RENO AIR RACES!!

[SleepyC]

Reno Air Races,
Fly Fast, Fly Low ,Turn Left

A Giants Eye View.
By Satdave
(Part of the Ohio/PA 40% gang!)


Ahhh , I love the smell of AVGAS in the morning.
Just checking in from the RENO Air Races a full scale event that definitely got my attention. As a self professed Air Show junkie I been attending full scale Air Shows since I was just a kid , led into this addiction by my WWII Navy Pilot Grandfather( F-4F Wildcat). Reno is not your run of the mill Air Show it’s an Air Race with an Air Show. Follow me on this one, Reno allows anyone with the balls to race around the desert wing to wing at less than 100 feet of altitude in several classes that range from Homebuilt Lancairs to Pitts S-1’s to Jets and full blown WWII Fighters that are so highly modified you can’t quite tell exactly what they are. The race course is tri-oval of sorts carved out of a desert valley with pylons that mark the boundaries of a long course( 8 Miles) and a short course (5 miles).

Now, the Bad Ass Class is the Unlimited’s, 4000 Horse Power Monsters that fill the entire valley with a noise that is truly “Lump in the Throat, Tear in the Eye Awesome” With names like Rare Bear, Dago Red, Voodoo and Strega, they are the real draw to Reno, kind of like the Top Fuel Dragsters of Aviation. Each one of these Beasts will run you a million plus to play the game with engines easily nearing $250,000 and you should have two of them just in case. You’ll also need a pilot that was just released from the “Nervous Hospital” because he’s going to fly this thing at 500 MPH ,75 feet off the ground for six laps with five other nuts! Too Cool. All kidding aside these guys are top notch steel nerved studs that don’t flinch. I saw several incidents where the plane either, blew an engine, caught on fire or couldn't lower the gear and each time theses maniacs got the thing down in a way that would make Bill Hemple jealous.

Oh, did I mention the Air Show? There is always a ton of military hardware at Reno. This year the star was the F-22. This thing was unbelievable. It was refreshing to see my tax dollars working to kick some butt!! I also saw the only Extra 330 SC in the U.S. which was so cool that I hope to see a 40% kit soon

Reno is rarely televised so you have to make your way into the desert each September to see it. It is well worth the trip.
See you there next year!




(Dave, Thanks so much for the report, I will see the Air races someday. It is on my bucket list! Sleepy)

[SleepyC]

Pics!

[Ryans Rebel]

Awesome pics!

[ferocious frankie]

Looked like fun! I have to go there at least once.

[MSTST]

wow cool,wish I would be there
Hi SleepyC, have more pictures? I really want more look .

[Blakez]

SWEET pictures!

[3dubya]

awsome stuff..

so who won this race

[SleepyC]

SAT DAVE. ANY OTHER PICTURES?!?!?

[satdave]

Here you Go

[satdave]

And ... I'm spent.

[satdave]

Couple more......check the bras and panties on the work scaffold by Voodoo, It's great to be a race pilot!!!!

[prostockbob]

Was the crazy guy in the cub there this year throwing toilet paper and loosing ailerons?

[Altavillan]

These were shot from the west RV lot from the top of my 2 story trailer. The photo pass by the FA22 came about 150' away from us. And about 30 feet up. It made one heck of a dust storm!

[BIG STEVE]

Do they practice much where can you see them we are coming over Tucson we have a spare week .

[NCFRgal]

We went a few years ago and had the time of our lives!!! It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. We've been trying to get back ever since, but life gets in the way. I highly recommend going to the Reno Air Races at least once in your lifetime--you will never forget it!

Unfortunetly the races are over well before you would think about heading to Tucson. Sorry.