In-Stead
News
September 12, 2001
by: Wayne Sagar
Reno
Air Race Pilot Meeting
RARA officials
optimistic racing will resume
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At 13:30
Pacific Time today Reno Air Race
officials held a pilots meeting
to discuss the progress thus far
towards gaining approval from the
FAA to continue racing here at
the Reno Stead Airport this week.
The mood of RARA officials could
be described as optimistic.
Bill Eck, Chairman
of the board of directors for the
association, stated "we're
here to race" to the
gathering of pilots and crews in
the RARA hangar. Eck received
several rounds of applause from
those present, especially when he
announced that, to a man, the
astronauts scheduled to appear
this year had been in contact
with RARA and were planning on
attending.
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Eck stated that as
of now, racing will likely resume
tomorrow at 9:00. Racing class presidents
and RARA were to discuss exactly how the
racing will be scheduled based on when
the FAA allows the resumption of flights,
at least in the immediate area of Stead
Airport.
There has been no
speculation by race officials or
participants that the event would be
cancelled. As one pilot stated "it's
not like we can just fly away from
here."
Even if there were to be no
flying allowed for the entire week (an
unlikely prospect at this point) we sit
among a huge gathering of rare airplanes
and the unique people who build, fly and
maintain them.
As you read
this, if you have plans to come
to the 38th annual gathering of
the fastest, we heartily suggest
that you continue those plans! We
have heard from several people
who were planning on flying in
who are currently en route via
land transportation.
We at AAFO.COM will
be here throughout the week,
regardless of the outcome of any
FAA rulings on the event. The
National Championship Air Races
offers a
"one-of-a-kind"
experience, even if there were no
further flying, being at
"Reno" is still
"being at Reno."
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We encourage all
race fans to come out and support this
event. Obviously, attendance will be down
this year, if you can make it, you will
not only be helping the event continue
for future years, you will be making a
statement to the entire world that we
Americans will not be ruled by terror.
We feel that at this time in
our nation's history, this is a very
important statement indeed!
click here
for Real Audio of this meeting
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