08.... jets or no jets

[DWYER]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

I believe that they were flying the unlimited course this year. As it says in the program. I think that they should possibly rethink the course to make for some more comfortable racing at over 500 mph . However i think that the more experienced jet pilots should be involved on the design of the course and developing ways to make the race safer. The jets are becoming VERY EXCITING!! And there are ways to make this race class more safe. Even if it comes down to a pace lap or something like that.
I also was sad to see them discontinue the T-28 races. Mabey one day they will reconsider.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Oh boy, here I go......... clearing my throat....... I have sat here on my hands listening respectfully to what everyone had to say in response to the intial post in this thread. That is what a good listener does. My .02 is this. The sport is dangerous. RARA has and will continue to evaluate the safety of the spectators and update or change to ensure things can be as safe as possible. But, for crying out loud. It is what it freakin is. If it is tooooooo scarry for you, stay home and watch it on the news in your easy chair or read the reports online. These thoughts of "what if" have crossed my mind on occasion standing there watching all of the planes come around Pylon 8 and the airshow acts flying right at the crowd, etc. But good grief, I love the airplanes, I love the sport, I love the venue, I love the tradition and history, I love the people I have met and shared time and resources with, through good times and sad times, and God help me, I love the risk of the unknown and uncontrollable, just as much as I love jumping on my motorcycle when it's raining or jumping out of a plane or whatever. Life without risk is boring. You can't control it all. The jet races this year were the best I have ever seen. (Yes, I saw the first one in 2000, and I saw the crash this year, and all of the races in between). S**T happens and then you die. Just like Ron B has done, get out of the situation if you are "un"comfortable with it.You don't hear Ron going "I think they ought to slow the rest of the field down" so I can enjoy myself. He acknowledged he didn't enjoy it and he retired.
OFF THE SOAPBOX
Bill (aka: Air Race Addict)

[ebutner]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Oh boy, here I go......... clearing my throat....... I have sat here on my hands listening respectfully to what everyone had to say in response to the intial post in this thread. That is what a good listener does. My .02 is this. The sport is dangerous. RARA has and will continue to evaluate the safety of the spectators and update or change to ensure things can be as safe as possible. But, for crying out loud. It is what it freakin is. If it is tooooooo scarry for you, stay home and watch it on the news in your easy chair or read the reports online. These thoughts of "what if" have crossed my mind on occasion standing there watching all of the planes come around Pylon 8 and the airshow acts flying right at the crowd, etc. But good grief, I love the airplanes, I love the sport, I love the venue, I love the tradition and history, I love the people I have met and shared time and resources with, through good times and sad times, and God help me, I love the risk of the unknown and uncontrollable, just as much as I love jumping on my motorcycle when it's raining or jumping out of a plane or whatever. Life without risk is boring. You can't control it all. The jet races this year were the best I have ever seen. (Yes, I saw the first one in 2000, and I saw the crash this year, and all of the races in between). S**T happens and then you die. Just like Ron B has done, get out of the situation if you are "un"comfortable with it.You don't hear Ron going "I think they ought to slow the rest of the field down" so I can enjoy myself. He acknowledged he didn't enjoy it and he retired.
OFF THE SOAPBOX
Bill (aka: Air Race Addict)

Here here!! I agree. RARA will make it as safe as they can..not good enough for you...STAY HOME!

[Skyracer]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Oh boy, here I go......... clearing my throat....... I have sat here on my hands listening respectfully to what everyone had to say in response to the intial post in this thread. That is what a good listener does. My .02 is this. The sport is dangerous. RARA has and will continue to evaluate the safety of the spectators and update or change to ensure things can be as safe as possible. But, for crying out loud. It is what it freakin is. If it is tooooooo scarry for you, stay home and watch it on the news in your easy chair or read the reports online. These thoughts of "what if" have crossed my mind on occasion standing there watching all of the planes come around Pylon 8 and the airshow acts flying right at the crowd, etc. But good grief, I love the airplanes, I love the sport, I love the venue, I love the tradition and history, I love the people I have met and shared time and resources with, through good times and sad times, and God help me, I love the risk of the unknown and uncontrollable, just as much as I love jumping on my motorcycle when it's raining or jumping out of a plane or whatever. Life without risk is boring. You can't control it all. The jet races this year were the best I have ever seen. (Yes, I saw the first one in 2000, and I saw the crash this year, and all of the races in between). S**T happens and then you die. Just like Ron B has done, get out of the situation if you are "un"comfortable with it.You don't hear Ron going "I think they ought to slow the rest of the field down" so I can enjoy myself. He acknowledged he didn't enjoy it and he retired.
OFF THE SOAPBOX
Bill (aka: Air Race Addict)

