Following the race, Dowd was riding a wave of gratification, knowing he had at least set a record for aircraft powered by the Pratt & Whitney R1830 Twin Wasp engine, sourced from a Douglas DC-3. “That was the fastest that engine has ever gone,” he says. And while he is not the type to mention it, his Yak—named Lilya, for Russian wartime fighter pilot hero Lilya Litvyak—made the rest of the field, all North American P-51 Mustangs with legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, look slow.

Racing Costs Money and Time

After returning to Syracuse, Kansas, Dowd began working on improvements that he believed would push the airplane past 400 mph, which would almost certainly be fast enough to crack the Gold race, though probably not enough to win it. You can expect only so much improvement in performance year to year, especially when you are on a budget. Besides, Dowd, who has racing experience at Reno dating back to the 1970s, had difficulty finding time to work on his race airplanes.

“You wind up with a list of ‘wanna dos’ and ‘gotta dos,’ and in my case my spraying planes always were the priority,” he says of the aerial application business he owned for decades. “My farmers had to come first.”

Dowd did not return to Reno until last year, but after problems getting Lilya ready, he brought a P-51A called Shanty Irish, with which he won Silver again, flying very smoothly and very low, even by Reno standards. Though fans loved the P-51A, Dowd felt the Yak had more winning potential. Besides, he has never really enjoyed flying P-51s. While they might appear smooth and graceful rounding the pylons, the experience in the cockpit feels like drudgery. “It’s like driving a truck around the course—a lot of work.” The Yak, he says, is simply easier to fly.

Sometimes, Less Is More

There were several additional reasons Dowd chose the Yak over the P-51. First, it is smaller than the P-51s, Grumman Bearcats, and Hawker Sea Furies that make up most of the competitive air racing field. This basic trait tends to equate to a smaller budget required.

Probably the most significant advantage related to the Yak’s size is that it does not need an enormous engine in order to go fast. Dowd’s airplane won the Silver in 2016 at 376 mph using the Pratt & Whitney R1830 Twin Wasp—and it was tiny among the air-cooled radials typically found at Reno, including Pratt & Whitney R2800s and R4360s, and Wright R3350s.

There are engine people and airframe people among those who race at Reno. While the groups overlap, some tend to turn to more powerful engines when they need more speed. Others look for ways to make airframes lighter and more aerodynamic. “A race-prepared Merlin is going to cost you $300,000, overhauling a 3350 is about $250,000, and an R2000 overhaul is closer to $125,000,” Dowd says. A smaller engine is more economical, though not exactly cheap. “You quickly find that it can be cheaper to focus on airframe modifications.”

Dowd also has the advantage of being an aeronautical engineer by training. For decades he has spent winters performing intensive maintenance on his agricultural aircraft—and occasionally squeezing in racing projects—in his well-equipped shop.

How It Is Done

After acquiring the Yak in 2010, Dowd went through it carefully, rebuilding and replacing numerous parts that were broken, worn, or just not working properly. Over the next few years, he overhauled the engine, balanced control surfaces, and began redesigning some of the aircraft’s internal electrical and mechanical systems. Mostly, though, he sought to clean up the machine aerodynamically.

Most World War II aircraft, even those famous for high top speeds like the Mustang, really were designed to fly at 250 mph or so—or about how fast you fly when escorting bombers to their targets. The incidence settings of the horizontal stabilizer would reflect this, so these aircraft generally trim out easily to fly at that speed, or roughly half the pace required for the Gold.

This is why racing airplanes often have to use lots of trim to keep the nose down when approaching 500 mph. Sometimes the resulting aerodynamic pressure is rough enough to tear the trim tabs off the elevators. An elevator trim tab lost in this manner was named as a contributing factor in the crash of race pilot Jimmy Leeward’s P-51 Galloping Ghost at Reno in 2011. The accident killed Leeward and 10 spectators, while an additional 70 were injured by flying shrapnel when the airplane nose-dived into the ground and disintegrated. The stakes at Reno are high.

Getting his Mustang to fly fast meant Dowd had to reset the angle of its horizontal stabilizer and remove an offset built into the vertical fin to counter engine torque. Doing so significantly reduced “trim drag.” Curiously, the Yak flies fine at race speed without changes to the tail.

Spinner Afterbody

One of the modifications that makes Dowd’s Yak stand out is barely visible. It is a fiberglass fairing called a spinner afterbody. Like most radial-powered racers, the Yak uses a large-diameter propeller spinner to cover much of the engine cowling’s frontal area to improve aerodynamics. This arrangement leaves a narrow opening between the cowling and the spinner for cooling air to reach the engine.

As the air accelerates, it moves around the spinner and into the cowling. The void behind the spinner causes turbulence and pressure to build, causing drag. Dowd’s spinner afterbody, which he designed, is almost a mirror image of the spinner. The fairing matches the large diameter at the back of the spinner and narrows to a smaller diameter as it reaches the engine crankcase to which it is attached.

As a result, air flowing over the spinner continues smoothly across the fairing, expanding and decelerating to more efficiently cool the engine while reducing turbulence and drag. This is the kind of device aeronautical engineers dream up. It may not look like much, but the afterbody is effective, Dowd says. “It’s good for an extra 20 mph.”

Other racers took note, especially Dowd’s friend and longtime rival, Sam Davis, who flies a similar Yak, Miss Trinidad, and is known for his skill at fabricating custom aircraft exhaust systems. Dowd was sure that a set of Davis’ custom pipes would add even more speed to his Yak, which still had its original, inefficient exhaust system.

• READ MORE: Expanding the Campaign at Reno

Making Deals

“When I asked Sam about making the exhaust, he said he would do it, but he wanted me to make a fairing for him in exchange,” Dowd says. While giving that much help to a competitor might seem strange, it is the way things go in the air racing community. Pilots often take a year off from the sport to help rivals prepare their aircraft or join their race-day pit crew. Sometimes they even fly for them. In addition to supplying the spinner fairing, Davis proposed that Dowd fly Miss Trinidad for him as well. These are the types of deals that racers make all the time.

Davis, based in Corona, California, has been working steadily on Miss Trinidad for weeks, including the installation of Dowd’s fiberglass fairing. The airplane is based at Chino Airport (KCNO), home of the Planes of Fame Air Museum and Fighter Rebuilders, an operation that restores warbirds and prepares numerous racing aircraft for competition.

Recently, John Maloney, a longtime racer, film pilot, and son of Ed Maloney, who founded the museum and restoration businesses, test-flew Davis’ Yak and deemed it ready to race. Well, almost. The aircraft is at least ready to begin the process of countless tweaks, fine-tuning, and practice flying necessary for a good run at Reno.

In an interesting twist, Maloney has even offered to fly Miss Trinidad at Reno, possibly bumping Dowd to reserve-pilot status. “It’s fine. Johnny is one of the best sticks I know,” Dowd says, noting that he is often happier working with the crew than flying the airplane. “I’ll be there with all of my tools.”

