Reno Stead Airport
May 02, 2004 Reno Stead's
"other" resident Air Racer has
finally brought his  kit built airplane home to
roost. American Air Racing's John Parker
had to call a  when his engine  while
flying with the "big boys" in
the Unlimited Division at the 2003 Nellis
Air Show, "Aviation Nation
2003," during the Las Vegas Style
Air Racing demonstration of the
"world's fastest motorsport".
"I
might have pushed it too hard" was
all the smiling Thunder Mustang Pilot had
to say after his successful  landing at the
2003 event, held at the United States Air
Force Base (Nellis AFB) located on the
northern outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada.
In subsequent mailings from Parker, we've
learned that several pistons were damaged
in the Ryan Falconer V-12 mounted in the
Thunder Mustang known to many as
"Thunder 351".
 Parker made several
trips to Las Vegas since last November's
event, including one to tow the airplane
from its temporary storage area at the
Nellis Air Force Base, to North Las Vegas
Airport where he could perform the needed
repairs.
At long
last, repairs completed! "In early
April I picked up version 3.0 on
Blue’s engine number 12023."
stated Parker via email this week.
"Last Sunday, April 25, 2004, I
transported it down to Lone Mountain
Aviation where I installed it during the
week of April 26th 30th. After a
little test flying at the North Las Vegas
Airport , I flew 'Blue' back to our Stead
Airport home."
 How long does it
take a fully race prepared Thunder
Mustang to get from Vegas to Reno?
According to John Parker - "The trip
back took one hour and ten from take off
to parked on the AAR ramp. The trip time
included two low passes of the 4SD ramp.
Except for take off, 19 20 in. hg. MAP
was used, at 4000 RPM with the trim
switch in position 5. It sure feels good
to have Blue in our hangar again."
No word,
as yet, whether Parker will enter the
2004 Reno National Championship Air
Races.
For more
information on the Thunder Mustang, John
Parker and American Air Racing, visit
their website at http://americanairracing.com/
unless
otherwise noted -
story and Nikon Digital Photography by:
Wayne Sagar
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