An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

[a4gturn]

Went to the races this year as I have since 1982. Like all race fans, Reno is always the most anticipated event of the year.
Of course and very importantly, a hearty congrats to that Chino Kid and his team.
However, something was very odd this year. I don’t think I like the races that much
anymore. The most noticeable was the absence of those two brightly colored Seafurys…and Mr. Brown. Why does the Dago Red booth look like a Hooters? Surgically enhanced blondes in red dresses and high heels hocking tee shirts. I like a buxom young blonde just as much as the next guy but there is a time and place for things like that,
but at Reno with a bunch of little kids running around.
Had a chance to walk up and down the rows of hangers. Anyone else do that? Absolutely beautiful aircraft whose owners all pay monthly rent but RARA wont let them come out to the display area (where they belong) unless they pay an arm and a leg. Just wrong!!
Love the Blues but the show is way,way,way,way too long. Much better when they stage at Reno International.
Saw Mr. Robert A. Hoover being driven around in a golf cart. Ran after him. His driver was nice enough to stop while I asked the honor of shaking his hand. He did so very graciously.
Gosh darn it, I miss the Energy Management routine and watching Mr. Hoover disappear into “Hoover’s Gulch”. Did anyone hear the words “Hoover’s Gulch” this weekend?

[p51fan]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

I didn't go this year due to other commitment, this is the first Reno that I missed since 1986, but I did pay $24.95 to watch it on my computer.


And I too miss seeing Mr. Hoover flying around. I'm also sad to see that all of us are getting older and that someday we won't see him ever again.

[Hans Oberev]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

I heard the announcer mention Hoovers Gultch. I had two rookies with me on the fence and dialed into FM 97.7. These two rookies are now aware of both Hoovers Gulch and the VOS. They are 21 and 50 lol!

High heels and stockings are sooo appropriate for the Reno Air Races. Do you shield your kids from nose art too? Come on man, it's all part of the show!

I agree with the Angels being a little long. They seem to fly tighter than the Thunderbirds but maybe it's an optical illusion with the paint of the planes. I was thinking it would be a real show stopper if Commander McCormick would drop the arresting hook, fly in low and try and rip one of those motorhome roofs off to demonstrate the stoutness and agility of the aircraft. I can just here the announcer now, "ladies and gentlemen, please look west as the motorhome asumes a swift vertical position upon successful engagement between the roof and arresting hook. Now watch closely as the motorhome experiences cataclysmic failure and dramatic separation of sheet metal screws and insulation.

[Leo]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

It was a little low-key compared to some years, but I sure liked the full racing schedule. If I was to critique, there are only so many aerobatic acts you can watch. Not in ANY way dissing the skill of those involved, but maybe a flip flop show and something else instead of multiple flip flops? The Blues audio was painful if you sat on the ramp, and their show was a little long, and how many practice days do they really need? On Wednesday the ramp was needed for run-ups and we were about to take up a pool for ammo to shoot them down.
RARA took away our preferred parking for air race plates, moved it a mile away, after confusion for the first days.
The ramp media vested folks (I saw you out and others out there Wayne) seemed to be everywhere and spaced just right to end up in every shot of the unlimiteds for one like me stuck behind the rails I have many shots that as I said "NOW!" a yellow vest appeared and ended up as a blur in the shot. I'll post one later of the perfect 20 foot separation they maintained, no break long enough to shoot through! I took most of my stuff from down near the T-6 pits to avoid them...
On the plus side they let food in.
I know most hate the commentators but my group finds it a source of amusement.
It's the same every year. Some of the changes are good, some not, but they try, and only have once a year to experiment.

[doubleup]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

Two areas that were much different this year from years past (especially last year) was no demo's (wish the F-22 had made it back this year) and the open displays on the east end of the field was severeley lacking in cool planes. No Happy Jacks Go Buggy or other recently done wairbirds.

It would have been better to put Glacier Girl and Rod's new Bearcat down there instead of in the pits. That is just my opinion though.

Though this is the first year I have ever seen a racer outside the pits that the GA could go look at.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

No more energy management routine by Mr. Hoover, no more "Ol' Yeller" P-51 pacing the unlimiteds nor doing unbelievably slow rolls directly off the runway flown by the same gentleman, no more Sky Crane heli's dropping "illegally parked" junk cars from altitude in front of the crowds, no more RC aircraft giving demos in the morning before the full-size planes do their thing...


No more free pit access during qualifying or during after-show evening periods, no more FREE parking and camping near the stands, no more multi-jet team performances (remember when we got the Blues AND the Snowbirds in one day?), no more corncob-powered Super Corsairs in the gold races (or any Corsairs racing for that matter), No more Lear Fan fly-bys, no more massive multi-dozen parachutists leaping out of the back of a C-5 Galaxy...


No more home-made unlimiteds (Tsumani, Pond Racer), No more "RACING" biplane class (Skydancer, Amsoil Racer, Cobra), No more Lyle, Tiger, and Lefty to show us how it's done gracefully, no more P-38's, no B-17 fly-bys, no TORA TORA TORA Pearl Harbor dogfight demos by the CAF, and so on.