This story first appeared in the September 2023/Issue 941 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post The Intricacies of Getting Ready for Reno appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

This is also the story of the Schneider Trophy, one of the most prestigious prizes in early aviation that sparked fierce international competition to develop the fastest airplanes in the world. The trophy was the brainchild of Jacques Schneider, a French hydroplane boat racer and balloon pilot who was sidelined by a crash injury. Originally an annual contest, starting in 1912, it promised 1,000 British pounds (more than $100,000 today) to the seaplane that could complete a 280-kilometer (107-mile) course in the fastest time. Interrupted by World War I, the contest resumed in 1919 with a new provision: Any country that won three times in a row would keep the trophy permanently. The prize quickly became the focus of intense international rivalry.

Until 1922, the contest was dominated by flying boats—with their fuselages serving as the floating hull—and by the hard-charging Italians—led by the companies Savoia and Macchi, which came close to walking away with three wins and the trophy, scoring average speeds just over 100 mph. But starting in 1923, the Americans introduced floatplanes (streamlined biplanes on pontoons) and took speeds to an entirely new level. Jimmy Doolittle—the famous racer who later led the first World War II bombing raid on Tokyo—won the 1925 race at 232.57 mph, putting the U.S. one step from final victory.

The sole British victory had come in 1922 in a flying boat built by Supermarine Aviation Ltd. Founded in 1913, the Southampton, England-based company had a disappointing record designing aircraft during WWI but since then had enjoyed some limited success ferrying passengers across the English Channel. The company’s chief designer was a young man still in his 20s named Reginald Joseph “R.J.” Mitchell. Desperate not to be shut out by the Italians and Americans, the British Air Ministry backed Mitchell’s efforts to experiment with some radical new designs.

The Supermarine S.4 (the “S” being for Schneider) was a streamlined floatplane, like the American entries, but a monoplane instead of a biplane, constructed mostly of wood and powered by a 680 hp Napier Lion engine. In 1925 it set a world speed record of 226.752 mph, but it proved highly unstable and crashed during trials for the Schneider Trophy race that year. Two years later, Supermarine and Mitchell were back with a revised design: the Supermarine S.5. Three were built and entered in the Schneider competition, numbered 219, 220, and 221. I’ll be flying No. 220 today.

I’ll talk about some of the differences between the S.4 and S.5, but first let’s set the scene. The Schneider Trophy race was hosted by whichever country won the last time. The Italians were victorious in 1926, so the 1927 race was held in Venice. This time, not only was the British government providing financial support, it also sponsored a team of Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots to fly the airplanes.

One of the more curious conditions of the Schneider contest was that the aircraft first had to prove they were seaworthy by floating for six hours at anchor and traveling 550 yards over water. I found taxiing, takeoff, and landing quite bouncy. With its powerful engine and high center of gravity, the S.5 had a tendency to porpoise up and down over the smallest waves.

For all the entries, just keeping the fragile airframes together and the high-powered engines functioning was half the battle. Often, the finicky aircraft broke down or crashed (like the S.4 did in 1925) before they could even begin the race.

The crowds still came. It’s been barely a few months since American Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, creating a wave of popular enthusiasm for aviation. More than 250,000 spectators have gathered to see the 1927 Schneider race. The course itself is located outside the lagoon, along the Lido. The airplanes must fly seven 47-kilometer laps around the course for a total distance of 320 kilometers (just over 204 miles).

And here we go at full speed across the starting line across from the Hotel Excelsior.

We fly south along the shoreline of the Lido, past the lighthouse at Alberoni, and toward Chioggia.

A steep 180-degree turn at Chioggia, a miniature Venice that built its medieval wealth on its adjoining salt pans…

…then north on the seaward straightaway.

Another hard left turn around the San Nicolo lighthouse…

…then back across the starting line to begin the next lap.

Unlike the S.4, the S.5’s wings are strongly braced by wires. These may add unwanted drag, but they keep the airplane from breaking up under the stress of those high-speed turns.

The S.5 I’m flying, No. 220, is powered by an improved 900 hp Napier Lion piston engine, delivering 220 horsepower more than its predecessor. It has 12 cylinders, arranged in three lines of four cylinders each in the shape of a W, creating the three distinct humps along the nose. The propeller has a fixed pitch.

Fuel was carried inside the two floats, while the oil tank was located inside the tail. The engine was cooled by water, which circulated its heat to copper plates on the wings that served as radiators. Corrugated metal plates along the fuselage served as radiators for the engine oil.

The cockpit is mainly designed to monitor if the engine is overheating—and little else. The goal is to keep rpm close to 3,300, radiator temperature below 95 degrees, and oil temperature below 140 degrees. I’ve found that while the engine may not be air cooled, the flow of air over the radiator surfaces matters a lot. So maintaining a relatively high speed at an efficient engine setting actually helps keep things cool. There’s an airspeed indicator, but it tops out at 400 kilometers per hour, well below our racing speed. There’s no altimeter, and only a rudimentary inclinometer (bubble level) to indicate bank. It’s also nearly impossible to see straight ahead over the engine cowling.

In the cockpit to my right, I have a paper punch card. Every time I pass the finish line, I poke a new hole in it to keep track of how many laps I’ve completed.

Another little twist in the rules: Twice during the race, the aircraft had to “come in contact” with the water—typically a kind of bounce without slowing, which could be very tricky at high speed.

It so happens that  every single airplane except two—both Supermarine S.5s—failed to finish the race in 1927 for one reason or another. Our No. 220, flown by Flight Lieutenant Sidney Webster, finished first with an average speed of 281.66 mph.

The British had won the trophy, but they would have to repeat their performance two more times to keep it for good. To allow more time for aircraft development, participants agreed to hold future competitions every two years, with the next race coming in 1929.

The contest would take place in Supermarine’s home waters off Southampton. The company entered one S.5 and two S.6s. The latter, which had roughly the same design, were now all-metal planes with a new engine with more than twice the horsepower—the 1,900 hp Rolls-Royce R. To keep this monster engine cool, the S.6 needed surface radiators built into its pontoons as well as wings. Not only did one of the S.6s win the 1929 trophy with an average speed of 328.64 mph, but just before the race it set a new world speed record of 357.7 mph.

The British were now one win away from keeping the trophy for good. But with the onset of the Great Depression, the Labour Party-led British government pulled its funding and forbade RAF pilots to fly in the next race in 1931. The decision was wildly unpopular and led to public outcry. Into the fray stepped Lady Lucy Houston, a former suffragette and the second-richest woman in England. Fiercely critical of the Labour Party, she personally pledged to donate whatever funding was needed for Britain to compete in the race.

