bull Air Races are BACK! As someone who has seen four races in person and all of them via video, I could not be more thrilled.
After a three year hiatus to revamp and rework, the Red Bull Air Races are BACK! As someone who has seen four races in person and all of them via video, I could not be more thrilled.
Many things have changed, but some things have remained the same. The most important aspect that has not changed is the pilots. All 12 of the pilots are returning racers.
The UK’s Paul Bonhomme, the Red Bull Air Race World Champion for 2009 and 2010 is the early favorite to repeat. But Austrian, Hannes Arch who won in 2008 is also looking to return to the top. Both of these men are VERY competitive and have kept their skills up flying Airshows and Competition.
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| Kirby Chambliss flying over Las Vegas Motor Speedway Credit: Garth Milan Red Bull Content Pool |
American Kirby Chambliss won in 2004 and 2006 and is always striving for perfection. Michael Goulian, another American returning pilot is ready to take it all. Having met all 12 of the racers, it's hard to decide who to cheer for, but no matter who wins, it will be an exciting year.
Changes
The changes are many and quite important. First off, the pylons are different. The new pylons are asymmetrical cones with a straight inner edge with an inclined outer edge. They will also be 5 meters taller with a higher flight window for the pilots to fly through. Another important difference is the material will be able to deflate more easily when hit by a plane and stand up straighter during windy weather conditions.
Over the years, 30 different materials and fabrics have been tested to see if they would make the grade. The current pylons will have a Spinnaker type fabric on the top which should make the racing safer with a quicker burst or deflation.
Another major change is the engine/prop combo being adopted by all of the teams. While the aircraft may be different, the engines will all be the 300 hp Lycoming Thunderbolt AEIO-540-EXP.
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| Lycoming Thunderbolts AEIO-540-EXPs Credit: Balazs Gardi Red Bull Content Pool |
The propellers will all be Hartzell 3-bladed 7690 structural composite props more commonly known as “The Claw”. This propeller has low gyroscopic forces and incredible thrust. By the end of the last season (2010) all of the teams had converted to “The Claw” and Hartzell is now partnering with Red Bull Air Races to continue to innovate and focus on safety.
By using the same engines and propellers combo, the organizers feel there will be a more level playing field and the variables will now be pilot skill and aerodynamics. Time will tell if this is the right move – but if closer racing is the result – that would be fantastic.
An interesting change is the recent agreement signed between Red Bull Air Race management and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The FAI is the sanctioning body of air sports, and the keeper of aviation records.
This agreement puts FAI in the position of sanctioning the Red Bull Air Races’ rules and regulations and will provide support for the races as safety supervisors. This is a big stamp of approval by the International Aviation Community of the Red Bull Air Races.
Challenger Cup
Another interesting addition is the Challenger Cup. This is basically a farm system for Air Race Pilots. One of the difficulties in the past was sourcing the type of talent it takes to be an Air Race Pilot. The ability to select a group of potential new Racers and have them compete for a spot on the roster is a great idea. Again, I believe this will add to the safety of the series. With eight pilots from seven different countries including Francois Le Vot from France, the World Aerobatic Champion from 2013, the newcomers are the next generation.
Locations
The season opener in Abu Dhabi over the Arabian Gulf will be held the first weekend in March. As I write this, the teams are already there and getting their aircraft ready for the week of festivities and competition.
The next race will be in Rovinj, Croatia in April – then onto the Putrajaya, Malaysia in May. July bring us to the Baltic Sea and the city of Gdynia, Poland. August takes us to Great Britain and the Ascot Racecourse.
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| Locations - spanning the globe |
They move to the United States with two further debut locations, the Texas Motor Speedway in Dallas-Fort Worth, in September and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in October. The final race will be held in China in November. For those counting at home, that’s eight races in seven countries on three continents.
Both stops in the US are being staged at a motor speedway. This has been done once before in Lausitz, Germany during the 2010 series. The perspective for the fans will be totally different – being that the action will take place at eye level or lower than the fans' seats. Looking down at the competition will be an interesting change.
Tickets are on sale – and the action can be seen in multiple places. The Red Bull Air Race World Championships will air live on Red Bull TV via the web at www.redbull.tv, or through its iOS and Android applications, In select markets, the races can be seen on Apple TV, Xbox 360 and Smart TV devices. Also Fox Sports will broadcast in the USA. Keep watching for updates on the Red Bull Air Races website. http://www.redbullairrace.com/en_US
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Indy Transponder 01-JAN-2014 2230z
Video: USAF Major Ellison Talks Thunderbirds Flyover & Frank’s F-16 Excursion - KTLA | Jessica Holmes and Frank Buckley were live from the Tournament of Roses House in Pasadena. They sat down with U.S. Air Force Major Ellison to talk all things Thunderbirds and Frank’s behind-the-scenes look onboard an airborne F-16 fighter jet.
Sean Tucker energizes Endeavor Award · General Aviation News Staff | Tucker joins another legendary aviator Clay Lacy; Endeavour Astronaut Scott Parazynski and his fellow astronauts; and Hollywood luminaries Robert Zemeckis and Ed Asner as they honor the true heroes of flying, the individuals and organizations who have demonstrated their commitment to Public Benefit Aviation...
