The Blue Thunder Air Racing Team hopes that all our fans, friends, and families had a wonderful holiday season, and we wish you all a prosperous New Year.

The Blue Crew is hard at work preparing for this year’s coming events. Blue Thunder’s latest improvement is a telemetry system. Headed by our Chief Technologist Fred Roscher, this system will collect, transmit, and display all the aircraft’s functions in real time at the crew’s base station. We installed the system mid January, and now we anxiously await an improvement in the weather for flight testing and further equipment trials.

We are proud to announce that Blue Thunder, piloted by John Parker, will attempt to set new world speed records in the C-1.c class over the 3 kilometer and the 15/25 kilometer distances. This event will be monitored by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) in accordance with the rules dictated by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI). Our challenge of the present records will be held in conjunction with the EAA Golden West Regional Fly-In and Air Show (www.goldenwestflyin.org)at Yuba County Airport (MYV) in Marysville, CA this coming June 3rd, 4th, and 5th. With 350 show aircraft attending in 2004, the Golden West Fly-In is quickly establishing itself as one of the premier aviation events in the Western US.

To set the world speed records, Blue Thunder Air Racing looks to our fans and sponsors for support. We need volunteers to work with the NAA as observers and to assist Blue Thunder Air Racing with merchandizing, logistics, photojournalism, and promotions. Anyone interested in volunteering for this event, or for more information, please contact:
John Parker (john@bluethunderairracing.com) or
Bill Pearce (wjpearce@bluethunderairracing.com).

We look forward to seeing all of you in Marysville this June.

Sincerely,
Blue Thunder Air Racing
www.bluethunderairracing.com