Jets, air race or parade?

[flyingjibus]

With the news just dropping about the viper'ed '29's being banned I am sure this topic will get some discussion.

I for one, disagree with the decision. There has been only one jet accident. How many have we all seen in other classes?

The pilots know the risk, you have to be a fool to not know the risks as a spectator.

Is this racing or is it a parade?

Can even begin to imagine how pissed those teams are.

[T. Adams]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

Lets just say the FAA has found several issues on the Viper engined L-29's. It's in the best interest of all of us that they have been grounded.

One more smoking hole in the ground and we will all be twiddling our thumbs in September.

[tjyak50]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

This just drop now?

Is there an official release or something somewhere?

[T. Adams]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

The FAA and RARA have been involved since shortly after Race 21's problem at PRS. As Big Jim said in the other thread, this is not a shock to the class. Of course casual fans that just pop in on this board would not know this.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

The FAA and RARA have been involved since shortly after Race 21's problem at PRS. As Big Jim said in the other thread, this is not a shock to the class. Of course casual fans that just pop in on this board would not know this.

Big Jim is ignorant, remember, Tim? How could he possibly know?

[T. Adams]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

Big Jim knows and sees all.

[FuryFan]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

I was cruising through one of the WIX forums the other day and there was a thread on a recent FAA document concerning high performance jets. If I read it correctly I doubt we will ever see a Viper/L-29 racing at
Reno again. The potential limitations on Reno jet class aircraft could terminate the class all together.

Kevin

[Big_Jim]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

Be careful saying that here.....

[supercub]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

Just a few years ago, wasn't the Jet class limited to only L-39's?
I'll be sorry to loose the L-29's, but I'll still enjoy the Jet races, and safety is NUMBER ONE.
Brian

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

Must be something about that T-tail design mixed with it's weight and balance that makes it so unstable in turbulent air, something encountered often in pylon air racing.


If they found an issue with it, then better to ban them from the races than let someone die and THEN ban them. There are other aircraft to try and fly.


How about a new class for Subsonex mini-jets? We could have a jet class that even sport class racers could afford to compete in.




In time we could see more home-built jets to race in that class, their only requirements being 1#, they must use the same turbine engine, or one of identical power output. 2#, They must fall with minimum AND max weight limits, and 3#, Just ONE turbine engine.

Then to make it more interesting for the crowds, also create an "unlimited" micro-jet class, with no engine quantity limit. Set an all-up airframe weight limit and then let people design new planes mounted with as many micro-turbines as they can squeeze under said weight limit. Sounds like it could add new life to the races, and give us something to look forward to when the last warbird finally runs the pylons in competition.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

Well, thanks to some PM's I have received it appears that the issue here is not based on speeds but rather the engineering involved in the viper conversions. Certainly makes more sense, an would have been a much better explanation than the small bits of info and conjecture disseminated through out other threads, designed to confuse the "Casual" Race fans.

So allow me to shed some light. Apparently the person or persons involved with all the viper conversions did some questionable work and was in a position in the class to sign off on said work as being "safe". This issue came to light with the incident with Raju Grace when workmanship was discovered to be questionable. As a result all aircraft touched by these persons have been disqualified for safety reasons.

This makes sense to me. This is not a "They are too fast" decision, this is a "They are not going to hold together" decision. Much easier to swallow, but unfortunate none the less.

[degroodtt]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

[QUOTE=flyingjibus;90829]The pilots know the risk, you have to be a fool to not know the risks as a spectator.QUOTE]

I caught some crap from my 14 year old last year. He loves the jets. Everytime they went up I would drag the family either to consessions, the pits or back to the RV. I am sure that the people involved work very hard at being safe. I learned a long time ago that there are places I don't feel safe watching winged sprint cars or midgets from. At the speeds the jets are going I never felt the stands were far enough away. JMHO

[supercub]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

Jets are only slightly faster then the Unlimiteds.
Brian

[Bob]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

The unlimiteds look alot more stable in the air to me.

[Race5]

Re: Jets, air race or parade?

The unlimiteds look alot more stable in the air to me.

I agree completely. At 500mph the unlimiteds can stay well within the deadlines. The jets were banking past 90 deg and pulling hard just to barely stay within the course. It's a completely different ball game even though the speeds are the same.