Backed by 100,000 pounds from Houston (and renewed participation by an embarrassed British government), Supermarine entered six aircraft in the race—two S.5s (including No. 220, which won at Venice), two S.6s, and two brand-new S.6Bs. The S.6B had redesigned floats, but most importantly, an improved Rolls-Royce R engine that delivered an astounding 2,350 horsepower. As it turned out, no other countries entered the competition that year. The S.6B raced alone, achieving an average speed of 340.08 mph. The next day, the S.6B set a new world speed record of 407.5 mph.

There would be no more Schneider Trophy races. With three straight, the trophy was Britain’s to keep, and it remains on display at the Science Museum in London, though few visitors may appreciate what it means. Besides a boost to national pride, the Schneider races propelled aviation forward by leaps and bounds. Today, it might be surprising to realize that the world speed record was consistently set by seaplanes from 1927 to 1935, when the Hughes H-1 Racer finally surpassed them.

The Supermarine S-planes provided Mitchell experience and confidence with incorporating all-metal construction, streamlined monoplane design, innovative wing shapes, and high-performance, liquid-cooled engines. And the S.6s introduced him to working with Rolls-Royce, which built on the lessons learned from its “R” engine to develop a new mass-production engine, starting at 1,000 horsepower, called the Merlin. In the early 1930s, Mitchell would marry these proven high-speed design ideas to the Merlin engine to create the Supermarine Spitfire, the legendary aircraft credited with winning the Battle of Britain during WWII. As for Lady Houston, who supported Supermarine’s entry in the final race, she was later lauded as the “Mother of the Spitfire” for keeping Mitchell’s development efforts alive.

In 1942, the British produced a wartime movie called The First of the Few. It tells the story of Mitchell’s development of the Spitfire, including the key role of the Schneider Trophy races. But the raceplanes themselves were mostly abandoned and ultimately scrapped. Only the Supermarine S.6B that won the 1931 race still survives—now on display at the Solent Sky Museum in Southampton. 

In 1975, Ray Hilborne built a replica of the Supermarine S.5, which was damaged a few years later. Bob Hosie rebuilt it to fly again, inspiring a folk song by Archie Fisher. Sadly, Hosie was killed in 1987 when it crashed. Today his son William Hosie is part of a project to build a new replica of the Supermarine S.5, with hopes to have it flying by 2027. You can learn more about it here.

Meanwhile, the Schneider Trophy race was revived in 1981. Instead of seaplanes, it features small general aviation airplanes as part of the annual British Air Racing Championship.

I hope you enjoyed the story of the Supermarine S.5 and its amazing legacy. If you’d like to see a version of this article with more historical photos and screenshots, you can check out my original post here.

This story was told utilizing the freeware Supermarine S.5 add-on to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 created by sail1800 and downloaded from flightsim.to.

The post The Story of the Schneider Trophy and the Supermarine S.5 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In 1964, Lacy was a demonstration pilot for Pacific Learjet, and he flew one of the first Learjet 24s into Van Nuys, California (KVNY), an airport that would become identified with him over the years—from the Air National Guard, to the charter company that he founded there in 1968, to the movie One Six Right, released in 2005, which capped his career as an actor and photo pilot. Lacy helped develop the Astrovision camera system mounted on Learjets and others. With it, he filmed for Bombardier, Boeing, and Lear, as well as other manufacturers, not only for marketing efforts but also flight test segments. Film credits for the Astrovision system include Flight of the Intruder, The Great Santini, Armageddon, and Top Gun.

Lacy raced airplanes as a passion, and served as president of the Air Racing Association from 1966 to 1970. He won the Unlimited category at the National Air Races at Reno in the stunning purple P-51 Mustang, Miss Van Nuys, he owned for many years. In 2010, he received the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Now, Lacy continues to give back, just as he always has over his career. Today, he’s working with the Aviation Youth Mentoring Program (AYMP, www.aymp.world), a women-owned and child-centered nonprofit committed to involving and inspiring underserved communities through aviation. AYMP students had the privilege to meet Lacy in person at the Van Nuys airport and learn what it takes to be an aviator. Through the Clay Lacy AYMP Flight Scholarship, Lacy has funded 12 students in 2023 for their private pilot certificates, and aviation management and/or aerospace education.

FLYING Magazine (FM): You started flying early in life in Wichita. Can you share a story from those teen years when you first took flight?

Clay Lacy (CL): I remember seeing my first airplanes when I was five years old. There was Continental Airlines flying into Wichita from Denver [Colorado], same time every day, in a Lockheed 12—smaller than a DC-3—and I’d watch it every day. When I was eight years old, my mother took me for a ride in a Staggerwing Beechcraft at the airport—I was into model airplanes by then. When I could see my house from the air, I just thought this was great. From that time until I was 12, occasionally, I would get a few dollars and buy a ride. My grandmother had a farm outside of Wichita…and across the road was a golf course, and in 1944 a guy named Orville Sanders started bringing airplanes in there. I started going over there and helping him. [My grandmother agreed to rent land to Sanders] and three weeks later there were airplanes landing there. So from the time I was 12, I got to fly almost every day.

FM: In flying for United Airlines, you saw the breadth of some of the greatest transport category airplanes ever built. Does one stand out as your favorite?

CL: I had a great career at United—a good company—I had the opportunity to be copilot on a DC-3 for my first year with United. The Convair came in new in 1952, so a year later—they had a contract with the union so the company just assigned people to be copilots—I was assigned it and what a lucky thing that was. It was a modern airplane, with a lot of new systems and good things—and just a great opportunity.

FM: You flew the Learjet early on, and worked with the company and Bill Lear. Any stories to share from that time?

CL: I was really immersed in corporate aircraft sales at an early age, and then I became manager of sales for Learjet in [11] western states in 1964, and with Al Paulsen and his company. I introduced Bill Lear—and his company got the distributorship for those states. I flew the Learjet and I met so many people, like half of Hollywood, giving them demonstrations on Lears. It was a great period in my life. And I started my own charter company in 1969.

FM: For the first flight of the “Pregnant Guppy,” how did that come about?

CL: There was a fellow in the Guard named Jack Conroy. He was always into something new. He had set a record in F-86s from LA to New York and back in one day. He ended up in 1961 building the Pregnant Guppy airplane, which is a big airplane—it would carry the [Saturn rocket] engines that would take man [up to] the Moon, in the Apollo program. Jack would build a lot of airplanes in those days, and I was test-flying most of them. So we flew the Guppy in September 1962—at the time it was considered the world’s largest airplane. It lost some speed—about 18 percent at a given altitude. But Boeing was interested in the project because they were in the process of building the 747. They were interested in how much performance it was going to lose [with the wider cross section]. They were very happy when the numbers came in.

FM: Any good memories of flying the F-86? What was it like balancing the flying with United and keeping your commitment to the Air National Guard?