Fortunately, lunatics like you do not run things. There is a degree of responsibility to be borne by any event organizer to protect the general public from injury or death. It is not a matter of what degree of risk an individual is willing to accept to attend the event. Let one spectator be seriously injured or killed by an out of control aircraft, or parts thereof, and you can kiss the air races, as we know them, goodbye FOREVER.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Fortunately, lunatics like you do not run things. There is a degree of responsibility to be borne by any event organizer to protect the general public from injury or death. It is not a matter of what degree of risk an individual is willing to accept to attend the event. Let one spectator be seriously injured or killed by an out of control aircraft, or parts thereof, and you can kiss the air races, as we know them, goodbye FOREVER.

So what's your point? As I said before, and will say it again, and listen to me carefully RARA has and will do everything they can to minimize the risk to the spectators. They are THE responsible people. Call me whatever you like. I know the risks and accept them for what they are. That was my point. Doesn't mean I'm oblivious to the danger.
As far as your calling me a lunatic, just so you know, more than a million people have put their lives in my hands trusting my "lunacy" and freakin good judgement and they still do every day. I could really care less of your opinion of me. You don't know me or anything about me. So your comment about me being a lunatic is irrelevant to this conversation.
As I said, you accept the risks just by being there. Just like every time you get up in the morning and get behind the wheel of your car. You are more much more likely to get killed by some idiot drinking and driving than at the Reno Air Races, by a pretty huge factor. It's all about the odds. RARA knows this and so do the people who insure RARA. If "it" did happen you are probably right.
So, they could move the races back another mile or so, then that would be fun to watch, wouldn't it. No place to move the pits, except to the middle of the course. No place to expand backwards. Then access to the pits for the general public would be an issue. What's your big idea that will not change what we have now, in an adverse way?

[chuckd]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Fortunately, lunatics like you do not run things. There is a degree of responsibility to be borne by any event organizer to protect the general public from injury or death. It is not a matter of what degree of risk an individual is willing to accept to attend the event. Let one spectator be seriously injured or killed by an out of control aircraft, or parts thereof, and you can kiss the air races, as we know them, goodbye FOREVER.

And that appears to be the Standing argument Logic, which I must agree has some obvious validity. As has been stated in other threads etc. is this, as with any other racing venue, and it is arguable that the consequences could be great if something happened at Reno, Racing is Dangerous, Period. I am not going to state any more of the obvious, but in my mind if you are not willing to take the risk........well you know the answer. I for one do not want to view the races through binoculars from the bleachers set back to the church parking lot, or in Downtown Reno on closed circuit TV from one of the Casinos that bought the rights to it, I like to get right up to the wall at the motorcycle races I go to, it is part of the excitement being that close to the "Action" and I accept that risk. You can never Regulate Complete Safety.

I have to say I was in AWE of the speed the Jets were carrying in the sunday Gold Race. Never seen anything quite like it.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Please, everyone, this is a highly emotionally charged subject..

Skyracer, you KNOW I truly value our friendship so with that in mind.. the only exception I think anyone would take to your post is the word "lunatic"..

I'm desperately trying to rachet the emotions down a notch or three here and ask everyone's help!

Thanks in advance..

Wayne

[supercub]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Funny, seems all of us on here have a common interest....our love of Air Racing yet sometimes, emotions get a little carried away, and NO, I'm not pointing fingers. I for one, don't want to get hurt or injured, as I'm sure none of you do, however as stated in a pervious posting, I don't want to be miles away from the action either. I'm sure RARA, the race pilots, and other interested parties will discuss the safety issues at great lengths and take what actions are deemed necessary to keep all as reasonably safe as possible. No one wants an accident. I can't wait for Reno 08.....and I hope all the classes are racing.
Brian

[Ron101502]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

Hate to say it but the insurance companies will ultimately decide the future of air racing. Reality sucks but it's still reality.

[mscott107]

Re: 08.... jets or no jets

I say yes to 2008 Jet Race but on one condition, there has to be more than one type of airframe in the race. I think what made the race better this year was the fact that it was not a bunch L-39's going around in a circle. It was nice to see some U.S. iron out there. I'm deeply saddened by the loss of pilots this year, but I feel there doing what there passion was. Just my 2 cents.
Scott.......