Countdown to Reno 2009

[Air Boss]

Newest Member Here;
Outer 6 Pylon Judge at Reno. Hope to post and comment like Chicago voting...early and often! First crack at attaching images as well.

Happy New Year Everyone! 256 Days and Counting...

Air Judge

[T.F.]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

How long have you been a pylon judge? And how did that evolve, that is- did you have to start on the F-1 coarse and work up to unlimited. Does senority play a part.

Any cool stories about the job you could share?

[tim]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

Just looked at the Blue Angel sight.

http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/index.htm

looks like they are coming to Reno....

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

is Jerry Van Cetters still out at pylon 6

[Air Boss]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

T.F -
I've been judging at Reno since 2002. First two years are spent working as road guards and travelling out to various pylons to learn the trade. Fortunate to have been selected to work Outer 6 right out of the gate. Given daily schedule during race week, this means after 0700hrs pylon judges mtg, I'm somewhat free until larger a/c begin quals or racing...usually after 1130 or so. If you're working F-1 and Bip's, you head straight to the pylon after mtg and you're done by 1130 so the day is oyurs. Good news, bad news I suppose. Seniority is a factor to some degree. That said, some very senior judges work the lighter a/c pylons by choice. Other more junior judges (yours truly) work the outer pylons. Chief Pylon Judge can come along and ask if you're interested in taking on another assignment. It's really a matter of preference but most folks are eager to help out wherever the CPJ needs help.
Many stories about out pylon and others. We have "All Access" privileges and do our best not to abuse it. That said, we stand at show center on the inside of the course next to home pylon for the T-Brids, Angels, and last year the F-22 show. Raptor came over our heads in full A/B at what looked (felt, and SOUNDED) like 100'. Ears still ringing. Image is taken with a 50mm lens to give you a sense of things. Desert got even hotter when he went by! T-6 flown by Steve Dilda clips the pylon (while showing rookie pilots the "proper line") and the port wing clearance light spins to the ground at the judges feet. That's close enough!

tim-
Yes, the Blue Angels are back this year. Know DOD mandates the two teams (T-Birds and Angels) rotate sites from time to time and suspect that's what is happening here. Also know the Angels have not missed a Seafair weekend over Lake Washington here in Seattle for several decades so some show sites are locked in.

Shawn-
Jerry was on Outer 6 my first year but I have not seen nor heard from him since. I know he had some health issues but unclear the extent. Apparently they are serious enough to keep him from attending. Glad to ask around and get back to you.

[T. Adams]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

I was lucky to be able to make it out to 6 on Friday or Saturday this year, can't remember which day. Thanks for sharing the pylon with the photography riff raff.

[Air Boss]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

Couple clarifications to ensure acuracy.
1) During major aerobatic events like T-Birds and Angels, judges are required to evacuate all pylons along the show line. Basically, Outer 8, Home, Inner 1. Other pylons can remain manned or you are free to head in an watch the show from a position behind Home Pylon, near the Breitling tent. So, those manuvers that have the teams (or in the case of the F-22) heading directly at the grandstands from the race course (a heading of approx 180 or so), the a/c fly directly over our heads at very low altitude. Thus the shot of the F-22 I posted from that position.

2) In looking at the metadata for that shot of the F-22, I had mounted the Sigma 50-500 but was actually out about 85mm or so. Regardless, it was a classic case of, "I hope he continues that turn...keep it comin' round....keep it comin'...keep it...Holy #$@%!

[Air Boss]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

T Adams,
Glad to see you made it out to O6. I like it out there for several reasons, not the least of which is as the a/c round Outer 4, they tend to drop down to Outer 5 (the deset floor drops off there), and depending on the line the pilot flies, they actually disappear ("Hoot", Jimmy "Loward", among others) then pop up out of the desert after rounding Outer 5 headed right for us. Great sight.

Hope you can make it out to O6 again this year. Look forward to seeing you.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

Any way to get you r pics to go full size when you click on them. They look real good but they're too small!

[Air Boss]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

I'll check into it. Sure there's a way.

Best,

[Air Boss]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

Playing with resizing and compressing images here.

[Fantum]

Re: Countdown to Reno 2009

A couple of Angels hit Reno on recon 1/8/09:

http://www.rgj.com/article/20090108/NEWS18/90108055