IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

[Fence Sence]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

I've never been to the fence line.......how is the viewing for the airshow and the other races from there??
Brian

Depending on where you are on the fence, T-6's are cool. They are coming at you head on down the back stretch. Any thing inside of that (F1 & Biplane), not so good.

However, the view for the unlimiteds alone more than makes up for it. It's ideal to spend the morning inside and the afternoon outside.

They have airshow acts? I'm there for one thing and one thing only, RACIN' BABY!

[jarrodeu]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

They have airshow acts? I'm there for one thing and one thing only, RACIN' BABY!

I use that time to get something to eat!

Jarrod

[Fence Sence]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

I use that time to get something to eat!

Jarrod

And buy lots of T-shirts.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

I wouldn't say the jets "suck" but they haven't been the thrill I expected, that's all.

Maybe it's because they seem so relatively quiet for jets (jaded by the thunderbirds I guess),..... maybe it's because when I heard "jet racing class" I expected unlimited racer speeds, if not faster......Maybe it's because the races haven't been as exciting as the first exibition race that featured a mix of jet types...Maybe I was hoping for some afterburner action.

Maybe all of the above. I don't know. I would definitely like to see something other than just L-39's out there....

...and I DO watch from the fenceline, the ultimate place to watch an unlimited race if you aren't fortunate enough to be out by a pylon. It's not a very good location for the other classes though...Too far away.

[Leo]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

All jets "suck"
Isn't that how they get the air to run?

[wingman]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

I guess that I'm not always hugely enthusiastic about L-39 racing from an audience perspective, but seeing John Penney emerge from one soaked in sweat and grinning from ear to ear talking about a pass he made makes me think that from a pilot's perspective it is definitely "racing"...

[Fence Sence]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

All jets "suck"
Isn't that how they get the air to run?

Nice one.

Look, the jet races now are nothing like what we wanted to see after that first one. I don't know that they will ever be. I was totally disappointed as I'm sure the rest you were. Just how realistic was something like that though? A bunch of Migs and Sabres running around in full after burner around the pylons. Yeah right! Maybe the L-39's we're a bit on the cautious side, but it's just what fit into that slot. That being said, I've learned to love the little guys and would show up just to watch them race. We might see some unlimited jet action in the future, but for right now, I'm happy to see anything run around the pylons. Especially the big course.

Viva La Jets.

[spacegrrrl]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

I missed the Mohave jet races and as I understood it they were racing F-86s (and maybe other jets). When we saw the demo race with the MIGs and the AB on I was defintely hoping I'd get to make up for never getting to see the races in Mohave. What we got instead is the most boring race class in years. It might be incredibly fun for the pilots. Nice, but I'm not a pilot in the race so all I can go on is what see, which is a parade.

Michele

[speeddemon]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

I seem to recall that when they had the F-86 race at Mojave 30 years ago, the pilots all agreed that the planes were too fast and powerful (i.e. pulled too many g's at that speed)--and that was around the 'big' 15 mile course that they used in the old 1000 mile races.

Levitz, Penhall, Lacy, and the others all said that the T-33's were much better racers for the fans AND the pilots.

I think that you'd find that while it might be cool to watch Jimmy L go around the course in full burner in the MiG, it is awfully hard on his body...and he wouldn't be able to sustain that. It doubles if you try to go fast on a shorter course. VERY tough on a pilot.

I think the L-39's are good because they are fast, but not TOO fast or powerful...you can 'set' the throttle and make it a 'pilot' race...without worrying about airframe and pilot fatigue.

Just an observation.

[MRussell]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

What we got instead is the most boring race class in years.

Again IMHO, that is the most thoughtless (or maybe the word is "unfair") thing you could say about the Jet class, especially if you saw the '04 races.

The risks taken in the Jet class are as high as those taken in the Unlimiteds, but not for the same reasons. The jets are less likely to have mechanical/structural failures, but their collision risk is higher, and their true speed differential is smaller (they all seem to run in the 440mph class, and when the class has a year that is truly "equal," they remain inches-to-feet apart for several laps).

Personally, I don't want Jet racing to be the fastest class. I am sentimental and think the Unlimiteds should always reign supreme where Vmax at Reno is concerned. But again, I'm smart enough to know racing like the Jet class doesn't happen anywhere else in the world in this day and age, and we are damn lucky to get to watch it.

[Bill Marsh]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

RACING IS RACING IS RACING

Enjoy it while u can... boys and girls, cause when its gone, a unique nitche will die forever. (some sort of sierra, eco, pollution, crack pot NGO or govermental agency will pull the plug).... its not if is going to happen ... but when it is going to happen.

I believe a poster years ago , put it bluntly.... "who cares a rats a** about this and that.... we should be worried about preserving the sead course or looking for another place."

And ANOTHER thing... the whom evers, who have critized how "boring" a particular years race was compaired to a previous this or that year is intitled to his or hers opinion , but let me tell you something "sparkey"... only a small hand full of passionate / dedicated people really make ANY & ALL types racing happen!!!

Maybe the "disappointed" consumers , who views from afar ,this type of gig should realize the 10,000s of hrs and 10s of millions of dollars that has been invested since the 60s are doing for themselves and not for non-vested viewers.

Every lap by every aircraft at Reno IS a big deal to me..... BM !

[spacegrrrl]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

I have been going to Reno for quite some time. I have participated as crew and partial sponsor of an F1 team and even had an opportunity to assist in some early engineering on an unlimited. Everyone I know with the exception of a couple of people directly involved in jet racing thinks it is a snooze. It is when you go get that beer or some other snack. They almost killed it fo this year. You don't almost kill a popular racing class. The organizers must have had feedback to make them consider pulling the plug. When you look at the jet races ask yourself this. What could be racing in their place? Aerostars? (worked great in Tazmania), Yak 52s? (sucessfully raced in Europe), a jet class that allows multiple types of jets so there is something interesting to watch? I just have to believe there are more interesting things to race than the L39. Heck I bet a turbine powered ag cat racing class could be more fun!

Michele

[AirDOGGe]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

Remember folks, these are the viewpoints of SPECTATORS. Sure the current jets may require great effort to tune and race well, be exciting for the pilots, expensive for the owners and all that, but the average Joe sitting in the stands doesn't experience that stuff.

All we see is some colorful planes circling the course at slower speeds than some of the prop classes and going "hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss....." as they pass by.

It's the spectators that buy the tickets and support the event, so their entertainment is an important factor to it's survival, and from most of what I've read here, the Albatrosses aren't too popular, though they DO have their fans.

I hope the jet class survives, I really do. I just pray it eventually evolves to something a bit more than what it is today.


--> Hey, let's all wait until next year when the Long-EZ rocket races are suppose to debut. After watching those putt-putts circling slowly 5000 feet over our heads, the L-39s will look much, much better.
.

[supercub]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

Remember the Stagger Wing Beach Races years ago......that was fun. Jets are fine........but I prefer props and cylinders......but I'm not opposed to jets........
Brian

[MRussell]

Re: IMHO - Jet Racing does not suck.

RACING IS RACING IS RACING

Every lap by every aircraft at Reno IS a big deal to me..... BM !

Bill - awesome post... you said what I was trying to say.

Michele - congrats hun you have officially earned your "JADED CERTIFICATE." It will be mailed out to you within 5-7 working days.