On again: Cherry Point Air Show set for May 16-18 - New Bern Sun Journal | CHERRY POINT — Marine officials have done an about face on their planned cancellation of the Cherry Point Air Show. The Marine Corps air station announced earlier this month that budget constraints had forced base officials to ground plans for the popular open house. Now, they are doing a 180, saying the air show will go forward for three days — May 16-18, 2014...
The Future of the Reno Air Races… - The Pylon Place | *** Since this column was written, Mike Houghton, the President of RARA has been let go. The Board of Directors will be taking over the day to day operations. We plan to continue coverage of the Future of Air Racing. Keep the faith, fans. Since the Galloping Ghost crash of 2011, the Air Races have been plagued with financial concerns and rumors about closing the doors. In the last few months, Mike Houghton, RARA President, has been talking about this year’s event being in jeopardy if $500,000 was not raised by December 15th. Just in the nick of time, we were told the event is back on. This leaves many people wondering about the long term viability – and if this will continue to be a year to year endeavor...
Replica Benoist Flying Boat Not Ready For 100th Anniversary Flight - Aero-News Network | Builders Said They 'Just Ran Out Of Time' | They just ran out of time. A group building a replica of the Benoist XIV Flying Boat for a re-enactment of the first scheduled "airline" flight on January 1st was not able to get the airplane ready for the flight Wednesday morning, so a Hoffman X-4 mullet skiff was scheduled to make the flight instead...
Doolittle Raider to Airmen: Training is key to mission success - Air Force Global Strike Command | While the U.S. Air Force is often celebrated for its use of technology and reliance on hardware, a Doolittle Raider's visit to Barksdale Dec. 30 re-enforced that the Service's true strength stems from well-trained, innovative Airmen working jointly....
Woman with CAP ties proved females could hack it in space - CAP Volunteer Now | FLORIDA -- Mary Manilla survived the jolting rigors of introductory astronaut training in 1959, but was too far ahead of her time to make the leap into space. Even so, in a revelation induced by stifling experimental solitude and ultimately reinforced by photos of Earth from orbit, the history-making Sarasota resident says the experience changed her life forever. “Since then, I’ve never been afraid of death,” says the...
“Aviation In The Movies” For POF’s Living History Event · Warbirds News | The Planes of Fame Air Museum is starting the new year with an interesting topic for its monthly Living History Event.The subject for the January 4 event is ‘Aviation in the Movies’, featuring the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. The featured speaker will be Mark Carlson, author of Flying On Film: A Century of Aviation in the Movies, 1912-2012, who will also be selling and signing his books. Joining him will be Robert J. Friend, Lt. Col. USAF Ret., former Tuskegee Airmen fighter pilot in WWII...
New England Air Museum to Hold First Open Cockpit Day 0n Sunday, January 19 · Warbirds News | The New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Conn. will hold its next Open Cockpit Day on Sunday, January 19. On that day, visitors will be permitted to climb into the cockpits of up to 12 vintage aircraft, a full-motion flight simulator and two static flight simulators.The aircraft to be open include the famous P-47 Thunderbolt of WWII, the North American F-100 Super Sabre, a DC-3 airliner, several helicopters and more...
New Yorker buys unique inverted Jenny stamp · General Aviation News Staff | WAVERLY, NY — Ask Art Van Riper where Santa lives and he’ll tell you it’s the Waverly, N.Y., Post Office where he got something to make it the best Christmas ever. Mrs. Claus — a.k.a. retail associate Betty Gable — sold him one of only 100 unique stamp sheets produced to replicate the excitement behind finding the most publicized stamp error in U.S. history — the 1918 Inverted Jenny stamp...
"Spirit of Washington" rises from the ashes - Milcom Monitoring Post | WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Like the mythical Phoenix, the "Spirit of Washington" has risen from the ashes, ready to strike anywhere, anytime. The "Spirit of Washington" participated in its first training mission at Whiteman Air Force Base, Dec. 16, after an engine fire in 2010 nearly destroyed the aircraft. After three years and nine months in maintenance, the aircraft was restored to full mission-ready status...
Heavy Metal: last missions of the AC-130H Spectre gunship over Afghanistan - The Aviationist | According to the U.S. Air Force Central Command, the one below has been their viewer’s favorite in 2013. It shows the last days of the AC-130H Spectre gunship in its last combat deployment with the 16th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, after more than forty year career dating back to the Vietnam war...
Start 2014 By Going Deep Into The Last Space Shuttle Launch (STS-135 Video) - AirPigz | Well here we are turning another number over on our way toward the end of time. I hope your new year is 
Rocket Engines and Retired Shuttles: 2013, the Year in Space History Artifacts - Space.com | The year 2013 has left its mark on space exploration history, but it was also a banner year for space artifacts from decades past. The prior 12 months saw a new type of U.S. commercial cargo spacecraft resupply the International Space Station, the first Canadian astronaut to command a space mission, the first Indian interplanetary probe lift off for Mars and the first Chinese moon landing...
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
50th Anniversary of the National Championship Air Races
It’s that time again. The crews are making the final touches on the race planes and the pilots are testing and growing more focused every day. The drama that is Air Racing is ready to play out in front of our incredibly loyal fans. Let’s take a look at who will be there and what to expect.
