Just walked out for the last time…

[Matt58]

We all knew this was the last year at Reno, but somehow, I didn’t prepare myself for the emotions that came over me as we walked out this evening.

Coupled with the loss of life we witnessed today, made it all unbearable and I broke down on the walk back to the trailer.

RARA may find another venue, but it will never be Reno.

So many great years and even greater memories have been made on this hallowed ground.

We had great conversations this weekend recalling all of the memorable moments we’ve made throughout the years. Great friendships were made stronger here.

And if it wasn’t for Wayne, I wouldn’t have a place to share these feelings.

Take care everyone!

I hope to see you all at the next one, wherever that may be!

My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those lost today!

[N22252]

I felt the same things. The long pause after the accident left me sick and thinking, "Don't let it end this way" And that was a long somber walk to the parking lot

[Bigfoot]

I agree 110%. This is not the way I wanted the last chapter to close. Before I left today I took another walk through the pits and saw a few people I may never see again.. As I drove home I thought about the families of the two pilots. This all hurts in so many ways.

[wadeh]

Thanks for starting this thread.

I don't have the really long history of some others here. And other than my participation here, I am an outsider and don't have any personal connections to the teams. But I have been attending every September for 25 years (including 2001; I was in the stands when the F1 racers took off and were called back). I raised my two sons with the air races as a September highlight. There have been some highs and some lows. I was hoping to end on a high note, but we all know how that turned out.

When they announced that they were cancelling the rest of the event, most of our party made their way back to the RV's. I had gone back up into the stands and my wife came to get me. I told her that I wasn't ready yet. I spent about 25 minutes at my seat, along with a few others (whom I'd never met) who also needed some time. Our seats are right behind the announcers, and we chat with them occasionally. Eventually, when Danny and Roy were getting ready to leave, Danny called up to me to say one last goodbye before they drove off in their cart.

This is the second year that I had a ticket to the awards banquet, and I was looking forward to it both years - but did not go either year, due to the accidents. As I write this, we are half way home, and are spending the night in central Oregon. The original plan was to depart Reno tomorrow morning, but my heart just wasn't into staying around.

I have thoughts on the rest of the week's qualifying and racing, and was planning on posting them when I got home. I was also planning on posting some pictures that I took through the week. But at this point, I am going to need a few days.

Thanks again for starting this thread and sharing your feelings. It does help.

-Wade

[TarDevil]

i never attended. My loss. I do remember as a kid watching "Wild World of Sports" with my dad, how much we loved the race coverage. I watched live broadcasts religiously. When the broadcast ended I sadly knew why.

I don't have enough of a lifetime to see another tradition such as this.

[cheapskater]

Now we can talk about the counterculture at the races, the Fence liners who have always been there every year. When the AT6s mid-aired the wreckage came down on the fence line around and onto Christies Crew group. My friend Glen dove under a camper and wreckage hit with 20 feet of our fellow fan Bill and his trailer. Wreckage may have come down on the homes on Silver Lake estates. I missed this year because my wife had an accident. I know that they are all feeling the way I did when I left the races via the pit gate after Leeward crashed in 2011. This will stay with my fellow fence liners for a long time.

[DWYER]

Hope y’all had/have safe travels home. It surely isn’t the first time I’ve had a long somber drive home after the races. My last time in Reno was 2011.

I am not sure if I am still in shock, or just numb… much like I felt when I got home last time.

This was the first and only time I made a visit to the fence line. I had always wanted to go over the years, so we made a split decision to go while the A-10 was flying. Since it was the last year, I planned to watch the silver unlimiteds from there, then the gold from my seat in section C with my friends and family. I couldn’t believe my eyes, felt like it was Groundhog Day.

I feel so damn bad for those wonderful pilots and their families. They will always be gold winners!

I can’t believe this is how it ended, but we have to remember all the incredible memories, the amazing people we have met, and the one of a kind sound of Reno.

God Bless!

[Paul Hastings]

Thank you Matt, I felt the same way. I appreciate you sharing your feelings. I stopped a few times as we left and looked behind me at sights I will never see again. The grandstands will be taken down and then it will look like so many other airports. We wept as we left. So many of us will have a hole in out hearts for what has been lost but I will always hope for the future.

[FlyKidChris]

I felt the same things. The long pause after the accident left me sick and thinking, "Don't let it end this way" And that was a long somber walk to the parking lot

Exactly my feelings. 38 years (for me) ended on a very sour - and tragic - note.

[Jukka]

i never attended. My loss. I do remember as a kid watching "Wild World of Sports" with my dad, how much we loved the race coverage. I watched live broadcasts religiously. When the broadcast ended I sadly knew why.

I don't have enough of a lifetime to see another tradition such as this.

Me too....but maybe my inspiration of a vertical axis wind turbine innovation came from watchin these...over the years.

[ZacYates]

This was my first Reno. To put it short, it surpassed my expectations in many ways and I cannot say how thankful I am to everyone who made the trip happen (and to the AAFOers who made my experience even more special).

There are no words to express how I felt after what happened but needless to say it’s not how I wanted it to end. My thoughts have barely left the families and the teams since.

I truly hope this isn’t the end of air racing like this. I’m still struggling to get my thoughts together so I’ll leave it here.

[CRJpilot]

The NTSB preliminary report for this years accident is out now for those that haven't seen it.

Report Link

Don

[ZacYates]

Thank you for sharing, Don.