What would you change?

[Desertdawg]

Re: What would you change?

My main gripe has been the same since the late 70's. Increase in prize money for the Unlimiteds and ALL classes. This would have to be done by increased visibility and sponsorship. It has always seemed to me that RARA does not understand that the Unlimiteds are the back bone of this show. I did write a letter to RARA some fourteen years ago telling them what I thought, and I never got my press credentials ever again.

Your dead on with that statement. I too have been saying that. Look what NASCAR pays out per race, and that sport isn't even fun to follow anymore.

[flyingjibus]

Re: What would you change?

Would you mind elaborating. I'm rather curious how you were treated.

Thanks!

Had my bag searched like it was the TSA.

Called out as a "trouble maker" by someone.

refused entrance at a pit gate I had entered the day before and everyday last year.

[KAHNZILLA]

Re: What would you change?

1.) An end to the main announcer and Unlimited announcer. Maybe the Sport Class guy for main announcer and much less talking, this is not baseball.
2.) I am not that big of fan of Military jet teams and obviously they won't spend for Hinton and the other guys in the P-51 or F-86. But they do say military jet teams bring the crowds.
3.) Bring the T-28 racing back and or the Yak 52 Chinese trainers, there is quite a few of both these airplanes.
4.) Attrition from mechanical issues in racing is bad for the crews, scary at times for all but has always brought more interest and in my opinion is one of the reasons why the Unlimited class is more popular. Think, the jet class is faster, fairly competitive, nice paint and has good participation. Plus different types in one class is also good, here is where the Sport class will get better and better if air racing continues. 4500lb minimum, 1500 to 2800 cubic inch stock engine (follow T-6 rules as far as engines) and single engine.

Well nothing will really change much and there will be good racing at times, runaway racing and scary racing. There will be very old announcers who get lost trying to explain things and don't pay attention to maydays or troubles until after the event and love to talk and talk and talk (Bad Boys of Air Racing going Boogety, Boggety). Thanks, KC

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: What would you change?

Each team is allowed a spotter at the deadlines.

[gordonronco]

Re: What would you change?

If they promise to fire whoever came up with "the BAD BOYS of air racing" we would all be eternally grateful

[Matt58]

Re: What would you change?

As much as we (the guys/gals on this board) love piston power, we are a minority. A big name demonstration group like the blue angels or the thunderbirds need to be there to pull other people to Stead. The general public will pay the $36 to come see them and fill the stands.

A bigger prize payout for the unlimted class will attract others to bring their toys, even if its a little bit.

The rules, deadlines, etc need to be reviewed. What happend to Thom, his team, and PM should never happend to anyone again. There should be some type of electronic monitor (laser, GPS, etc) if that rule is to be automatic DQ. And one judge for a deadline? Thats ridiculous.

The announcers (enough said).

RARA should focus on putting butts in seats and unlimited pilots in the pits/air

[GRNDP51]

Re: What would you change?

I live in LA and went to the Los Angeles County Airshow at Fox Field, I thought since it was the first one it was going to be awful, hot in the middle of Mojave, etc., the turn out was INSANE!!! It was WAY over what they expected for one reason, everyone in the whole county came to see the Blue Angels do their dance. We NEED a big team back and people will come.

If we didn't have the F-22 this year I don't even want to know how attendance would've been affected, everyone likes the Military, it's a huge draw. For us, we love the Unlimited's, it's hard especially with the announcers to get involved in who the past winners are and I imagine 75% of the people there don't know who Tiger Destefani is, who Rod Lewis is, 232 is called 232 and not September Fury, the big silver plane is called a Tigercat, who Skip Holm or Dago Red are/were, and ultimately, how incredible the Saturday race was for more than just the fact that it was close (but for the fact that Tiger was Steven's mentor). We just know a little more than the population and that is what make the Unlimited's cool for us.

Being 18, I highly doubt there are many guys my age that like the Unlimited Gold more than the F-22 demo, but that's hard to change. I love the F-22 also, the thing is wicked awesome and I get goosebumps watching the demo as much as hearing a Merlin at race power. It's really sad, I want to see more interest from 18-21 year olds since that is the next generation. I'm in college right now and if everything goes how I (as well as EVERY college student hopes it goes), I would love to be fielding a full race you name it, Sea Fury, Stang, Bearcat, Spitfire I don't care, in the next 20-30 years.

That's all I have to say, maybe I can try to spread some interest… My site kinda does that already

[ArmyMP]

Re: What would you change?

Bring it all to Texas.

Putting it in the central part of the country can help budgets across the board. Brininging it closer to the CAF HQ, Cavanaugh flight museum, Lewis Air Legends, etc. Heck, even The Horsemen base of operations along with the vast private collection of the [Freidkin] family is there vicinity of Eagle pass. There are vast expanses of land and a somewhat predictable climate this time of year. I am fairly confident that the fan base is here as well. Not to mention, this state loves revenue and would gladly assist uin any cost offset as it has historically been needed.

I only attended the 2010 race but have been following for years. Yes, the Red Cow folks get all the promo. No they aren't the fastest. But, as already mentioned, invite them and heck, even give them their own heat Friday thru Saturday. No balloons though.

Stil bring a military team gig, despite the 6-7 figure room, transportation, food yada yada bill, they are a kid magnet none the less. Isn't that where it starts?