Unlimited
At this point, we have 16 aircraft on the roster. While not the largest number of entries, the fans should be pleased with the caliber of racers.
Voodoo is back. Yes, after a year off, Bob Button is coming back in a big way. He decided to put together his dream team and go for that elusive win. Stevo Hinton will be flying Voodoo this year. And Kerch is back as the team adviser, in what we are affectionately calling, “Yoda and the Kid”. They are having fun, they are focused on winning and they are the team to beat right now.
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| Button's Voodoo - with Yoda and The Kid |
Rare Bear has made the trip to Texas and back for a tweaking by Nelson Ezell and his crew of Warbird Whisperers. A wave of their magic wand and maybe the Rare Bear will be back to her winning form? With Stewart Dawson in the seat and a hungry owner in Rod Lewis, is this their year?
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| Rare Bear - the most colorful racer |
Strega has been a giant question mark in the off-season. First Tiger was retiring her, and then coming back. The flip-flops keep happening and all I can say is Matt Jackson will be the pilot. Allegedly Matt has sponsorship funding from his student, Tom Cruise. Yes, that Tom Cruise. Matt taught Tom to fly his P-51 Mustang, Kiss me Kate. Tom has always been a fan of the Air Races – so keep your eyes peeled and you just might see him in the Strega Pit (or maybe visiting Ruby?).
And then we have Rare Bear’s little sister, 232 – previously known as September Fury. This Sea Fury will be piloted by everyone’s favorite astronaut, Hoot Gibson. While Rare Bear has been spending her free time in Texas, 232 has been getting her attention from the team in Chino. Will she still sport her Rare Bear kill stickers from last year? Will she surprise everyone this year? We’ll have to wait and see.
Czech Mate is BACK.. yes, after a revamping of the wing and a few years of sitting on the sidelines, Sherman Smoot will be back in the Giant Killer. Czech is the meanest little Yak in the world. Fast, stealthy and small – she will likely be finishing near the top. Kudos to John Moore and Sherman (and the guys from Shafter Skunk Works) for persevering and coming back! Will this be their year?
Dreadnaught will be there, waiting for someone to blink so she can sneak by. The Buick will do more Buicking (hat tip Bruce Croft for the term). In other words, flying steady, every day and without wavering, will she be her faithful self and bring the Sanders family a win this year?
And then there is Precious Metal. Thom Richards and his team in Florida have been doing their magic to make the Griffon Powered Mustang sing. I know that Thom wants this win. He is very competitive and has his eye on the prize. Let’s see if he can bring it home.
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| The Giant Killer – Czech Mate |
And then we have other very capable racers including Sawbones, Miss America and Argonaut. All of them are capable of getting into the Gold race. And of course, La Patrona, Rod Lewis’ beautiful Tigercat will be there. John Bagley is bringing back Ole Yeller. Doug Matthew will bring two of his Warbirds, including The Rebel and the Corsair. Sparky and the Sanders’ Bristol Powered Sea Fury, 924 will round out the entries.
All in all, this is a great group of racers to entertain us for the 50th Anniversary edition.
Sports
The Sport Class has so many entries; they will be running four races, instead of just the usual three. A Race Class which only appeared on the scene in 1998, they are the largest class and are quickly becoming the fan favorite (after the Unlimiteds and Biplanes – right?) With 14 Lancairs, 7 Glasairs and a smattering of several different makes and models, this group has something for everyone. A Radial Rocket, Kevin’s NXT, a few RVs, Thunder Mustangs – and Shane Margraves is even bringing a Zlin 50! But, I still believe Jeff LaVelle will be our winner. John Parker in Blue Thunder, Lee Behel in his GP-5 and Craig Sherman in his Glasair may be the spoilers.
Biplanes
Aberle’s Phantom is the one to beat. He has been on the top of the leaderboard nearly every year since he unveiled his slick racer. The one year he had a hiccup, Jeff Lo was there to grab the trophy.
This year, the Bipes have several rookies with new and interesting aircraft. All I can say is wake up early and come out and watch the dawn racers.
I will be flying my darling Pitts Special, Ruby. I’d like to give a big thank you to my crew for their loyal and tireless work again this year. You guys ROCK!
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| Ruby is ready – Thanks Crew! |
IF1
Steve Senegal in Endeavor is the man to beat again this year. He will have some competition in the front from several of the newer racers. Justin Phillipson will be there in Outrageous. Elliot Seguin will be on hand with his new racer, Wasabi 2. Vito Wypraechtiger may have a trick up his sleeve with the Scarlet Screamer. Kevin Anderson and Lowell Slatter may be the ones – or will it be Steve Temple’s year?
T6
Another healthy showing by the T6s – the field of 19 will have their characteristically close racing again. Returning veterans Dennis Buehn, John Zayac and Nick Macy will all be battling for the top spot. Let’s see what happens with this loud and proud group.
Jets
Twelve Jets are entered to race this year with all but one being L-29s and L-39s. The one that doesn’t look like the other ones is Lachie Onslow’s Iskra. Smart money is on Rick Vandam’s ride, #5 American Spirit. But, who knows – this could be Pete Zaccagnino’s year, or maybe Joe Gano or Phil Fogg will be on top.
We’ll have to wait and see.
