Page 56 - 2008 DT 12 issues

July Reno Air Races, continued from p. 1 when his jet crashed, and Steve Dari
died when his biplane stalled. Eighteen
in September each year for the fastest flyers have died in accidents since the
Desk Schedule
event in America. Over five days, six races began. Oklahoma neurosurgeon
classes of aircraft compete in heart- and pilot, Brent Hisey, admits that most
Tues/1 B. Jackson OPEN stopping, closed-circuit races of three of them come there because “. . . it’s life
Wed/2 P. Herman V. Sperry to eight miles around tall pylons. Addi- on the edge.” But he adds that no one
J. Ponder tionally, there are flight demonstrations comes to die.
Thur/ 3 G. Wojciecowski OPEN and displays. If you like the nostalgia Air racing has attracted some of
of bi-planes, one class is reserved to the most colorful figures in flying his-
Fri/4 V./D. Wray V./D. Wray them. Then there is a race solely for tory. Jimmy Doolittle of World War II
Sat/5 R. Conductor B. Wolin T-6 trainers of WWII vintage. For- fame, particularly with his 1942 raid
Sun/6 O. Potts OPEN mula One racers have a stock engine on Tokyo, became famous long before
Mon/7 S./S. Stenzel J. Geier of 200 cubic inches, the war, racing his
Tues/8 B. Jackson J. Geier fixed landing gear and stubby and hard-
Wed/9 D. Schoengold M./R. Augulis fixed-pitch propel- to-handle Gee Bee
lers. The “Sport” class
Thur/10 M. Slagle D. Powers steps up performance, to victory. Roscoe
Turner won races
R. Rossnagel with engines up to and made a ma-
Fri/11 OPEN P. Boghossian 1,000 cubic inches jor contribution to
Sat/12 H. Doric OPEN and speeds around 350 public interest by
P. Vandooremaal mph. Only jets really having a lion cub
Sun/13 B. Jackson OPEN let fly, with aircraft named “Gilmore”
Mon/14 D. Kavula L. Coleman exceeding 450 mph as a companion.
around the pylons.
Amelia Earhart dis-
Tues/15 M. Slagle V. Sperry For many devotees, appeared over the
Wed/16 P. Herman R. Porche the big event is the Pacific trying for an
Thur/17 R. Rossnagel J. Barrett “Unlimited” class, around-the-world
J. Ponder F. Davis restricted to piston-en- record. Globe-cir-
Fri/18 P. Williams OPEN gine planes weighing Bossman plane © Charles Stewart cling Bill Odom,
Sat/19 J. Kissosondi D. Langdon over 4,500 lbs. Here died at the Cleve-
we get those sleek North American land National Air Races in 1949 when
Sun/20 B. Jackson M./L. Utah P-51’s of WWII fame, Grumman his P-51 spun out of control. And then
Mon/21 S./S. Stenzel M. Pults Bearcats and more. The air is filled with there is the towering figure of Howard
Tues/22 M. Slagle D. Powers the roar of their engines and the hair- Hughes, racing after flying records
Wed/23 V./D. Wray V./D. Wray raising danger of it all as they tear the along with his other enterprises.
V. Sperry air apart, flying just above the ground For pilots, including those who now
Thur/24 R. Rossnagel J. Barrett and circling the pylons. Aviation writer race at Reno, there is a common thread.
J. Ponder F. Davis and pilot, Jan Tegler, likened it to “aer- Perhaps William Shakespeare described
Fri/25 P. Williams P. Boghossian ial combat” in describing violent turns, it best, centuries before man took to the
tail-chasing, heat, turbulence, anxiety, air, when he wrote: “My soul is in the
Sat/26 K. Nelson R. Conductor maydays and dead-stick landings. sky.” — A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Sun/27 O. Potts R. M./L. Utah Just how dangerous is it? Although - Act V, Scene I.
Mon/28 J. Ponder J. Geier it was not the norm, three flyers were
R. Porche M. Pults killed in the 2007 races. Five-time Note: If you want contact infor-
Tues/29 B. Jackson J. Geier champion Gary Hubler clipped the tail mation about the upcoming races on
Wed/30 V./D. Wray V./D. Wray of another racer who was fortunately September 10-14, 2008, go to the
Thur/31 R. Rossnagel J. Barrett able to land. Hubler, however, plunged http://www.airrace.org. The schedule
to the ground, hurling wreckage that in-
for the upcoming races will be avail-
F. Davis jured two officials. In the previous three able online in August. Photos for this
days, two other pilots had been killed. article provided courtesy of the Reno
Changes? Call Kate at 515-5350 Brad Morehouse was killed instantly Air Racing Association. o

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