Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIrus?

[CubersWrist]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

For those dissatisfied with the Sport class being all white. There are financial, performance, and safety based reasons behind the "boring white colors".

I'm not directing this at anyone here, but I know we all seen the folks I'm talking about. Kindly inform them of the safety reasons. If/when they refuse to be placated, then less-kindly tell them to go pay for their own "plastic plane" using high temp resin.

http://soaridaho.com/Schreder/Construction/Color_Temp.html?fbclid=IwAR2Uomz3X6veU7UF8WqNBRaUjlAZNWKRBv51k3G-BCwKMykduw7VKhCSYxM

[Desertdawg]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

What?

[wadeh]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

For those dissatisfied with the Sport class being all white. There are financial, performance, and safety based reasons behind the "boring white colors".

I'm not sure who's dissatisfied. I know that I made a comment once that some of my family and friends in the stands could not tell the difference between most of the white planes. For this reason, they tended to pay attention to, and follow, airplanes that they could easily identify.

I believe that making the planes more readily identified in the air would increase the fan base. Not only does it help to get them more engaged, it gives them incentive to buy pit passes so that they can get an up close look at their favorites. And I think that we all understand that these are good things. This is a spectator sport, after all - or at least it's dependent on spectators to help pay the bills.

I'm going to go to the races no matter what color the airplanes are. But it's easier for me to talk the dozen or so other people that I bring with me into coming if they have a good time.

If it's prohibitive to make the planes distinguishable for financial, performance and safety based reasons, then those are going to be dominant factors. But engaging and building fans is not a zero-value proposition.

[CubersWrist]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

Oh I’m fully on onboard with making yourself more appealing to fans with flashier paintschemes. What I don’t like is when people complain about how another person paints their airplane. It’s annoying when it’s a metal plane, but with composite planes it’s worse given there is an actual reason beyond personal taste.

And these sorts of people tend to be the fb crowd.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

Methinks that if one does not like the color of an airplane, they could always pony up enough sponsor dollars to get it painted any way they like..

[GRNDP51]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

I personally think if anyone is having trouble distinguishing a sport class plane from the other during a race then they can’t see or they’re just clueless. It really doesn’t add up to me?

Breathless, Lucky Girl, and Jus Pass’n Thru has to be one of the hardest races to call. 3 white Legacy’s all around the same speed. Besides Lucky Girl having red accents, if we’re using the “new fan” approach, say it’s a girl cheering for Vicky, maybe just watch what spot Vicky is in when they come around home pylon? If you’re THAT interested in a plane that you would complain about it being the same color, I promise you if you see what position it is past home pylon and continue watching it to the back of the course, you’ll know which one it is.

If Race 39 is running with One Moment at the front of the race, that Glasair in the middle of the pack on the back stretch, that “other” white Glasair is Mojo, not Race 39, and if it WAS then you REALLY weren’t paying enough attention to notice that Race 39 dropped from the front to the middle of the pack.

I just think saying they all “look the same” is an annoying comment and you’re not paying attention. I’ve had multiple new friends come to Reno and they’ve picked up pretty easily on who is who.

Sorry for the rant i guess there’s just an excuse to complain about everything. This isn’t aimed at anyone here, as Wayne said if you’re really that concerned with how a plane is painted I bet the owner would accommodate your request if you paid them to. One Moment is the poster child for this to go from another white Legacy to a flying Stihl billboard.

[wadeh]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

I just think saying they all “look the same” is an annoying comment and you’re not paying attention. I’ve had multiple new friends come to Reno and they’ve picked up pretty easily on who is who.

Every year, I bring people with me to the races, and I introduce new people fairly often, too.

Typically, my whole group is around 12 to 15 people in 3 RVs, plus a few staying locally out of the immediate area around Stead. Out of that group, there are 3 or 4 of us who can track who-is-who even better than the announcers. We have long history in aviation and are deeply engaged in the races.

That leaves almost a dozen people with us who purchase season tickets, support the RV lots, buy programs and pit passes, do quite a lot of business with the vendors and support other businesses in the Reno area. This group is never going to reach the level of engagement that you are talking about. But their financial support to the event is important. It easily quadruples what we'd spend if only the die-hard aviation enthusiasts in our group were to head out there.

They are just as vital to the continuation of the sport as we are. And nothing that they do annoys me. I am thankful that they are there, and not just because they support the event. I like having them with me. It makes it a family and friends event.

[GRNDP51]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

Every year, I bring people with me to the races, and I introduce new people fairly often, too.

Typically, my whole group is around 12 to 15 people in 3 RVs, plus a few staying locally out of the immediate area around Stead. Out of that group, there are 3 or 4 of us who can track who-is-who even better than the announcers. We have long history in aviation and are deeply engaged in the races.

That leaves almost a dozen people with us who purchase season tickets, support the RV lots, buy programs and pit passes, do quite a lot of business with the vendors and support other businesses in the Reno area. This group is never going to reach the level of engagement that you are talking about. But their financial support to the event is important. It easily quadruples what we'd spend if only the die-hard aviation enthusiasts in our group were to head out there.

They are just as vital to the continuation of the sport as we are. And nothing that they do annoys me. I am thankful that they are there, and not just because they support the event. I like having them with me. It makes it a family and friends event.

This all makes sense and I for one appreciate everyone who introduces people to Reno. For me it's been easier to help teach my friends who is who, but I can understand that your situation is a lot harder with a large group.

Maybe my view is just one sided because I have good vision (lol) and know Reno inside and out, but I think it's easy enough to follow a plane you care about during a race, especially when they come around home pylon up close to the crowd once every 60-90 seconds or so.

Maybe the argument is new fans don't know which plane to cheer for because they all look the same? I'm honestly lost.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

It is also my understanding that fiberglass does not like heat, therefore white is the best color to paint fiberglass. It's why so many boats are largely white....

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

So true Wayne on the white color. That is why my car in Mesquite, NV is white. I think some of the trouble in following the Sports Class is that there are many of the same type racing where as in the Unlimited's you could tell who was who if not by the # at least by the paint scheme & sound. I can always follow #30 in the Sports Class by the paint job IMOP

[Bob]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

Is your Pitts red on white or white on red...

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Moving Forward: What can we do wo help ensure the Reno Air Races Sirvive the VIru

So true Wayne on the white color. That is why my car in Mesquite, NV is white. I think some of the trouble in following the Sports Class is that there are many of the same type racing where as in the Unlimited's you could tell who was who if not by the # at least by the paint scheme & sound. I can always follow #30 in the Sports Class by the paint job IMOP

I LOVE NASCAR and watch it any chance I get, I really like Clint Bowyer but, I have a REALLY hard time keeping visual track of his car on TV, it's just too similar to all the other very flashy NASCAR racers..

Air racing is inherently difficult to see who's doing what, no matter what color the racers are, they are simply sooooooo far away!

Wish we could superimpose those NBC arrows with the number up above in real time!!