Wrap up…
That’s a quick look at what we have coming up this year. I hope this has increased your interest and we’ll all see you at the 50th. I know that the Reno Air Race Association (RARA) has put together a great show to commemorate a half century of Air Racing.
I wanted to give a special thanks to all my fellow Air Racers, Pilots, Owners, Crew Members for putting in the time and making this event so special every year. And to the people of RARA, thank you for not losing faith when the “going got tough”; to the volunteers for giving your time and working with all of us to make it happen; and to the fans who come out each year in heat, cold, rain, snow, and this year – smoke – to watch us do what we love. Thank you all – My September Family.
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| Our September Family |
See you there,
Marilyn Dash
Ruby Red Racing
All Photos used this month are from Anthony Taylor of WarbirdFotos.com – Thank you, Hopper!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Innovation at the Reno Air Races
With all the drama surrounding the transition from the old Unlimited Class to the new, the fans are forgetting about the other five classes of racing. I've decided to give focus this month’s column on the other classes, the innovators and racers who we don’t hear about on the forums. Who they are and what to look for this year – but let’s start with why the fans aren't as enamored with these classes, and why maybe they should be.
Air Racing through the years was always about technical advancements -- especially for civil aviation. Among the first races in the 1910’s, the draw was for inventors to show their wares and develop a name for themselves through their innovation. Thousands would flock to these events to watch the historic races and see how far aviation had changed since 1903 at Kitty Hawk.
Clearly the biggest draw to the National Championship Air Races each year is the Unlimited Class. But, when was the last time there was a technical advancement with far reaching implications in the Unlimited Class? I don’t think people are putting Allison rod engine parts in their Cessna or Cub.
The REAL innovation is in the other classes. These classes have full or nearly full fields – while the Unlimited Class is less than 2/3 of a full class. They are developing new racers and focusing on innovation, technical advancements and winning.
But, why aren't the fans paying attention to them? Let’s review ..
Speeds
Right now, the Jet Class has the course record for qualifying and fastest lap on the course. So, if it was only speed that attracts the fans – why aren't there more Jet Class fans?
In fact, the Sport Class winner would likely win the Unlimited Silver this year. So, the speeds aren’t really that much of determining factor these days.
Paint
NASCAR type paintjobs are always attractive, but we have seen classic paint schemes like Strega and Dreadnaught have their fan base. Wildly painted aircraft like Rare Bear, 232 and Voodoo also draw the fans.
But again, all of the other classes have their spectacular paint schemes also. Alan Crawford has one of my favorites in the Sport Class. So, that’s probably not the deciding factor.
Alan Crawford and his beautifully painted Lancair Legacy
Thanks to Rob “Phred” Miller
Noise
Well, there you have it. The Unlimited Class does have loud airplanes – but so does the T6 Class. In fact, it’s easier to have a conversation during the Unlimited Gold (as if you would want to) than it is to chat amongst your seat mates during a T6 Bronze!
Nostalgia
Of course Nostalgia for War World II aircraft may play a large role in the fan base. These planes bring so much emotion to a large number of people. Many pilots talk about the first time they saw a P-51 Mustang or a Corsair as one of the reasons they became a pilot. Yes, the drama, nostalgia and history around these aircraft does have its place in the hearts of fans.
More on Innovation
In the Sport Class, Jeff LaVelle has brought his Glasair III to amazing speeds. Andy Chiavetta has made great strides in Daryl Greenamyer’s Legacy. This year, Number 33 will be raced by Will Whiteside – an interesting detour for this Unlimited Class Race Pilot. What would make Will move to the Sport Class? I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but he has expressed that “Fun and Innovation” are a large part of the attraction. Apparently, it’s more fun to live on the cusp of great things than trying to keep 70 year old technology from imploding on a race course.
At this time, I’d say more Private Pilots are watching Andy and Jeff for innovation than the entire Unlimited Class! They are watching because they are interested in what these new innovations can do FOR THEM.
In talking with Setrige Crawford, an Aerospace Engineer and builder/pilot/owner, he is drawn to the Sport Class. Having recently finished building a very fast, and very sweet Lancair Legacy, he is interested in what is happening and is trying to figure out how to translate it to his aircraft and potentially other Experimentals.
Knowledgeable racing fans like Setrige, are watching the Thunder Mustangs to see what the Falconer V12 will do. When will that engine be available to the average homebuilder and what will the reliability be? What can be done with Andy’s geared engine in Race #33? How about the V8 development program that Lee Behel is working on with the GP-5? What ever became of Dave Morss’ Suburu powered racer?
Lee Behel’s GP-5: beautiful and innovative
Thanks to Rob “Phred” Miller
And in the IF1 and Biplane Classes, the unusual prop designs they are using have peaked his interest. Will these ever translate to the Experimental market?
More IF1
Years ago, David Hoover’s Endeavor was the New New thing in IF1. Later sold to Steve Senegal where the winning ways have continued. We have recently seen Brian Reberry throw his hat into the ring with his September Fate. This year, we expect Elliot Sequin, a Jon Sharp protégé, to bring something pretty exciting. He has cloaked his project in secrecy so nothing is known yet, but we will see how he does in September.
