Jet Aircraft Racing Challenge Cup Training Underway At Stead

Continuing with their focus on safety-by-training, the Reno Air Race Association has sponsored a special "school" for the pilots who have been selected for the inaugural event of the "Jet Aircraft Racing Challenge Cup" to be held this September at the National Championship Air Races. Training and type-rating sessions for the newest addition to Reno National Championship Air Races have been underway at the famed Reno Stead Airport this week.

Though this is a "school," make no mistake, these pilots are not "rookies!"

Chosen for their accomplishments in both Air Racing and in their careers in aviation, the men and women flying in the first round of the Jet Racing Challenge Cup are all seasoned veterans and all are winners — even before the first lap of the race.

Reading like a "who’s who" of Air Racing and Aerospace, the pilot roster for the Jet Challenge Cup Race this coming September is deep with talent: Current Unlimited Champion Skip Holm, with a list of credits far too long to list here is among the pilots who will compete in the Challenge Cup; also, Veteran air racer and jet pilot James K. "Jimmy" Leeward, who thrilled fans with his performance in the MiG 17 last September; 1997 T-6 Racing Champion and Fed Ex air cargo pilot, Mary Dilda; Astronauts Robert "Hoot" Gibson and Curt Brown; last year’s Bronze Unlimited winner, Jim Michaels; and Air Race Pilot and Sport Class President, Lee Behel.

Pilots "in-training" this week are: Mary Dilda, Lee Behel and Curt Brown.

After last year’s entertaining jet demonstration "race," RARA made the decision to host their first official jet race as an invitational event, based loosely on auto racing’s International Race Of Champions (IROC). The "weapon of choice" for this format is the Aero Vodochody L-39 jet trainer. (click here for more information on this airplane) Though there are several types of former military jets now in civilian hands, the L-39 was chosen for, among other reasons, its availability and its similarity in performance across the type.. Much like a "Jet powered T-6," the equality of performance of the L-39’s used in the Jet Aircraft Racing Challenge Cup will make this a "pilots race."

There is another reason for choosing the L-39: "This is a riot! I’m having FUN!" said an enthusiastic "student" jet pilot Mary Dilda today as she stepped out of the cockpit of the L-39 being used for this training session. The Aero Vodochody L-39 is a pilots airplane.

Blessed with good handling characteristics and a relatively modern, air conditioned cockpit, pilots of the L-39 tell us it is "a joy to fly." Most certainly the cool air inside the normally, very hot racing cockpit will be "warmly" welcomed by the pilots racing these jets this coming September.

The particularly attractive L-39 being used in the training sessions this week is the pride and joy of owner Warren Wood. If you attended last year at Reno, you will remember a similarly painted example of type being used as the "marker jet" for race starts (both a pace jet and an additional airplane -the L-39- were used last year as an aid to the race pilots for starting speed and for marking the starting chute boundary.)

	Former military jet pilots Jeff Turney and Rick Vandam are the "training officers" for the mission this week at Stead Field. Vandam also serves as "Air Boss" (air traffic control) for the National Championship Air Racing event in September and during the Pylon Racing School held in June.

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