CL: In January 1954, I went into the air force pilot training for 20 months and was in Georgia, Greenville, Mississippi; Del Rio, Texas; and Las Vegas, Nellis Air Force Base. I came back to United Airlines and the [Air National Guard] in September 1955. I got to fly F-86s on my days off [from the airline]—it was a great life. [The F-86] was a great airplane—I loved it. It was new to the USAF, then the Guard got it during the Korean War. I became head of instrument training for the Guard, and it gave me the opportunity to fly with the general, wing commander, and group commander. We had problems in the Guard, they had had several accidents—like seven accidents in one year—the year before I came in. They were primarily people on cross-countries, with problems in instrument flying. They had a big inspection—and our Air Force advisor chose me to do the instrument flying. I really knew a lot about it because of my job with United. When the inspection was over, he gave me a ’10,’ the highest score he could give me.

FM: What drew you to the P-51, and to race it in the Unlimited Class at the first Reno Air Races?

CL: I always thought it would be fun to do the air racing—I had never done it. I was flying for United, early January 1964, into Reno [Nevada], and I got snowed in one day and I was walking around downtown, and I went by the Chamber of Commerce’s office. They had a sign in the window that the air race was coming in September, and I went in and got the information on it. The next day I was back in Al Paulsen’s office, and I said, ‘They’re gonna have races in Reno, and I’d like to get an airplane and fly it, a P-51.’ He looked shocked, and he said, ‘I just talked to a guy on the phone, and he wants to trade me a P-51 on a Cessna 310 he had for sale.’ The guy was in Lewiston, Idaho. In those days, the P-51s weren’t worth near as much as they are today. So Al wanted $17,500 for the Cessna 310, and…Al told him [he’d give him] $7,500 on the P-51. It was low time, one of the very last ones built— and it flew very nicely.

FM: You’ve made the move from pilot to philanthropist full-time—but you’ve been involved with charitable work all of your career. Tell us about the Clay Lacy Foundation, and the Aviation Youth Mentoring Program you’re involved in now—and what drives you to support kids?

CL: It’s something that I got into some time ago, just overall supporting kids. It’s been a good experience. I’ve had so much fun in aviation—I’m told I might be the highest-time pilot; I have over 55,000 flight hours. I love people in aviation—they’re good, honest people, I think. You tend to be honest in aviation, because if you’re not, you get in trouble if you’re a pilot. So they make good role models for young people. If [a young person] is really interested, they need to meet people who are in aviation who can sponsor them and help get them going.

Quick 6

Is there anyone living or dead who you would most like to fly with?

So many good friends…one being Bill Lear

If you could fly any aircraft that you haven’t flown yet, what would it be?

Several aircraft that I’ve filmed but not flown—like the SR-71

What’s your favorite airport that you’ve flown into?

When I was flying the line for United, Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport

What do you believe has been the biggest innovation breakthrough or event in aviation?

With the advances we’ve made in supersonic flight by the 1950s, I’m surprised we’re not flying faster now. But the increase in safety—it’s remarkable.

What is one important life lesson you’ve learned from being a pilot?

Learn all that you can—always be on the lookout to learn something new.

When not flying or promoting your charitable foundation, what would you rather be doing?

I have a place in Idaho, in the mountains. But, the main thing has always been airplanes and the people in aviation.

The post A Life in Pursuit with Clay Lacy appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

A location for next year has not been announced.

The airport was built in 1942. The races have been held at Reno-Stead since 1964, when it was known as Stead Air Force Base. Today, the airport is shared by the military and civilians as a general aviation airport.

“It is with heavy hearts that we write this to let you know that, after nearly 60 years of air racing in northern Nevada, 2023 will be the last National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport,” RARA said in a statement Thursday. “While we knew this day might eventually come, we had hoped it wouldn’t come so soon. Citing the region’s significant growth amongst other concerns, the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority (RTAA) has made the decision to sunset the event.”

“We are grateful for our time at the Reno-Stead Airport and our partnership with the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority that made the event possible,” the organization added.

• READ MORE: The Pilots of STOL Drag

FLYING made multiple attempts to reach someone from the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority but our calls were not returned before press time.

Knew It Was Coming

The races bring in millions of dollars to the local economy as thousands of aviation fans and racers flock to the area. RARA is encouraging the public and the race regulars to come to the last event.

“We knew it was coming,” said Marilyn Dash, who has competed in the races and been a spectator for 25 years.

Dash attributes the RTAA’s decision to terminate the lease for the races on the encroachment that has been happening since the 1960s, saying the neighborhoods and homes pop up every year, getting closer to the buffer zone around the race courses, which extend approximately 10 miles from the airport.

Safety Concerns

Over the years, aircraft accidents, some of them high profile, have raised safety concerns.

On September 16, 2011, the highly modified P-51 Galloping Ghost crashed in front of the box seats, killing 11 people—including the pilot—and injuring at least 64 others, some of whom by shrapnel created when the aircraft plunged onto the ramp and disintegrated. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that worn-out parts and untested modifications led to the pilot’s loss of control and subsequent accident.

• READ MORE: The Draw of STOL Drag

Last year on September 18, an Aero Vodochody L-29 crashed during a race, killing the pilot. According to the NTSB report, the aircraft was competing in Race 29, and on lap 3 of 6, entered a climb as it neared outer pylon No. 4. The aircraft steeped its bank to approximately 90 degrees, and started a descent, then rolled left to an approximate 90-degree bank and continued rolling until it struck the ground in a nose-low attitude just outside pylon No. 5. The aircraft exploded on impact.

Vintage Aircraft

In addition to the highly modified, highly specialized racing airplanes, Reno was a great place to view award winning vintage aircraft, says Ron Kaplan, executive director at Ohio Air & Space Hall of Fame and Learning Center. 

Kaplan has been involved in the races since he was part of the Miss America P-51 Air Racing Team in the mid-1990s. In 1998, Kaplan and Mike Houghton, then CEO of RARA, were with the Smithsonian, NAHF, and Rolls-Royce, and they co-founded the National Aviation Heritage Invitational. Owners of airworthy vintage aircraft were invited to fly to the event and have their aircraft judged, similar to how it is done at EAA AirVenture each year.

“We would literally host 25 to 35 flying museum pieces each year. And running into the likes of  our enshrinees added to the allure, for everyone—spectators, sponsors, participants,” said Kaplan, who served as the NAHI deputy director up until his retirement last year.

Reno often attracted aviation and aerospace legends, such as Paul Tibbets, Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, Bud Anderson, Don Lopez, Gene Cernan, Herb Kelleher, Patrick Brady “and many, many heroes and legends of flight,” Kaplan added. “It was never a hard sell to get true aviation aficionados to join us, and many of them, like Bob Hoover, Hoot Gibson, and Clay Lacy, were regulars, anyway.”

• VIDEO: Go Behind the Scenes at the Reno Air Races

One of the highlights of Reno was that the majority of attendees came with an inherent appreciation and understanding of aviation history, Kaplan said.

“That was a major reason the annual ‘People’s Choice Award’ trophy, as voted by the spectators, was almost as popular as the Grand Champion trophy itself.”