Biplanes
Biplanes have seen moderate interest in building new designs. Tom Aberle and the Phantom are at the top of the Biplane list for several years. His Modified Mong could actually win the T6 Gold and place pretty well in the Unlimited Bronze. But, he still doesn’t have the accolades he deserves, in my opinion.
Jeff Lo and Cris Ferguson have the Miss Gianna project which raced one year and is undergoing changes currently. We do hope they will be back.
Boomerang
This brings me to Karl Grove. Karl was bitten by the racing bug when he purchased Dennis Vest’s Drag Racer a few years back. A very fast biplane to begin with – he has only increased the innovation and speeds. Dennis then brought up a design he was thinking about for years. Together they moved forward and the Boomerang was born.
Currently a project between Dennis Vest, Karl Grove, Bobby Graham, Craig Catto and a Professor at UFMG University in Brazil, Paulo Iscold, the Boomerang is an interesting project – not just because of its radical design (see rendering below) but because it is being used as an educational project for the students at UFMG!
Karl Grove’s new radical Biplane design
Team Boomerang
When I asked Karl, “WHY?” he said, “Why not!?” and went on to tell me about his quest for speed and innovation. There it is again, the thirst for innovation.
Conclusion
While we wait for the dust to settle in the Unlimited Class, think about the Racers further west on the ramp and come down to see where the real excitement is in Air Racing!
Next month, we’ll look closer at who, what and how fast while we get ready for the 50th Anniversary of the National Championship Air Races. Until then, fly low, fast and turn left.. but keep it under 250’, you know the rules.
And if you’re interested in helping to sponsor Ruby this year, get in touch with me. We can always use the help of our fans to make our little racer faster!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Unlimited Air Racing - Changes Ahead
What does it all mean…
If you keep up with National Championship Air Racing (NCAR) news during the off season, you probably have read several press releases about the Unlimited Division of the National Air-racing Group (UD-NAG) and a Safety Stand Down for the 2013 NCAR. This was followed quickly by the announcement of the new Unlimited & Warbird Racing Class (UWRC). My goal in this column is to present to you a little history and hopefully answer some questions about the future of Unlimited Racing at Reno.
History of NAG
The National Air racing Group was founded in the 1970’s by several Northern California air racing enthusiasts. Originally called the Northern Area Group of the Professional Race Pilots’ Association (PRPA), they later split off from PRPA and started their own group. This organization grew to be the largest and most active air race organization, with over 2000 members scattered throughout the world. A recognized member of the International Council of Air Shows, NAG is a non-profit California corporation.
NAG offered their services to various racing classes, basically providing them with legal protection, support with race responsibilities and administrative matters as well as training officials, officiating, erecting pylons, facilitating negotiations with the FAA and assisting in designing and certifying new potential race venues.
Over time the other race classes left NAG and developed their own associations, (PRPA for Biplanes, Racing Jets, Inc., T-6 Racing Association, International Formula 1 Air Racing, and Sport Class Air Racing). The Unlimited Division is the only race class still directly associated with NAG.
At some point, NAG developed into more of a Fan Club for Air Racing, except for the Unlimited Division, which supported Unlimited Racing. UD-NAG is the governing body for Unlimited Racing. They are accredited by the FAA to speak for the race class. They are responsible for training and certification of the members for their class; they have their own rules, their own technical specifications and inspections. They operate as an umbrella organization for Race Pilots and Race Aircraft Owners and have fought for many years for the continued safe operations of Unlimited Racing.
How does this differ from what the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) does? Well, RARA provides the venue. They provide overarching rules and structure and manage the event.
In a perfect world, these organizations would work together to bring exciting racing and a safe environment to the racers and the fans. As one race pilot said, “Keep the racers safe and you keep the public safe”.
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A line up of P-51 Mustangs via Rob "Phred" Miller
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What changed?
After the horrible Galloping Ghost crash of 2011, the FAA and RARA stepped in to alter the Unlimited (and Jet Class) Race Course. The changes were made to create more of a barrier from the deadlines, the areas that mark the outer boundary of our race course, and to allow for a great distance from the spectators.
The goal was to “soften” the course and to keep things safer. What the pilots found, however, was that the course led to higher g-forces, instead of lower. They also found the old “Valley of Speed” was being tightened, especially as aircraft made the critical turn from pylons 7-8-9 to home.
The other issue was a maximum altitude restriction of 250’ (or 314’ on some areas of the course). The racers felt this altitude ceiling created an added complexity, as one of them put it – “We’re racing in a donut”. The minimum altitude is 50’ the max is 250’ so, 8 aircraft race inside a 200’ donut in the sky. So far, so good – until you consider that the average wingspan of an Unlimited Racer is between 40’ and 50’.
I use the example, Gold Heat 3A 2010, Strega’s average speed was over 473 mph and Here Kitty, Kitty and Bossman – two F7F Tigercats, were averaging 342 mph. So, as Steven Hinton in Strega was coming around the course, he was closing in on two Tigercats, both with over 50’ wingspans, with a closure rate of 130 mph. Pylon on the left, deadline on the right and a new maximum altitude ceiling above – where does he go?