In short, there is a potential for an air fest of Oshkosh and Lakeland proportions.

Will the races have their time in the sun? Hell yeah it will.

Take it to the people amd they will come. They will come.

Just a crazy idea from an aviation lover who plays with a life size train set all day.

[V1670]

Re: What would you change?

The F22 routine this year was pretty good.

It was? All I saw (on Saturday anyway) was a few passes at 15,000 and then a landing. Pretty boring in my book.

[Desertdawg]

Re: What would you change?

It was? All I saw (on Saturday anyway) was a few passes at 15,000 and then a landing. Pretty boring in my book.

Saturday he just went up and did nothing, maybe a mechanical issue. Sundays show was pretty good like I said earlier.

[planecrazy2]

Re: What would you change?

Gotta draw more warbirds to race. Whatever it takes.

Add a turboprop sport class.

Get a big sugar daddy to sponsor some bitchen National advertising effort for 5 years in a row.

Clone Stevo and Tiger, splice their DNA, and make a new species of "super race" pilots! Give them all Mustangs. Stand back....

Find the dirty laundry on the FAA rep to the races, and extort them leave us alone.

Gotta fly them CAF birds, and have a couple aerobatic demos like Lefty and Hoover used do. One of my favorite memories of the late eighties is watching them fly.....

BTW, I heard the Blue's demand 80 cars and 80 hotel rooms plus make some very diva like demands, don't expect them back to the NCAR in the future.

Military jet demos are cool. The louder, the better! Raptor rocked the house this year.

[ShermB]

Re: What would you change?

FYI: The Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels are recruitment tools, and THEY have a voice as to where they perform. They don't get too many new recruits out of the Reno crowd, so don't put the blame totally on RARA. BOTH teams have BIG lists ($$$$) of "demands" for appearing, and your taxes do not pay for them to attend a show. And SHOW it is. Racing alone does not pay the bills. Been there and done that in a few other venues. Ask me about the time my organization was $$20,000 short on Sunday after a race/show.
Betty

[Guest]

Re: What would you change?

Dont' look for Blues or Birds before 2016, if then. Blues book in two year cycles and Birds are going there this year I believe. We'll know more about 2016 at the ICAS convention in Las Vegas 08-11Dec14 when the teams release their schedules. I'll try to post here ASAP from the convention but sure someone will have that on AAFO very shortly after it's announced.

You will get the Breitling Jet Team next year. And yes, I know...it's the Patriots with yellow and black jets instead of red and black. But it's new (first time ever in US) and may drive interest, especially given the title sponsorship connection.

Ultimately this all boils down to $$$ and the fact that you have to spend $$$ to make $$$. Beating the bushes again and again, in every corner, is tiresome and not always a rewarding experience. Not uncharted territory for RARA...unfortunately.

Continue to press for a revision of altitude and show-line restrictions; seek out "Ambassadors" who are ready, willing and able to reach out to there respective local groups, Chamber of Commerce, etc. and spread the word; keep pushing to involve the next generation in various ways (Kid's day in the pits w/roving clowns and arcades; Disney "Planes" movie night on the Jumbotrons; etc.)

I, for one, am confident the leadership has a handle on what must be done, should be done, can be done, to make 2015 a success. In the meantime, I'd suggest we support RARA's efforts, provide constructive feedback, and spread the word on social media and elsewhere. As mentioned before, since we only race once a year it's a challenge to maintain interest across the other 51 weeks. Don't mean to sound like a Pollyanna on this but do believe each of us can play a role in keeping this incredible event alive. Keep asking yourself, "What have I done to help build this sport up?" If the honest answer is not much, then the mirror tells the tale. Get involved. Ask what you can do as a fan, supporter, volunteer, outreach, etc.

Considering where we were this time just 3 years ago, seems to me we're headed in the right direction. Don't think Vegas would have given us very good odds that we'd be standing on our own two feet again...Kudo's to all who've made it happen for all of us.

[LoveOldPlanes]

Re: What would you change?

I will say what I always say and probably get in trouble for it yet again. This is a business, and in business you must properly market to draw in customers. Everything is secondary to presenting it to the public. A tiny minority today knows anything about the classes, the aircraft or anything else about the event. That said you sell what you have. Money is the lifeblood of any event or business, and until you start a positive flow of that, all other ideas are only that...ideas.

Having dug deep into the marketing this past year for a number of reasons, I see a great number of issues with it. The result tells the tale better than saying what I see wrong. For 2 years, pretty much every conversation I have had I inject the Reno air races into the conversation. When I ask "Do you know about the Reno air races?", the answer has (100% of the time) been , "Oh, that thing that Red Bull does?!". In Florida, not a single person knows about the races. When I arrived in Reno to pick up my rental car the woman asked why I was in town. When I told her, she informed me she loved balloons. She was never quite clear about how the airplane I showed her a photo of was going to be racing around the balloons. The only press received of any magnitude was reporting of Lee's crash. There was no proactive response to capitalize on the story and turn it into a positive. When even the locals in the travel industry don't know about the event, you're in trouble.

Whether it is the budget for marketing, the firm contracted, RARA, the FAA or whatever; the simple fact remains that until the public is reached and asked to attend and spend their money, the event will continue to decline in attendance until it is unsupportable.

[Guest]

Re: What would you change?

Well stated, LOP...well stated indeed.