Saying Goodbye

It is difficult to imagine the races being held anyplace else, Dash said.

RARA is exploring other venues that accept the 100,000 to 150,000 people that come to the event. 

“I have heard there have been suggestions of moving it to Tonopah, Minden, or Wendover airports,” Dash said. Both Tonopah and Minden Airports are in Nevada; Wendover is in Utah.

The RARA is encouraging racers and race fans to make one more trip to Reno for the last event, “making this year’s event the biggest and most successful it can be,” it said.

The last National Championship Air Races in Reno will take place from September 13 through 17. The organizers say they expect more than 150 airplanes and pilots to attend, as well as several hands-on displays and experiences, including a STEM Education Discovery Zone, the ever popular heritage displays, military demonstrations, and static displays and more.

The event will also mark the third year of competition for the STOL (short take-off and landing) Drag series. Tickets can be purchased here.

“Some teams spend all year working on airplane designs and modifications in preparation for the Reno Air Races, as it is a one of a kind event held in the United States,” says Dash. “This is our last time to get us all together. This is your last year to go—let’s just do it. Let’s send it off with a bang.”

The post Regional Growth Forces Reno Air Races to Look for New Home appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

An example of her determination and willingness to adapt to challenges was her 2014 appearance at the World Advanced Aerobatic Championships. She was sharing a CAP 332SC with others in her group, and when it came time for her to compete, the airplane broke down and could not be repaired. Faced with elimination, she welcomed the generosity of an Italian competitor who loaned her his CAP 232. Her mantra of “be bold, be daring” carried her to fourth place in that program—and seventh overall, and first woman overall—despite competing in an unfamiliar airplane she had never flown.

Based in the Alpilles region of Provence in southern France, Astles has found success with competition aerobatics, and also as a race pilot on the Red Bull Air Racing Circuit, where in 2017, she won the event portion held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Astles shared with FLYING how she got to this place, and what she does to maintain her competitive edge.

FLYING Magazine (FM): Your record of achievements indicates you’ve always pushed hard towards your goals and persevered through any challenges you faced. Tell us about your work ethic.

Mélanie Astles (MA): If I had to quote keywords to define my work ethic, those words would be passion, determination, and boldness. I focus on my target, clear away the limiting beliefs, and make a plan to go after it. This way, I can change negative beliefs into positive thinking. I abide by Nelson Mandela’s saying that you either win or you learn. My philosophy is that challenges make you stronger, and failures are incentives to make you progress.

FM: We all know aerobatics competition is extremely strenuous on the human body. How do you condition yourself to handle the G loads of this type of flying?

MA: “A great mind in a healthy body” could be my motto. My physical conditioning is intense, with workouts virtually every day and coaching several times a week. Breathing and abdominal exercises are very important to sustain the G loads, and I recently took up yoga, boxing, and stretching. In aerobatics, mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation.

FM: Does your preparation regime for aerobatics extend to your diet?

MA: I don’t follow a strict diet, because as is everything in life, it should be pleasurable. I eat healthy food regularly but occasionally won’t say no to a pizza, a hamburger, or a drink of champagne.

FM: Walk us through your pre-competition preparations. Do you have methods to eliminate outside life stresses from your mind so you can focus on the demands of the routine?

MA: I guess my best friend is music. Before a competition, I like to be by myself with my headphones listening to my favorite music, oblivious to everything else. At that moment, I am already in the air. In aerobatics, mental preparation is essential. I recently had an insight into hypnosis and learned some basics of autohypnosis, which is sometimes practiced by people, like Bertrand Piccard, who have trained themselves to use autohypnosis for short periods of restorative sleep.

FM: Describe the precision it takes to become a successful Red Bull Air Race (now Air Race World Championship series) pilot. What is the focus like, and what margin of error do you have to maintain to excel?

MA: In aerobatics, we have to perform figures in a limited area, and we are given marks by several judges, very much like ice skating. The difference with air racing is that we compete against the clock, so we are judged on speed. Along the runs, we have to find the best track trajectory, avoid penalties, and preferably not hit a gate.The concentration needs to be maximum because the run is only about 1 minute, so precision is essential, as we fly at nearly 400 km per hour very close to the ground or water. The margin of error is nil.

FM: As a woman, have there ever been times in your career when there were indications that the men around you doubted your skill and determination?

MA: When I was touring with the Red Bull Air Races, I was rather welcomed by the men, everybody was kind and helpful to me. The one problem [I had] was maybe with the media. As the only woman in the sport, I attracted the media, and some of the males resented that, which is a bit understandable. I did not have this feeling of sexism with the other pilots and believe strongly that they saw me as a pilot and not as a woman pilot. And I guess from my results, everybody realized I was not just a pretty face, but was there for fighting and winning!

FM: Throughout your bio and blog posts on your site, you use the word “happiness” frequently. Is flying your happy place?

MA: I always wanted to fly, and when I started flying at 21 years old, the exhilaration was even stronger than I had anticipated. Reaching the sky where I knew I belonged was an intense experience. What other word but “happiness” could I use? My motto of  “Smile On” started when I flew my first Red Bull Air Race in Spielberg, Austria, because I just could not believe this was happening to me. I had a permanent smile on my face, even during my runs. When we get on the course, the clock starts when you hear “Smoke On,” which immediately became “Smile On” for me, and that has remained ever since. It is my peaceful cry which I would like to hear throughout the world.

FM: Tell us about the personal relationship you have with F-HMEL, your Extra 330SC.

MA: F-HMEL is indeed very special to me. When I started competing in aerobatics, I shared airplanes. When I wanted my first airplane, the banks refused to lend me the money. But thanks to the help of one of my sponsors, who helped me build a case with the bankers and stood security for me, I was able to buy F-HMEL, and it has been with me through many competitions. 

FM: Tell us about being an ambassador to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona. What is the importance you place on inspiring young people to become involved in flying?

MA: I am very proud to represent the Pima Air and Space Museum internationally, because it is one of the most beautiful museums I have ever seen. The Pima staff and I share many common values and want to inspire people to join the aviation world by making it feel accessible. I love promoting the museum, it is just so natural for me because the history found there highlights the values I defend.

Quick 6

Who’s the one person living or dead you would most like to fly with? Someone who is dreaming of flying but can’t.

If you could fly any airplane or helicopter, what would that be? The F-15 Eagle, because it’s my favorite fighter.

What is one airport you’ve always wanted to fly into? Oshkosh (KOSH).

What do you believe has been aviation’s biggest break-through event or innovation? Breaking the sound barrier.

What is one important life lesson you’ve learned from being an aerobatic competitor? It is not so much what I do in competition, it is who Ibecome through competing.