When I asked what a racer was to do in that situation, I was told that “the overtaking racer should throttle back until he/she felt it was safe to pass”. This comment comes from someone who clearly doesn’t understand the fine line of detonation that is an Unlimited Racing Engine. We slowly move the throttle up, but we do not adjust up and down during the race. It’s all out, full throttle. It is unrealistic to “throttle back” – especially when you’re coming up on traffic at that incredible speed. And then, to be able to throttle back up – this scenario would certainly cause engine problems all over the course. Also, the how much time does it take an Unlimited Racing Engine to slow down 130 mph - who knows.
The Issue
All the UD-NAG asked is that this wording is added to RARA’s Rules of Competition to say:
“All racers are advised that deviations above the maximum race altitude will not result in a rules violation or penalty if such maneuver is deemed to be in furtherance of flying safety by the pilot in command and if such deviation is followed by a safe and reasonably prompt return to the maximum race altitude.”
Yep, that’s it. They wanted it to be in writing that if they needed to go above the 250’ AGL max for a safe passing line, or to get out of prop wash, or for whatever reason, that they would not be disqualified. They did not want it to be left to chance, they wanted their racers to know they could deviate if necessary, and they would not be violated. They also wanted to have the Unlimited Class provide input to the Contest Committee in case of an altitude deviation. The Unlimited Class knows the course, and the Contest Committee, while a professional and significant group of individuals, does not.
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| Unlimited Gold via Rob "Phred" Miller |
What this means to racing
As UD-NAG has been saying since February, they wanted an answer by June 14, 2013 or they would convey to their members that they do not believe the course is safe. After safety discussions broke down, the UD-NAG Board voted unanimously to call for a Safety Stand Down. They told their members that the current rules proposed by RARA and the FAA may lead to an unsafe and potentially dangerous racing venue.
Absent the requested safety deviation rule, the UD-NAG believes the risk of another accident is too great to shoulder and therefore RARA, the FAA, UWRC and the UD-NAG Racers are on their own.
RARA countered with announcing the new Unlimited and Warbird Racing Class. It had to be done. Ticket sales were in jeopardy, questions about the safety stand down were flying and some kind of move had to be made.
But, what does it mean for September?
There are some unanswered questions. Is the new UWRC accredited by the FAA? Will they fly the course as it is without any changes?
Who will be on the Board of Directors for the new organization? The press release mentioned Bill “Tiger“ Destefani will be the President. But, who else will be involved? Is this organization part of RARA? If so, is that a conflict of interest?
How will the new organization certify racers? Will there be another PRS just for the new group? Who will join, who will not. What about the purse?
Who will be on the ramp in September? Who will stay home? When will we know?
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| Unlimiteds being towed out via Tim Adams |
What happens next…
Right now, we wait and see. The hope is that this will all shake out and there will be Unlimited Racers on the Ramp in September.
Stay tuned, until then… fly low, fast and turn left – but don’t go over 250’ AGL.
Ruby Red Racing
The Pylon Place
Monday, June 3, 2013
Another Great Planes of Fame Airshow and Reno's PRS Preview
Ignoring the naysayers, Planes of Fame goes right ahead and puts on an amazing Airshow – again. Nearly 40,000 people were in attendance to witness history and a terrific show.
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| Missing Man Formation Thank you - Bruce Croft - 20W |
This year, the Airshow celebrated the history of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. There are only seven airworthy P-38s in the world today, and five of them were in the skies over the Chino Airport. Another P-38 on display, a photo-recon variant, made up the sixth P-38 at the show that weekend.
The formation of five was breathtaking. I don’t think we’ll ever see something like that again, sadly.
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| Five P38s - great shot Rob "Phred" Miller - thank you! |
The rest of the Airshow was also very exciting. Aerobatic performance from the great Sean D. Tucker was another highlight. Other aerobatic displays included Rob Harrison, John Collver, Clay Lacy’s Learjet routine and Margi Stiver’s terrific wingwalking with Lee Oman at the wheel.
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| Sean D. Tucker - The Happiest Man in Aviation |
Another crowd favorite, the N9M Flying Wing – the only one of its kind in the world – is also exciting to watch. Three B-25s, two C-47s flying in formation and a beautiful PBY really added something to the show this year.
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| The Flying Wing - one of a kind! |
As always, the aircraft are not the only stars of the day; the Airshow also honored several veterans’ groups during the event. Listening to them tell their tales of service is a great way to remember why they are The Greatest Generation.
Pilots and crew from the National P-38 Association, the 80th Fighter Group, the 91st Bomber Group, the 506th Fighter Group, and veterans sponsored by the Veterans History Project: John Knapp 44th Infantry, Celso Jaquez 6th Marines, Geoff Blackman VP-23 Navy, and Muriel Engelman Army Nurse were among the group sharing their stories.
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| P-38 Noses - Lined up at dawn Thank you - Bruce Croft - 20W |
Even with losing one of their largest sponsors this year, Planes of Fame put on another terrific event. I have already circled the first weekend in May 2014 and will be there again next year!
If you cannot attend their show, consider becoming a member and supporting their efforts. Go to their website and click on the JOIN button.
Reno Updates - PRS
It’s still too early to know who will be in attendance at the 50th Races. However, we do know that there are RECORD number of Rookies attending the Pylon Racing Seminar (Rookie School) this year. Again, this is a very positive sign for the event that so many of us love. You should stay tuned for more information on what to expect.
