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The Pylon Place: What’s New at the Reno Air Races?
By Marilyn Dash
Last year’s winner, Voodoo and Stevo HintonThe big news everyone is talking about is the hiring of Mike Crowell as the president and chief executive officer of the National Championship Air Races. After a few visits with Mike, I can say that I am very happy to see someone of his caliber taking the reins.
“We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Mike’s caliber step in to take the helm at the Reno Air Races,” said John Agather, chairman of the RARA board of directors. “We are looking to Mike to bring his leadership, experience, and expertise in running efficient organizations to the Reno Air Races so that we can ensure this important northern Nevada event is successful for many years to come.”
The Pylon Place - June 2013
Another Great Planes of Fame Airshow and PRS Preview
By Marilyn Dash
Five P-38 Lightnings in Formation – Amazing. (Rob “Phred” Miller)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.
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.
T-6 Class Gets Stronger at Reno 2012
By Alan Smith
Nick Macy on way to Gold race victory. (Victor Archer)As the only “one design” class at the National Championship Air Races, high performance in the AT-6 class has, for years, been primarily dependent on pilot skill that minimize wasted distance on the oval race course and puts one airplane into the lead. There are, however, permitted airframe “cleanups” that, when properly done, can significantly increase the top speed of a T-6.
For example, the stock T-6 wing skins are riveted in place with domed rivets. For racing, these are replaced with flathead rivets flushed into the wing. Landing lights are removed and the wing fiberglassed back to the main spar. There are many other small things that can be done to reduce drag and increase speed. And, of course, a racing T-6 has been repainted in vivid colors and is highly polished. I have been told, by some racing T-6 owners, that even selecting the right polishing compound can have a positive effect.
The Pylon Place - September 2012
Reno Air Racing Prep - 2012
By Marilyn Dash
Keeping up with the news surrounding the Reno Air Races this year has been exhausting. Racers and fans alike have so many questions, i.e., are we racing, what changes will we see, who will be there, who won’t, will the fans notice any changes? These are all good questions. I hope that I have, through this column, helped everyone understand what the process has been following the horrific event of September 16, 2011. I have tried to listen to the questions the fans have been asking and answer them here.
The Pylon Place - August 2012
Let’s Go Racing
By Marilyn Dash
First the GREAT news!
As we are going to press today, we received word that we are in fact racing in September. The much publicized shortfall of $1M towards the event insurance was eradicated when the NCOT (Nevada Commission on Tourism) came forward to provide the final $600,000.
This was the last hurdle to racing in September. All of the waivers, permits, and requirements have been satisfied and now the final checkbox has been ticked, and we are on the road to Reno!
Reberry’s new racer, September Fate (Sherawn Reberry)Other good news includes the addition of a new racer in the IF1 Class. Brian Reberry’s new racer, September Fate, has been completed, tested, approved, and registered to race in September. It has been two years since the first time I saw an artist’s rendering of the racer – and it’s now real and ready.
Reberry was introduced to the Reno Air Races through the late, great Gary Hubler, another Boise, ID pilot and long time IF1 Winner. In 2005, he started racing with N-A-Rush. He sold N-A-Rush and put the time, money and energy into building his new racer. You can see the resemblance in the gear to Tom Aberle’s Phantom, which has dominated the Biplane Class for years.
The Pylon Place - June 2012
Planes of Fame Airshow Does It Again
By Marilyn Dash
The Planes of Fame Museum held their annual airshow the first weekend in May 2012. This year’s theme was “1942 – Turning the Tide” celebrating the 70th anniversary of our entry and participation in World War II. This is clearly one of the finest airshows in the US. And this year was no exception.
The regular aerobatic acts including Hartley Folstad and Margie Stivers in their Silver Wings Wingwalking performance started the day off with a beautiful “ballet in the sky.” Long time Chino regular, Tumbling Bear followed with his high-energy aerobatic routine in the Zlin. Clay Lacy returned again this year with his Learjet routine which is always fun to watch.
New features this year included fan favorite and award winning performer Sean D. Tucker, who brought his amazing Oracle Challenger III Biplane to wow the crowds. His aerial high-jinx included his signature double hammerhead, centrifuge, helicopter pass and the series of three ribbon cuts, all in different configurations – right knife edge, left knife edge and inverted.
Tickets for 49th annual National Championship Air Races Now on Sale
NTSB Provides Investigative Update and Issues Recommendations to Increase Safety at Air Races
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) provided an investigative update on April 10, 2012, on last year’s crash of a highly modified P-51D airplane at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nev. On Sept. 16, 2011, the pilot of the Galloping Ghost experienced an upset while turning between pylons 8 and 9 on the racecourse. The airplane crashed on the ramp in the box seat spectator area. The pilot and 10 spectators were killed and more than 60 others were injured.
In addition to the investigative update, NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman announced that the agency was issuing a total of seven safety recommendations to make the National Championship Air Races a safer event for pilots and spectators alike.
“We are not here to put a stop to air racing,” said Chairman Hersman. “We are here to make it safer.”
Editorial: First Reno Air Race Accident Lawsuit Filed
Negligent. In aviation that’s a foul word. In legal terms it is devastating. On Nov. 2, the Reno Gazette Journal reported that the first lawsuit stemming from the tragedy at this year’s National Championship Air Races had been f
Reno 2011: Our Coverage
NTSB Premilinary Report
NTSB Identification: WPR11MA454
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 16, 2011 in Reno, Nev.
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN/AERO CLASSICS P-51D, registration: N79111
Injuries: 11 Fatal, 66 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
Flying a Full Circle
By Pete Shirk
Air racing is a high-risk game but all the safety precautions and care usually keep it safe. Sometimes the best intentions are just not enough, and that happened in a horrible way on Friday, Sept. 16, 2011.