When not flying, I’d rather be… Learning new things

The post Melanie Astles Reflects on Perseverance and Precision appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Outside observers, including other pilots, are often struck by how low agricultural aircraft fly when applying chemicals to farmland. In general, private pilots tend to fly much higher than, say, the “1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft” that the FAA prescribes over congested areas. So the sight of a small aircraft flying long runs back and forth within 10 feet of the tops of crops with dramatic, swooping 180-degree turns in between can seem jarring.

Flying Low and Feeling at Home

For so-called ag pilots, this unusual corner of the flight envelope is home. It is also authorized under the FAA’s Part 137 rules for agricultural aircraft operations. Crop sprayers have to fly low to apply their chemicals accurately. Most of today’s crop treatments are sprayed liquid, while dust was typical during the industry’s early days. Still, the term “crop duster” remains in the popular lexicon.

• READ MORE: History of Agricultural Aviation Reveals a Series of Turning Points

During years of spraying crops, ag pilots develop skills that transfer well to air racing around a closed course, also called pylon racing. This style of competition often favors those willing to fly lower than everyone else, and many agricultural operators have gained renown at numerous events, including the premier Stihl National Championship Air Races held annually at Reno/Stead Airport (KRTS) in Reno, Nevada.

The following ag pilots have made their mark on the Reno Air Races over the decades.

Marvin Lee “Lefty” Gardner

After flying B-17 and B-24 bombers with the 8th Air Force during World War II, Lefty Gardner earned an agriculture degree at Texas A&M and went into the aerial application business. In the late 1950s, he and a group of ag-pilot friends began collecting surplus military aircraft, gradually assembling what became the Confederate Air Force, known today as the Commemorative Air Force. Known as a superb pilot, he won the Gold Race at Reno in 1976, flying his P-51 called Thunderbird. However, he is probably best remembered for his P-38 White Lightnin’ which made a huge impression around the Reno pylons and in aerobatic demonstrations.

• READ MORE: Pilot Runs a Crop-Dusting Business

Gary Hubler

Gary Hubler, a crop duster from Idaho, raced in Reno’s Formula 1 class for light aircraft with 200-cubic inch Continental engines and a 500-pound minimum weight. He began racing at Reno in 1984 and gradually rose to the top, winning the class each year from 2002 to 2006. Hubler died in an accident during a heat race in 2007 after colliding with another racer.

Bob Yancey

Career crop duster Bob Yancey routinely flew his souped-up racing aircraft from Klamath Falls, Oregon, down to Reno for the annual competition. People grew accustomed to seeing him arrive in Ole’ Blue, a Vought F4U Corsair. So you can imagine the surprise in 1988 when he touched down in a highly modified Russian Yak-11 called Perestroika—perfect for the late-Cold War era. It was becoming easier to import airplanes from what were the Eastern Bloc countries, and compared with American warbirds, the Yak was small, light, and inexpensive. Aviation legend Bob Hoover interviewed Yancey and asked how the Yak handled on the trip to Reno. “Twitchy,” Yancey replied.  

Nick Macy

The T-6 races are among the most exciting at Reno because the aircraft—all essentially the same model of World War II advanced trainers—tend to be closely matched and highly competitive. If you appreciate the nuances of a baseball pitching duel or NASCAR racers drafting one another on a super speedway in search of an elusive advantage, you probably would enjoy watching T-6s compete. Longtime ag pilot Nick Macy has competed at Reno for more than 30 years and had a run of six T-6 Gold Race wins from 1999 to 2012.

John ‘Dusty’ Dowd

Dusty Dowd, an aeronautical engineer who owned Syracuse Flying Service in Syracuse, Kansas, competed in Reno’s Formula 1 class through the 1980s. After a while racing began to conflict with his crop work, and he took an extended leave from racing. Fast forward to 2016, when he returned, this time in the unlimited class with a Yak-11 called Lylia. He won the Silver Race that year at an average speed of 376 mph. He won the Silver again this year with a P-51A Mustang called Shanty Irish. He says the Yak, which he has continued to improve since 2016, will be back next year. FLYING will be watching.

The post Flying Low and Fast, Crop Dusting and Air Racing, a Natural Fit appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Among them will be Marie Carastro, 94, the oldest competitor in the race’s 93-year history. Marie will be joined by her teammates, grand-daughter Danielle Carastro, who at age 16 was the youngest ARC participant (2016 race), and daughter Susan Carastro (Danielle’s aunt). Their team is one of two with multi-generational members of the same family competing in this year’s race, says Donna Harris, director of finance and vice president of the Air Race Classic Board. 

Harris will be in the air with them, flying a Cessna 182 RG with Air Race Classic president and five-time Master CFI Lara Gaerte. It will be Harris’s third time to compete in the ARC. In her first race in 2016, also with Gaerte, they placed about in the middle of the pack. “In 2019, we placed seventh. This year, we’re hoping to be in the top 10 again or at least finish with no penalties,” she says. 

Harris and Gaerte, and the Carastro family trio are two of 50 teams registered to race in the 2022 ARC. When the competition starts, the teams will take off full throttle, 30 seconds apart, down the runway at Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL) in Lakeland, Florida. From there, they will embark on a course that will take them roughly 2,400 sm, across 12 states, ending on June 24—or when they touch down before then at Terre Haute Regional Airport (KHUF) in Indiana. 

Nine Legs

The entire race is flown VFR, and including the terminus stop, there are nine competition legs. At each prescribed stop along the way, the racers will execute a high-speed low pass across a timing line. The fastest airplanes may complete the course in two days, while the slowest may take all four days. However, to be eligible for judging, the teams must cross the final timing line at the terminus airport by 5 p.m. (ET) on the last day of the competition. 

Because the ARC is a handicap race, teams race against their own best time. “The race is not about the first one across the finish line, it’s about who beats their handicap by the most,” Harris says. This allows slower airplanes to compete against faster airplanes on an equal basis. “Normal handicap speeds are based on operating at full throttle,” she explains. “It’s leaned appropriately—it’s for best power, [not] best fuel economy.” 

The eight intermediate stops in this year’s race are: Moultrie, Georgia (KMGR); Muscle Shoals, Alabama (KMSL); Hattiesburg, Mississippi (KHBG); Pine Bluff, Arkansas (KPBF); Ada, Oklahoma (KADH); Lawrence, Kansas (KLWC); Mt. Vernon, Illinois (KMVN); Tullahoma, Tennessee (KTHA); and a flyover in Washington, Indiana (KDCY).  

ARC Builds Confidence and Skills

Harris says participating in the ARC helped build her self-confidence as a pilot. “I gained a better understanding of the airplane and how it works at different speeds, different altitudes,” she says. She also gleaned knowledge from her teammate, Gaerte, who has logged 11,000 flight hours. 

Harris says there’s a real strategy to the race and aside from the camaraderie and fun surrounding the event, it gives pilots an opportunity to broaden their skills and push themselves and their aircraft. 

