September 20, 2001 Reno 2001 Image Gallery, Part One

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by	Matt Paxton
	Photographs by Tom Philo and Matt Paxton

Each year, September brings aviation fans the National Championship Air Races, staged at Reno/Stead Airport in Reno, Nev. This year, the racing was schedule to start next Thursday, September 13. Unfortunately for race fans, national security concerns which, at this writing, have grounded VFR Part 91 flight operations also spelled the end of this year's races before they even got started.

The many new things planned for this year's races included the advent of jet racing. After last year's demonstration race on Sunday, featuring a mixed bag of MiGs, Sabres, L-39s and other jet warbirds, the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) planned to bring jet air racing to Reno as a competition class this year. Like the T-6 class, all racers were to be the same type aircraft: the Aero Volodchody L-39 Albatross, a Czech-built trainer originally developed to train Warsaw Pact fighter pilots.

The jets were to race every day, with the finals for the Challenge Cup Sunday afternoon just prior to the Unlimited Gold finals.

Hopefully, the jet races will once again be included in the 2002 edition of the National Championship Air Races.

Most, but not all, of the big names in Unlimited air racing were listed on the competitors' roster prior to the cancellation. Notably absent, for the second year in a row, was Rare Bear. Dan Martin and Ridge Runner also were not schedule to compete this year. Riff Raff, the white and red Sea Fury piloted in past years by Hoot Gibson isn't in the field. Neither is the R-4360-powered Sea Fury, Dreadnaught.

Tiger Destefani's Strega had previously been rumored to be a no-show for 2001, but late developments and undoubtedly prodigious hours of work, had the Mustang in the pits this year. Michael Brown's September Fury also was not expected to make it to Reno this year because its engine would not be ready in time. But September Fury, also, was listed among the Unlimited Class racers prior to the cancellation.

Many other heavy hitters of the Unlimited class made the trek to Reno and were in the pits. A favorite to three-peat was Dago Red, with veteran Skip Holm at the stick. Tom Dwelle's Critical Mass has been improving every year, taking second in last year's Unlimited Gold final, and 2001 could have been the year for the clipped-wing, highly modified Sea Fury. Voodoo has been the hard-luck airplane for several years, but had the potential to take home the Unlimited Gold, if it could have avoided the mechanical gremlins that has plagued it for the past few years. Brent Hisey's P-51 Miss America has a new Dwight Thorn racing Merlin and could also have been in the hunt during the Unlimited Gold Finals. Ron Bucarelli has a Griffon-powered Mustang called Precious Metal, reviving hopes for glory for enthusiasts of the Rolls-Royce powerplant that drives those counter-rotating props. But none of it was to be.

It's appropriate that the National Championship Air Races are held in Reno, because it's a crap shoot whether any given airplane and engine will hold together through the grueling week of qualifying and racing. Strange things happen in the world of Unlimited air racing and its not outside it realm of possibility for a racer to emerge from the pack, from the ranks of the Silver Unlimited racers, to move up into the Gold division and contend for the Gold Championship. That's one of the things that make air racing at Reno so interesting.

Reno 2001 was shaping up to be a terrific week. AVweb was all set to have full coverage of each day of racing at Stead Field. As this is written, the shiny racers — most of which are not equipped or certified for IFR — are grounded, indefinitely.

What will happen next to the status VFR Part 91 operations in the U.S. is anyone's guess. One thing is certain — the racers wanted to race, and all that pent-up frustration may make for an exciting Reno 2002.

We'll be there!

AVweb's Reno 2001 Image Gallery, Part One

Click any image to view a larger version.

Capitalist Pig Nose Art. This year, the  Czech-made L39 Albatross was to be in a demonstration race. Seven of these two-seat jet aircraft trainers were at Reno. The White Pace Plane is owned by Jim O'Neil	Precious Metal. This RR Griffin-powered contra-rotating highly modified P-51 always drew a curious crowd in the pits.	A race fan looks wistfully at a T-6, but will have to wait a year to see it race.
Critical Mass makes a smooth two point landing at Reno. Visibility out front is very difficult in these aircraft with the nose high so each one has its own style of landing.	Czeck Mate, another Yak-11, coming in for a landing after qualifying. Owned by Sherman Smoot.	Furius, Race number 15, on dispersal at Reno.
Biplanes and Formula 1s. The organized chaos of race week is seen in the hanger where fiberglass, resin, and paint is applied to get theses diminutive but fast aircraft ready for racing.	Hawker Sea Fury Fury taxis past.	An L-39 Albatros two seat Czech jet trainer passes by show center. This a/c was rebuilt in Minnesota over a 7-week period by a team of four people. All the metric instruments have been removed and replaced with US standard instruments.
Mary Dilda, piloting Race 22, touches down in the normal nose high attitude for these jets.	L-39s lined up on the main runway prior to takeoff.	Speedball Alice, the dark green P-51 owned and piloted by Art Vance, awaits its turn in the air on Monday.
More of Precious Metal.	Hawker Sea Fury Race 21 returns to the ground after flying the Reno Race course.	A crew member looks out the cockpit as his plane is towed to the run-up area.
A Yak taxis past.	Race 22 flying down the flightline during practice.	September Pops. When racing aircraft come to Reno complete machine and repair shots are usually with them. Here the van that holds spare parts, engines, and other necessary equipment is seen behind Race number 911.

This is Part One of AVweb's exclusive gallery of images from Reno 2001.
Be sure to check back Thursday, September 20 for Part Two!