Jimmy Leeward, a veteran pilot and air racer, had taken all the precautions, and yet on lap three of the Gold Race, coming off pylon eight on the west end of the course and heading down the home stretch in front of the flight line, crowd, bleachers, VIP tents, trailers, food and beverage concessions, FAA trailer, and control tower, all the care, safety precautions, experience and expertise gave way to catastrophe.
The Pylon Place - October 2011
September 16, 2011 – The Saddest Day
By Marilyn Dash
Peace Jimmy (Tim Adams)By now most of you have heard of our tragedy at the Reno Air Races on September 16. I have still not come to a point where I can talk about what I saw and what I experienced. But, I wanted to tell you a story.
They say that extraordinary people do extraordinary things. And I will say that every single one of the pilots and crew at the Reno Air Races are extraordinary people. They breathe a little deeper, love a little harder, stand closer to the edge. We know there are dangers in doing what we do – but we never thought our activities would hurt anyone else. Losing one of our own is a tragedy. Losing people who were only there to cheer us on is a catastrophe. Sometimes, these extraordinary things go extraordinarily wrong.
Reno Tragic Accident: NTSB Prelim Report Expected Friday
The Pylon Place - September 2011
Reno Racing Prep
By Marilyn Dash
Formula crews getting ready on a cold morning. (Tim AdamFor several months before the Reno Air Races, Race Teams are working diligently to get ready. There are hundreds of things to manage and prepare. I wanted to share some of the things we need to think about and my picks for this year’s races.
Registration
For each racing class, the deadline to have an entry in is the end of June. That’s just the “Here’s my intent to race, and my check.” We get another month to complete all of the paperwork, and there are volumes of it. Items on the list include the request to sell merchandise in your pit, the safety systems on your racer for Crash and Rescue and mountains of other official documentation.
The Pylon Place - July 2011
Air Racers 3D - Force of Flight
By Marilyn Dash
The phone rang. A voice on the other end of the phone asked me if I would be interested in taking part in the Air Racers 3D IMAX movie being filmed about the Reno Air Races. Would I? Really? Of course I would! More phone calls, more emails, small moments of hysteria, and I was on my way to Reno to take part in the project.
From the press release: “Through the eyes of first-time competitor and rookie pilot Steve Hinton Jr., son of champion air racer and acrobatic pilot Steve Hinton, the film will chronicle the preparation for and competition in the world’s fastest motor sport: the legendary Reno National 
IMAX filming in preparation for the Air Racers - 3D movie (3D Entertainment)Championship Air Races. The film will be in IMAX 3D and 2D theatres in the US beginning in the fall.”
The Pylon Place - December 2010
The Beginning of Biplane Racing at Reno
By Marilyn Dash
Marilyn DashThe first Air Races in Reno started in 1964. Most of you know the story of Bill Stead and his dream to recreate the Cleveland Air Races in the high desert. But, not many of you know how the Biplanes became part of the project.
Legend has it that Stead went to the Merced Antique Fly-In in 1964 and met up with Sandy Sanders. Sandy was there announcing for several of the airshow acts. Bill was there to promote the upcoming races and to look over some of the acts with an eye on booking them for the races. Bill told Sandy about the event and asked him to come up and assist with the announcing duties.
The Pylon Place - October 2010
Reno 2010 Recap – Gone with the Wind…
By Marilyn Dash
The flags tell the story – a horrendous windstorm changes history (Joanne Murray)Have you ever looked forward to something, a once in a lifetime vacation perhaps – and when you can just about see the brass ring, you blink and it’s gone. Anticipation followed merely by disappointment is hard to reconcile.
That is how I felt after the Reno Air Races of 2010 came to a close. Mother Nature took the wind out of our sails and threw it back at us, with a vengeance. All of the preparation and handwringing ended, not with a crescendo – but with a whimper and a sigh.
Dennis Buehn Dominates the T-6 Class in 2010 and Gets the Gold
By Alan Smith
(Jerry Maxwell)Dennis Buehn of Carson City, flying his #43 Midnight Miss III practically owned the T-6 class in 2010. He won both Gold heat races the days before windy Sunday at speeds of 237.904 and 241.247 mph and was followed by John Zayak in his #37 McDonald Racer at 231.128 on Thursday and 234.927 on Saturday. Surprisingly, expected strong contender Nick Macy in his #6 Six Cat was disqualified on Saturday for a deadline cut at the start of Saturday’s heat race. And on Thursday he dropped out after one lap. I certainly was not the six time Gold winner’s year.
The Pylon Place - June 2010
Chino, Madera and PRS Preview:
Planes of Fame Does it Again
By Marilyn Dash
Mustangs and more Mustangs. (Jason Fisher)The Planes of Fame Airshow gets better every year. Each year we turn to each other at the end and say, “That was the best ever, how will they ever outdo that!” But, the following year, they do.
This year was the salute to “The Greatest Generation” and it was quite a salute. Jonna Doolittle Hoppes led panel discussions with the following veterans: Maj. General John “Johnny” Alison (the “father” of Air Force Special Operations, WWII ace, and Korean War veteran); Clarence “Bud” Anderson (P-51 “Old Crow” triple ace in WWII); Col. John Doolittle (WWII and Korean War veteran); Bill Holloman (Tuskegee Airman P-51 pilot); Huie Lamb (P-47 and P-51 pilot); Wilbur Richardson (B-17 ball turret gunner, Purple Heart recipient); William “Bill” Spengler (P-51 “Buzzin Cuzzin”). This panel discussion was broadcast over the speaker system while many of the visitors walked the Airshow grounds to see the aircraft.