Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

[GRNDP51]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

It just doesn't translate well to mass markets, I guess, but knowing the back-story during the week of who's fighting gremlins, who's "saving something," etc. is all part of what makes it enjoyable. Set an arbitrary horsepower or manifold pressure bar, and a lot of that interest goes right out the blow-off valve :-/

I didn't even think about this point before but it's one of the most important aspects of the bad boys of air racing! The drama of who is "sandbaggin'" is possibly the best part of Reno! Remember Jimmy running 350 in one race, 400 in another, then 450-500?? That was crazy fun to watch because we never knew how much Jimmy had left! Good point Magnum.

[comancheflyer]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

Rick Shanholtzer - Galloping Ghost and Miss America?

Mike Wilton - Voodoo

Jack Hovey?

Any others?

Doesn't Jack Roush still tinker with Merlins ?

[jboomerman]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

Seem 's to me if you limit any pat of something called Unlimited it's Not Unlimited anymore.

[ignomini]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

Wow, five pages in and I can't find a single reference to the position of private aviation in our society. I don't care how much money you've got, or what the rules package says, if the general public isn't excited about general aviation, you're not going to move the needle.

As humans, we are a fascinating lot. We were as excited as heck about getting to the moon - until we got there. They called it the Golden Age of Air Racing because the public was all over advances in aviation technology, until the public became blasé about aviation technology.

Auto racing has peaked and is heading toward decline because we've run out of newness to the whole idea. All the rules tweaks in the world won't make us suddenly discover a love of cars again.

People marveled at ever bigger and faster steam engines/ then diesel engines, until you could just hop on a plane and get there.

It's only a matter of time before social networking reaches social burnout.

I love aviation. Grew up around airports. When I visit Santa Ynez airport today, all I see are the same folks who were there 30 years ago. I could go on and on. In the car business there is a value curve to each era of classic cars. Once they pass the prime of the group to whom they were contemporary, the values decline. Humans are inclined to find a new toy, play with it for a while, then cast it aside.

I'm not saying there aren't any young people interested in aviation, I'm just saying their aren't enough, and aviation is no longer the subject of national passion. Enjoy it while you can because it is working its way down to legacy interest status.

When buggy racing becomes a huge national pastime again, I'll retract everything I just said.

[LoveOldPlanes]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

This thread has split between discussing a mechanical change to create a positive effect, and two portions of marketing- team and overall event. I don't know how you could prove the theory that restrictor plates would save the sport. If you can't be 90% sure of the outcome, its not a safe bet to make with your paying public. I can't make a choice if there is no way to know the results. That's using emotion to decide, rather than a logical choice.

As for marketing, I seem to upset the whole planet when I expect certain things out of the hosting organization, and other things out of the teams. The simple answer to marketing is this: You have to have goals and programs to reach attendance at the event. You have to have a plan that has mile markers along the way to see if you are getting there....all year long. I have seen some print ads in aviation magazines...but feel it is preaching to the choir who have already decided if they are attending or not. There needs to be a longer reach.

As for teams, if you want sponsors, you have to be able to speak the language of a marketing department to prove the benefits of what you are offering. Qualify the investment and give projections of returns on it. Its as simple as that.

Any format you have, any class you decide to run, all is possible. There are 3 steps to a revolution: Agitate, Educate, Organize. (Gee, there goes marketing again...).

[Samuel]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

If someone was going to restrict the unlimiteds, which I would not want to see, it would probably make more sense to put a rev limiter in place or some kind of restriction on the pitch of the prop.

[knot4u]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

If someone was going to restrict the unlimiteds, which I would not want to see, it would probably make more sense to but a rev limiter in place or some kind of restriction on the pitch of the prop.

Would this be based on prop diameter or chord?

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

If someone was going to restrict the unlimiteds, which I would not want to see, it would probably make more sense to put a rev limiter in place or some kind of restriction on the pitch of the prop.

How would you do that?

[N22252]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

How would you do that?

During tech inspection, Tiger and Button would be issued placards that say "Max. RPM 2750".

[LoveOldPlanes]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

During tech inspection, Tiger and Button would be issued placards that say "Max. RPM 2750".

I was thinking they could put a little piece of masking tape on the throttle quadrant to show the pilots where to stop.....

[F4D Phantom II]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

I don`t like the idea of a restrictor,I wouldn`t care for limited racing. I was a NASCAR fan but quit over all the platooning that their races have become. IT feels like a 200mph traffic jam not a race. I don`t want close racing,I want real racing where the best pilot and plane wins.

[GeeBeeZ1931]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

I started this in another thread but thought it was truly thread creep...

What if... in an effort to expand the competition, make the sport safer, make it "affordable" to more pilot/owners.... Limit all aircraft to stock motors with a "pop-off" valve to limit boost to a level that would ensure that the engine would last for many runs at race speed.

ALL inspected and approved aero mods would be allowed.

I brought up restrictor plate style racing over the years and have always been less than well received. What say now? In the face of losing the sport from a race course that has become "out of square" with the needs of the airplanes at the speeds they are going. We've talked about "G suits" and other means to keep the pilot's head in the game, what would be so wrong about just slowing down a bit?

So I'll ask the question: IF it was proven that it would extend the life of the sport, make it safer, bring in more racers... would you support the idea?

As I see it that would be the end of UNLIMITED Air Racing. Just become a faster T-6 race.

[GeeBeeZ1931]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

Wow, five pages in and I can't find a single reference to the position of private aviation in our society. I don't care how much money you've got, or what the rules package says, if the general public isn't excited about general aviation, you're not going to move the needle.

As humans, we are a fascinating lot. We were as excited as heck about getting to the moon - until we got there. They called it the Golden Age of Air Racing because the public was all over advances in aviation technology, until the public became blasé about aviation technology.

Auto racing has peaked and is heading toward decline because we've run out of newness to the whole idea. All the rules tweaks in the world won't make us suddenly discover a love of cars again.

People marveled at ever bigger and faster steam engines/ then diesel engines, until you could just hop on a plane and get there.

It's only a matter of time before social networking reaches social burnout.

I love aviation. Grew up around airports. When I visit Santa Ynez airport today, all I see are the same folks who were there 30 years ago. I could go on and on. In the car business there is a value curve to each era of classic cars. Once they pass the prime of the group to whom they were contemporary, the values decline. Humans are inclined to find a new toy, play with it for a while, then cast it aside.

I'm not saying there aren't any young people interested in aviation, I'm just saying their aren't enough, and aviation is no longer the subject of national passion. Enjoy it while you can because it is working its way down to legacy interest status.

When buggy racing becomes a huge national pastime again, I'll retract everything I just said.

One more thing that should be considered the past 5-6 years is the fact that the economy SUCKS! Dedicated fans like me will still find a way to get there but for the general public or casual fan there are other financial priorities. To an extent that also applies to new racing blood as in new owners and new teams. Even people with a lot of money are tighter and less willing to spend what this costs when the economy is this lousy. This would to seem valid for any form of racing.

[t-dub]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

I think all that "restrictor plate" racing will do is raise costs even higher. Plus how is it going to be governed? It'll be nothing more than
opening a can of worms..........

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: Could Restrictor Plate Rules Save Unlimited Air Racing?

I think all that "restrictor plate" racing will do is raise costs even higher. Plus how is it going to be governed? It'll be nothing more than
opening a can of worms..........

And I'm sure you have seen as I have in other forms of racing how quickly that can happen. I look at flat track motorcycles as my first hand example. It was almost the death nail in that coffin. This year they ditched the restrictions and it has been the closest season in decades. Four to five different manufacturers all dicing it out.