“A lot of private pilots stay in their home environment. They don’t go more than 50 miles outside of their home airport,” she says. “This [ARC] allows the women to do an extended cross-country, four days of cross-country flying, 2,400 nautical miles, and experience new parts of the country that they may never have gotten to before. Plus, they get to meet other women pilots who have stories that they can learn from and grow from.” 

In addition to gaining knowledge and honing their skills, pilots racing in the competition class—including teams from 13 different colleges or universities—have the opportunity to win cash and other awards. The overall winner will earn $6,000, plus medallions and awards for each team member. Smaller cash prizes will be awarded to those teams finishing in second to 10th place. Separate prizes are awarded for top finishers (first through fourth place) of each leg of the race. The top four collegiate teams will also receive a plaque for each team member and their sponsoring institution.

Rebounding After the Pandemic 

The 2022 race marks a return to the original long-distance format, following a lapse caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 competition was canceled and the 2021 contest consisted of a one-day Air Derby, which was flown in different locations determined by each team. The Air Derby allowed a greater variety of aircraft to compete and now ARC is considering opening its competition guidelines to include experimental, and possibly, turbocharged airplanes in the future. To do this, however, performance baselines will first need to be determined.   

To that end, this year’s race will include three aircraft flying with electronic data managed systems. A first for the ARC, the airplanes will be piloted by teams representing the University of North Dakota (one team) and Liberty University (two teams), but they won’t be competing for prizes. Harris says their participation will allow ARC judges to determine appropriate handicaps for this type of aircraft, so that hopefully they can compete in the future.

The advanced avionics on these airplanes don’t allow them to operate at full throttle, which is the performance level upon which ARC bases each aircraft’s handicap, Harris says. “We need to capture that data at different rpm [settings], 2,600, 2,400, and 2,500…This will allow them to compete more equitably in the future.” 

ARC invited turbocharged or supercharged piston aircraft to join in the noncompetition class this year, as well; however, none registered.  

A 93-Year Legacy

The Air Race Classic traces its roots to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, aka the Powder Puff Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other female pilots raced from Santa Monica, California, to Cleveland, Ohio. This year’s ARC celebrates the 93rd anniversary of that historic competition, which marked the beginning of women’s air racing in the U.S. 

“Every June, female pilots from across the nation fly the ARC for the competition and camaraderie,” says Gaerte. “We look forward to celebrating the 93rd anniversary of the Women’s Air Derby as we welcome back veteran racers and meet new competitors at our start in Lakeland, Florida.” 

ARC fans can follow the racers’ progress on airraceclassic.org.

The post The Oldest Airplane Race of Its Kind Is Ready for Takeoff appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

So, the pandemic presented a somewhat frustrating hiatus for a champion who’s ready to race. The Unlimited and Advanced classes managed to fly some competitions, but it hasn’t been the same in the past two years.

The perfect opportunity lies ahead in 2022 with the reboot of the Red Bull Air Race—the same series where Astles competed in the Challenger Cup in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

The new race? It’s simply called the “Air Race”—and the new organization behind it plans to hold races in at least seven locations starting in May:

• Greece
• Portugal
• U.K.
• Russia
• Egypt
• Istanbul
• UAE

Twelve elite race teams have already signed up for the 2022 season and those projected in 2023 and 2024, with 12 additional challenger pilots competing in a second-tier event Aero Series.

The Air Race will highlight new technology, including use of “zero-carbon” fuels from the beginning, as possible, and eventually expanding to include electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) when they gain certification and are able to race.

A New Team for Astles

As it turns out, Astles will lead one of those elite teams into the competition this summer. 

She had tasted success in aerobatic competition before the Red Bull Air Race, first winning the French Cup in 2008, and ascending to top female and seventh overall at the Aerobatics World Cup Championship in 2014. She has five French titles to her credit, and she’s considered to be one of the top five female aerobatic pilots worldwide. Last year, her aero club based in Paris won the country’s team championship in the upper levels, and overall for the season—and she said it was fun to notch a win for the club.

But when she talked with FLYING earlier this month from her home in France, she spoke energetically of another goal—to create a new aerobatic team. In preparation for the Air Race, Astles has launched a project to offer skill-building and training to young people interested in aviation with an eye towards bringing them up the ranks.

“I’ll be really happy to own my own team, and be flying with [them],” said Astles. “Hopefully it will be a life project—I’ll be training new pilots. It’s my time to give back. It’s good to fly the race, but the whole thing, to give back to aviation, and to inspire young girls and men to enter aviation—not just piloting, but this amazing world.”

She understands the importance of mentorship. 

“It’s all about finding a good person to get started,” said Astles, referring back to the instructor she had who helped her break down her perceived limitations and become an aerobatic champion. “I could have just faced a closed door…he was such a passionate pilot. Basically he destroyed all of my limiting thoughts: ‘You can’t be a pilot because you’re a girl, you can’t be a pilot because you haven’t studied, you can’t be a pilot because you’re not rich.’”

“You can change a person’s whole aviation career by being nice.”

How It’s Done—in France

She began flying back then in a Cessna 152, and then a 172—the stall warning horn “cries like a kitten,” she recalled with a laugh in FLYING’s interview. 

The process of competition in France is similar to that in the U.S. “In France you have six levels,” she said, “and the first I would say is the equivalent to the Sportsman level, and it goes to the Unlimited level, which is the highest one. This is the level I’m competing in.

“If you want to go from Level One to Level Two, you will need to go to a contest, and you will need to perform a score that is above 70 percent.” If a pilot participates in a contest and achieves an average mark of more than 70 percent, they can go to the next level. “There are between four and five official competitions in a normal year. Level one through three is on the two-seat airplane, and level four to six is a one-seat airplane that has more than 300 hp.”

The fifth level is between advanced and unlimited, and it’s specific to France. There’s a very big gap between four and six, and there’s a selection process to fly Level Six, which is Unlimited. 

The aircraft used most often for levels one, two, three, according to Astles? 

“We have a lot of Cap 10s, and we have the Extra 200 now, and CR 100 and the experimental models.” 

In levels four to six, the aircraft are perhaps 80 percent Extra 330 LC, now NG, and a few Cap 232 in France—“They are still surviving!” 

Compete Like You Train

Astles has given a lot of thought to how to combat the stress of competition that would consume her during past championships. 

“I think to perform well in a competition, you should aim to fly like you do when you’re training. Because when you train, you’re relaxed, you don’t have this pressure, so basically if you can manage to fly the competition the same way that you would train, then your results will be close to how you really fly.

“I’m passionate about the mental [part], how you can hack your brain.” 

She pointed to breathing techniques, and tricking your brain into thinking the figures ahead don’t matter if you do well. Once you reach the level of your competition, it’s the one who flies relaxed who wins. It would work for the private pilot exam—it’s setting down the level of your expectation, so if it doesn’t work, that’s OK. 

“The last three competitions I did, I won, and I’ve been using this method.”

