Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

[wingman]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I remember reading about that flight in the NXT when it happened. A pretty epic flight.

Has anybody ever written up a coherent account of the IF1 propeller odyssey -- the catastrophic failures of the metal props, the struggles with wood in going really fast. and the development (pretty much by one man) of the carbon fibre variety at the end of the 1980s? That's one of the many really interesting things that have always been going on behind the scenes in Racing -- other examples might be fuels in T-6, props in Unlimited, kit vs one off in Sport, and on and on. The fans never see this stuff, but I find all this -- the engineering, the testing, the in-class politics -- really fascinating. There's a lot of Air Racing history that's never been written and may never be. You were around for some of the USARA-PRPA-IF1 battles that were tearing things apart in Jon's early racing days.

It sure was tight in that NXT cockpit. Crappy photo plane, too. It's a good thing it went so fast...

Neal

[Carbonprop]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Hello back, Steve. Birgitta says to say Hi.

How many Reno Championships do your propellers have at this point?

Who's making props for the class since your retirement? When I left Racing I think everybody but the two or three slowest Bronze were running Twisted Composite props. How many are still running? How long do you think one of your props can remain raceworthy?

Neal

Hi Birgitta!

My props were on the F1 Gold Winner every year from 1991 to 2017. I sold the prop-making business to Eric Dienst, an F1 pilot from the Chicago area operating as Rev'd Up Composites. I don't know how many are still running but I suspect quite a few. Carbon fiber construction has an extremely high resistance to fatigue so the props I made should last a long time. Thanks for asking.

These days I try to fly my sailplane as much as possible and also produce sailplane parts, do weight and balances, install new instrument panels, etc. Had a fun adventure riding along with another F1 pilot, Justin Phillipson, when we took the NXT from Moriarty to its home at NASM in 2018.

https://www.twistedcomposites.com

[wingman]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Hello back, Steve. Birgitta says to say Hi.

How many Reno Championships do your propellers have at this point?

Who's making props for the class since your retirement? When I left Racing I think everybody but the two or three slowest Bronze were running Twisted Composite props. How many are still running? How long do you think one of your props can remain raceworthy?

Neal

[Carbonprop]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

So a user named Carbonprop, in New Mexico. Any connection with our friend Steve? Steve has many championships to his credit...

Neal

Hi Neal, Yes, it is me, Steve Hill, Crew Chief, Team Nemesis and former F1 prop builder...

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

from Reno 1983

shawn

[wingman]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

So a user named Carbonprop, in New Mexico. Any connection with our friend Steve? Steve has many championships to his credit...

Neal

[Carbonprop]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Moriarty, NM

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2021 - Last 2 of the hanger series.

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2021 - In the hanger shot 6

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2021 - In the hanger shot 5

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2021 - In the hanger shot 4

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2021 - In the hanger shot 3

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2021 - In the hanger shot 2.

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2021 - In the hanger shot 1.

[Desertdawg]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

2007 - Canadian Snowbirds