Re: Strega & Rare Bear

David, go to http://www.rarebear.com/bearfacts/septupdate.htm and read about what happened to the Bear. It was so agonizingly close to qualifying but just missed the deadline.

High point of the whole weekend was having Rare Bear taxi out on Sunday and running up to some high power settings. I was in the box seats right in front of the run-up and I was wondering if the brakes were extra good just in case the chocks were jumped. I had a smile on my face that lasted a couple of days. The Bear is back and will be eating Italian and picking it's teeth with broomsticks next year.

As far as Strega goes, I stood outside the hangar for about 15 minutes as they were fitting the replacement engine on Friday (or was it Saturday?- too much heat and beer fogs this Alaskan's brains). She won the heat race on Saturday with that engine but just couldn't hold it together on Sunday. She pulled out on the second lap and landed safely.

Go Rare Bear!
Don Hatten
Rare Bear Fan Sponsor

Triple Crown

Rare Bear is scheduled to receive its alternators, regulators, and other overhauled electrical equipment sometime today or tomorrow. Lyle Shelton will conduct ground runs on Thursday. John Penney will conduct additional ground runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Test plan is to fly Rare Bear by Sunday afternoon and continue test flights until all is satisfactory. The aircraft will then leave for the Aviation Nation 2002 Air Show at Nellis AFB, NV, near Las Vegas, where it will participate in an Unlimited Class demonstration race.

Likewise, Precious Metal on approximately the same schedule. Crew returns this weekend to complete preparations for initial start-up and ground runs, that will take place this weekend. Engine must be pre-oiled first, before starting. Test flights of the replacement engine expected to begin by early next week (no set day, but Sunday-Monday looking possible.) After that aircraft's test flights show everything satisfactory, that aircraft will leave for Nellis AFB same same as Rare Bear.

Strega's work is completed and Tiger Destefani expected at any time to fly the aircraft home to Bakersfield. Status for Vegas unknown, but it's doubtful at this time of writing. We can keep our fingers crossed, though.

Mike Keenum and Riff Raff are at Las Vegas for the show. Bill Rheinschild and Risky Business expected for the show. Awaiting word on other participants. Attrition took it's toll at Reno, now affects the Vegas show, but we'll have updates and news stories shortly.

Gotta run...college this evening...will try to post something additional tonight or tomorrow. Ron Buccarelli only crewman able to work on Precious Metal at this time. He'll be staying in Reno throughout the weekend and is awaiting return of select crew members to finish the job. Engine and magnetos timed. Coolant added this morning. Oil cooler arrived safely from Bill Destefani and Strega via Fed Ex. On loan since Stega now uses heat exchangers and not oil cooler. Installed by Ron this a.m. at Reno Stead. Oil and hydraulic fluids will be under check at this time of writing...literally, as I write this or have already been completed.

Man, that is such an upbeat and positive newsletter that anyone who doesn't get goosebumps from anticipation, must not have a pulse!!

Previously, I had heard about the oiling problems and I was under the impression that that is what kept them from qualifying. I did not know, til now, how much progress the team had made, and how very very close they came to making a qualifying run.

Thanks for the grand efforts, RARE BEAR.....now lets get some air under those tires!!

Saw Lyle on Wednesday

I saw Lyle on Wednesday at about 2:00PM sitting by himself at the west end of the flight line at the T-hangars. He told me then they would not be racing because of the alternator problems.

I was happy to see him, but sad for the fact that all of the effort involved with getting the Bear ready was not as productive as we had all hoped.

It was just not meant to be this year.

Lets hope next year is better for the Bear and her crew.

G

Rare Bear RC model

On Sunday, when I was having my picture taken in the cockpit of Rare Bear (cool!) there was a scale model of the plane sitting underneath the full size Bear.

Who knows who that RC plane belonged to? Anyone? Bueller?

Hey Don

I missed the model but I believe it belonged to my buddy Jeff Weiss of Airborne Models in Sacramento. I think it was a scratch built.

Later
Red