The post The Air Race Is Back—and Mélanie Astles Is Ready appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The 10-minute test flight by the Nordic Air Racing team took place January 28 at Jarlsberg, Norway’s Tønsberg Airport (ENJB). Organizers said it represents a significant breakthrough, not only in the sport of air racing, but across the entire aviation industry. 

The flight paves the way for the world’s first electric air race series, Air Race E, which is scheduled for 2023.

“We are delighted that it went so well,” said Tomas Brødreskift, Nordic Air Racing’s team principal for mechanical integration and project manager in a statement. “No matter how well prepared you are, and how confident you are after ground tests, seeing a test pilot take to the skies for the first time in an aircraft you designed is always a nail-biting moment…It’s time to celebrate now!”

The first-ever #electric flight plane race was carried out by @AirRaceE!
As the official founding partner Airbus is proud to see the competition that will drive innovation in electric aviation technology off to a flying start. #AirRaceE
Learn more here: https://t.co/JFUskBkahg pic.twitter.com/dIuH05u44z

— Airbus (@Airbus) January 31, 2022

The Flight

During the first flight, pilot Rein Inge Hoff took the controls of an Air Race E-specification aircraft—a specifically converted Cassutt IIIM formula race airplane—and completed four circuits of the airfield at 2,000 feet.

Hoff performed slow flight and control tests with 90kW of power and working up to a speed of 140 kts, which organizers said is about 50 to 60 percent of the airplane’s eventual potential in full racing trim.

During the coming weeks, additional test flights aim to fine-tune the high-performance aspects of the aircraft.

Nordic Air Racing is one of 17 teams participating in the series. In addition to Open Class, Air Race E plans two additional categories—a partly-standardized Performance Class and an eVTOL Class.

First announced in 2019 and originally planned for 2020, Air Race E has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, like most of the entire aviation industry.

• READ MORE: Nordic Air Preps for First Flight
  
  

‘An historic moment and a milestone achievement in the aviation industry’

https://t.co/f5BqO9CZUg

#airracee pic.twitter.com/lbJwSwPARa

— Air Race E (@AirRaceE) January 31, 2022

The Race Format

Headed by international air racing promoter Jeff Zaltman, Air Race E will pit some of the world’s top pilots against each other head to head at a number of high-profile events around the world. The races will follow a similar format as the popular Air Race 1 series, known as Formula One Air racing. Eight electric-powered airplanes will race directly against each other on a tight 5-kilometer circuit, flying only 10 meters above the ground at speeds exceeding 400 km/h (217 knots), according to organizers.

Supported by founding partner Airbus, the race also aims to help advance the process of aircraft electrification. 

“More than ever, when we look at the concept of sustainable mobility, the challenges push us to work differently, to be disruptive and to use the learnings and achievements from a mix of sectors,” said Karim Mokaddem, Airbus electrification fast track leader. “In this case, flying aircraft using tried and tested electric technologies from the automotive industry is proof of that and is an approach we fully support as part of our electrification journey.”

The post Watch the First Flight of a Piloted Electric Race Airplane appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Reno has returned to flight status—and in fine shape as the shadows of the pandemic have retreated. The 2021 National Championship Air Races wrapped up Sunday with the final races in most classes at the Reno-Stead International Airport in Nevada.

The ghosts of the past have informed the racers of today. While protocols and attention to the details of racing safely make for a firm foundation, the conduct of each pilot still remains that person’s responsibility.

With a race card that went off without an incident or accident—and a high degree of professionalism—the collective cadre of pilots has proven its ability to rise to the level of airmanship that the “fastest motorsport” demands.

With seven classes now represented at Reno—STOL Drag was added this year to the six classes previously in play—the races offered up a breadth of aviation to weekend crowds that filled the grandstand after a two-year hiatus.

STOL Drag

Competitors in this newest of Reno classes completed their heats and finals during the week, with a wide range of aircraft and pilots vying for places in the bronze, silver, and gold divisions by testing themselves in a short-field takeoff and landing contest that played out directly in front of the crowd with a high degree of dust and drama.

The final round on Friday in the Gold division came down to a photo finish: The judges reviewed slo-mo footage to determine first and second place between Toby Ashley and Steve Henry. In the end, only 0.2 inches separated them.

STOL Drag Final Round:

The class illuminated the appeal of the new concept to relatively new and seasoned pilots alike—and how an airplane often considered “old and slow” such as a Piper Clipper can be used in a unique way to demonstrate adept pilot skill.

More results from STOL Drag can be found here.

Biplanes, Formula 1, T-6s

While other classes attract a broad range of types, the biplane, Formula 1, and T-6 classes pit birds of a feather against each other.

Biplanes Top Three (Gold):

More results from the Biplane class can be found here.

Formula 1 Top Three (Gold):

More results from the Formula 1 class can be found here.

T-6s Top Three (Gold):

More results from the T-6 class can be found here.

Sport Class

In airmanship and sportsmanship, the pilots competing within the Sport class at Reno set the bar. Established as a new class in the 90s, the Sport class allows for experimental and production aircraft to vie for a top speed on the Reno course within certain parameters.

The free and open nature of the class was evident in the camaraderie and competitive nature of the airplanes that scored at the top in each division.

For example, a Van’s Aircraft RV-8, Miss Ruby S, took top honors in the lowest speed class, Medallion, with Skylor Piper notching 233.921 mph on the course.

In the Bronze division, Neil Wischer’s Triple Eight led the pack in his RV-8 with a high mark of 254.302 mph.

Racing away from the rest in the Silver division was Vicky Benzing in Lucky Girl, her Lancair Legacy, with a blistering 305.199 mph.

The winner of the top speed division, Gold, was Jeff LaVelle, who notched 400.834 mph in his Glasair III—only the second pilot in the sport class to break the 400-mph barrier.

Sport Top Three:

More results from the Sport class can be found here.

Jet Class

The USAF Thunderbirds weren’t the only hot jets crossing the skies over Reno—for 2021 the Jet class featured L-29s and L-39s, with a lone L-139 flown by Dianna Stanger, and a SIAI Marchetti flown by Scott Farnsworth.

The Jet class gives Reno its top speeds overall—with winner Pete Stavrides clocking 502.362 mph in an L-29 in the Gold finals on Sunday.

Jets Top Three:

More results from the Jet class can be found here.

Unlimited Class

The unlimited class brings aviation history close at hand, with its parade of Sea Furies and P-51 Mustangs—the gallant warbirds that keep flying more than 75 years after their debut.

They were built for speed—and success in air combat—so it makes sense they would rule the roost. Though top aircraft in the Sport class now notch commensurate speeds in some cases, the Unlimited class holds onto final billing on the schedule as a position of honor these aircraft and their pilots have earned with blood, sweat, and tears.

Unlimited Top Three:

More results from the Unlimited class can be found here.

Click here to check out a photo gallery from the races in Reno.

The post Reno Air Races Return to Form appeared first on FLYING Magazine.