We have heard that Breitling has increased their sponsorship of the Air Races – which is great news. They are also bringing Yves Rossy – the Breitling “Jetman”. This is something all of us want to see! Can you imagine a man with a jet pack flying the pylons? YES!
Other performers include The Patriots Jet Team, another crowd favorite. David Martin, Michael Goulian, Jim Pietz and the amazing antics of Kent Pietsch will round out the show.
If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, what are you waiting for? We will see you in September to celebrate the Reno Air Races 50th Anniversary. I can’t wait!
Thanks again to my wonderful photographer friends, this month Bruce Croft and Rob Miller were kind enough to donate their artwork for us to share. This column would not be the same without friends.
Marilyn Dash
Ruby Red Racing
The Pylon Place
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sequester and Airshows - What Happens Next...
We recently learned that the Blue Angels, the USAF Thunderbirds, the Golden Knights and all the Military Demo Teams have cancelled their entire Airshow season due to the Sequester. The Military will not take part in Airshows in any way – not static displays, not flying, nothing. This information has sent the Airshow Industry back to their drawing boards to see how they can move on from here.
The Military Demonstration Teams are an enormous draw for these events. Military Teams can increase attendance by up to 30% while bringing many attendees from long distances which increase tourism for their cities. The draw for the communities is estimated to be a minimum of $2M in tourism, hotels, restaurants, etc.
John Cudahy, President of the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) has said, "If the military does not participate in Airshows during the 2013 season, the economic impact will reach far beyond the show itself and deeply into the communities in which those shows are held.”
We can point to what Fleet Week is like in San Francisco with the Blue Angels. The entire town (except for the haters) comes out for the waterside party. The streets are crowded, the hotels and restaurants are full – and now… it’s also cancelled.
Christine Falvey, spokeswoman for San Francisco’s Mayor Ed Lee, said last month, Fleet Week attracts over 1 million spectators and its loss could have a major economic impact on San Francisco.
Those are the hard numbers, but let’s look at the less tangible impact. The original mission of these teams was always based in recruiting. However, this mission has grown to include a sense of National Pride. During these amazing performances, most people feel a sense of Patriotism. There is rarely a dry eye in the house while watching an impressive fly- over at an athletic event – chests swelling with pride for our country during our National Anthem.
What does that mean to the local Airshows?
In a recent poll taken by AVWeb, an internet aviation news service, only 7 percent of the respondents said, No Jet Teams, No Attendance. The rest were more positive, 54% saying they would attend with or without the teams, 24% said it would dependent on the quality of the rest of the show. So, nearly 80% are willing to go to a show, if we make it creative, interesting and exciting enough without the jets.
Some Airshows decided to just cancel the event this year and either revamp or hope for better times in 2014. Other shows have gotten out their thinking caps and decided to use creativity to bring the crowds back this year.
Deb Mitchell was the Director of Marketing for AirshowBuzz and is now the Managing Partner of Latitude 31. She said, “There will be shows that rise to the challenge and press forward with modifications. Then there will be those who say it's impossible to make money without a jet team. My money is on the shows that reduce their spending, increase sponsorship and design creative marketing plans to lure people to an incredible family event.”
She continued by saying, “The way forward is not easy but it's exciting to be able to re-invent your act or your show possibly attracting an entirely new audience.”
What does this all mean to your favorite Civilian Airshow Performers?
Civilian Airshow Performers can be categorized into three distinct groups. The first group would be the highly sponsored acts such as Sean D. Tucker sponsored by Oracle and others, Kirby Chambliss flying for Red Bull and Michael Goulian for Goodyear Aviation, to name a few. This group has a contract with their sponsors that can include what Airshows and Events they need to fly as well as other Corporate Activities. They will likely not be impacted too badly this year, but if this austerity program continues, we may see a fall in sponsorship of these types of acts in the future.
Performers who have a full time job and fly airshows on weekends are in the next group. Many of the members of this group fly for an airline, which allows them additional flexibility – but there are also 9-5’ers who fly a desk Monday – Friday and then pack up and head out to their local show. Again, this group will survive this year – but their future may be in jeopardy also.
The final group consists of Performers who live day in and day out on their Airshow jobs. This group will be heavily impacted. In speaking with several of the Performers, some have seen 30-50% of their shows cancelled for this year. This could be devastating to Performers in all groups.
How can Performers become more creative to expand their show base? In speaking with Skip Stewart, he mentioned expanding his geographical footprint. This year alone, Skip will fly in 6 different countries including many locations in Latin America and the Caribbean. He will be joined by Kyle Franklin at their first show ever in California (Minter Field, May 11-12). While this means being away from home for longer periods of time, he feels it is worth it to bring his style of flying to more people. I applaud his creativity and his tenacity.
What should Airshows do to survive?
As Debbie Mitchell mentioned, creativity, marketing and sponsorship will be keystones in the future.
Darcy Brewer, Executive Director at California Capital Airshow, agrees and takes it further.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom…not even federal budget restrictions will stop the 2013 California Capital Airshow from performing for the loyal and eager fans of the Sacramento region (and far beyond) this October 5-6 at Mather Airport.