Nope. Times change, and so do the acts. I'm still happy with what we do get, which still is far more than I see at most conventional air shows on the west end of this nation. I'll take what is offered, and treasure the memories of what I have already had the pleasure and fortune to witness in the past.

[doubleup]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

I did talk to someone at the Bear Cave and he mentioned that Rod has two full time guys working out there now and that the custom racer he picked up from Matt Jackson would start getting work done on it soon.

Would be cool to see that custom racer make an appearence next year!!

[Sneauxman]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

The best idea offered so far is to stage the Blues elsewhere. Honestly, too damned much noise and time wasted. Skip the silly naration and music. It is as laughable as the "announcers". I mean really, when did Hoot drive around the moon? The best part of the show were the Steven and J. P. interviews - both pros.
Perfect weather, great racing, few busted, big speeds. What a great year.
Less than 360 days til the appearance of Dago, GG, Furias and who knows, September Fury, Precious Metal and others. It could and will happen.

[supercub]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

Hope this pic shows up.....anyone know about this bird?

I agree about the Blues staging at Reno.......the pre show is way to long, and what happened to some good patriotic music. They do fly tight, and put on a good show.
Why weren't the gold unlimiteds brought out and staged during the show. They waited till everything was over, then pulled them out, made the intros and finally taxied out........I looked at my watch and it was about 1 hour from the time they starting pulling them out till they fired up.
One thing about the Blues, they do attrack the crowds. Did you notice how many people left each day after they were done flying. Like I told a friend, it's not the Reno Airshow...........it's the RENO AIR RACES.
Seemed to be a lot of breaks this year........why do they have a break...there's plenty of time while they're forming up or landing or whatever to eat or visit the facialities. My comments are stricktly constuctive, I lvoe the Races, and can't wait till next year.
Brian

[Gary Osif]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

That's Shockwave in the pic.

[doubleup]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

Okay...One positive!

Everyone made it down safe this year!

[AirDOGGe]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

Why weren't the gold unlimiteds brought out and staged during the show. They waited till everything was over, then pulled them out, made the intros and finally taxied out........I looked at my watch and it was about 1 hour from the time they starting pulling them out till they fired up.

I noticed over the audio broadcast that the announcer made many repeated calls for photographers and non-essential personal to clear the area of the gold racers so introductions could be made...MANY calls.

And they also mentioned a classic "stuck mic" issue during that time as well, pleading to the masses to check transmitters if they had one.

Those two items may have added to the waiting time.

I don't recall any acts going on during the pre-introduction period in the past though, except maybe a fuzzy 80's memory of Lefty doing slow rolls for our benefit as planes were rolled out...I could be wrong about that.

[boom3]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

Personally I think the Blue Angels are kind of drawn out too. Maybe because I've seen them many times, I don't know. They are awesome and who doesn't want to see FA-18s running around but it could be shorter.

But...

At least on Saturday the stands were full for the Blues and not even half full for the Gold race. I'm sure Sunday is different but still. I'm sure the attendance would have been considerably less with out the Blues.

[Warbird5]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

Evening,

Just got back from the "Big Show" as Bob Love use to call it and I enjoyed every minute of it. You see I've been going to Reno since 1980 and have been fortunate to have been in the pits working on Unlimited Racers the whole time.

Times change, events change and people change. The Reno of old will never happen again, so we all need to move on. I'm not saying anyone that posted to this thread is right or wrong, but things change. There are different fashions, personal tastes and the myriad of safety considerations that have to be addressed today that did not have to be addressed in 1980, or even five years ago.

This year the race crews could only have six (6) crew member and a pilot at the airplane prior to engine start. If the crew members were taking pictures then they might have been asked to stop or leave the area! Was this right or wrong? I'll leave that to you to decide, but that was the rule.

My view is Reno is about cool machines, but even cooler people. Hoover has been mentioned, but I'll give you some more. How about the Paul's, the Hintons, the Patterson's, the Sanders family, Mr. H. Pardue and the entire Texas bunch. Add in Tiger, Fred Sebby, Skip, Love, Howie, Lyle, Bill Harrison, Tom Camp, the Eberhardt's, Bob Yancy, Thorny and his Rose, Jack Hovey, Mike Bogue, and the list goes on and on. These are and were the people that make and made the event what it was and is, and what it will become.

So an open letter should be just that an open letter. This was my two cents.

Willie

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: An Open Letter to the Air Race Fan

There. I've vented and gotten it off of my chest.

I will say that I love the Reno Air Races like no other event, and I'll continue to attend no matter what. This site has allowed me to meet some great people over the last two race seasons, and I want to give Wayne a great big THANK YOU for giving a those of us who hold this sport passionately in our hearts a place to commiserate with others of like mind.

Hey Bigger.. good seeing you again at the BBQ.. I just want to reply to this with, it's YOU guys who really make this site, I just keep the electron factory running!

EVERY time we've had a financial "crisis" here, or asked for help to bring someone to the races who should be here, you guys have pitched in and made it happen!

I can't convey how much I appreciate the people who make this site what it is!