We realize these are both exciting and challenging times for the air show industry. It’s the ideal time for the industry as a whole to re-invent itself, be creative, roll up its sleeves, and remember why we produce these special events in the first place
- to honor our veterans and heroes by sharing their stories and experiences
- to inspire and educate our young people with any amazing asset we can share
- to passionately share a century of aviation history and American ingenuity with our treasured guests
I encourage everyone to please take a weekend drive with your family this summer and support an industry that needs you by attending an airshow or two. By doing so, you will show these dedicated teams and their armies of volunteers how much you appreciate their tireless commitment regardless of what’s going on in Washington.
Thank you, Darcy. I couldn't have said it better myself. So, I’ll let her words finish off this column.
Hopefully, I’ll see all of you at an Airshow or two this season.
Marilyn Dash
Pylon Place
Ruby Red Racing
Special thanks to Bruce Croft for his excellent photography. These pictures were taken at Airshows around the country and are meant to show the importance of Airshows to our next generation.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Aviation Events in 2013 - by Marilyn Dash
submitted by Marilyn Dash
Big things are happening this year in Aviation. Before we get too far into the New Year, I wanted to help you plan your vacation time. So, get out your Ruby Aviation Calendar http://www.cafepress.com/aviation_calendar and a pen and let’s get started.
Reno Air Races
Priority #1 to Air Race fans will be the 50th Annual National Championship Air Races, which will be held September 11-15, 2013. If you only make one event this year, I am pretty sure this is the one to make.
The planning has started to have many old time racers in attendance. I will continue to update as plans become more solid throughout the year. But, circle this one, and consider coming for the entire week. Qualifying starts on Monday, September 9th.
With all the rumors floating around for the last few years about this being the final Reno, if your bucket list contains, “Race at Reno” – you need to go to the Pylon Racing Seminar, PRS, aka Rookie School. This will likely be held the week of June 10th. You need to attend PRS if you want to race, so to check that box on the Bucket List; you need to be here in June to be there in September.
I should also mention that I don’t believe the rumors, I didn’t believe the rumor about the Mayans either – and they were wrong too.
Reno Air Races action, where else can you see racing Mustangs
Paris Air Show
Speaking of 50th Anniversaries, the Paris Air Show also celebrates this milestone June 17-23. The Paris Air Show is a biannual event which is much more focused on the business side of Aviation. You will see the latest from companies like AirBus, Sukhoi, Dassault and Bombardier. You probably won’t see a Pitts or an RV-6 in the bunch.
The Solar Impulse is scheduled to be there. This is a long-range solar powered aircraft being used to prove the concept of solar flight at night. The ultimate goal is to fly around the world – stopping only to change pilots. The Around the World flight will likely take place in 2014 or 2015, but several more test flights are scheduled – so keep an eye on this energetic crew.
Air Race Teams tossing t-shirts to the fans – only at Reno!
WAC 2013 – USA
The World Aerobatic Championships, also known as the WAC, will be held in the United States for the first time since 2003. The site will be North Texas Regional Airport (KGYI) situated between Sherman and Denison in Grayson County. This is basically the Olympics for Unlimited Aerobatic Competitors.
So, what can you expect to see at WAC2013? Projections initially indicate that at least 12 countries will be represented with up to 75 pilots in competing. Because the event takes place in the USA, we also expect to see several Independent pilots flying outside of their national teams.
The USA hasn't won a championship since 1988 when the team of Henry Haigh, Kermit Weeks and Clint McHenry won it all in Red Deer, Canada. We have won the 4-minute Freestyle two of the last three events. Rob Holland won it in 2011 and Zach Heffley in 2009.
The team needs sponsorship, volunteers, spectators, and donations. So, check out http://wac2013.com/ for more information and to follow the action. Head over to http://www.unlimitedaerobaticsusa.com/ to meet the US Team.
US Aerobatic Team headed to WAC in October
Credit: US Aerobatic Team
Sun-n-Fun
The USAF Thunderbirds announced that the SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In & Expo has been included on this year’s schedule. The announcement was made last month at the International Council of Airshows Convention in Las Vegas, NV.
The 2013 SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In & Expo will be held April 9 – 14 at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, FL. Most new Airshow Acts try out their new routines at this event each year. So, if you’re in need of Aviation, Sun, and Fun in April, Lakeland is your place.
Oshkosh - Airventure
This year Oshkosh, the EAA Fly-in known as Airventure will take place from July 29, 2013 - August 4, 2013. As a pilot, if you’ve never been you must go. Fly-in, drive-in, hitchhike if you have to – do whatever it takes, but get there, at least once in your lifetime.
There is something for everyone at Airventure, from the homebuilder workshops to the exhibits to the amazing airshow. You will be among your people, talking, living and breathing everything Aviation.
Flying Legends Air Show at Duxford
And if you want to see something completely different, try the Flying Legends Air Show at Duxford which takes place July 13 – 14, 2013. The event takes place at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, a branch of the Imperial War Museum in London, near the village of Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England.
This event is exactly what it sounds like, a celebration of legendary aircraft which fly most of the afternoon. The mornings are free to wander around the museum and explore the aircraft and other exhibits available. This is definitely one for that Bucket List.
Others
If you can’t make any of these events, look for a local Aerobatic Competition or Airshow in your neighborhood. Take a friend and make a commitment to introduce someone else to the world of Aviation this year.
Happy 2013! See you at the show!
Early morning biplane action at Reno
Photo Credits
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