Racing 25 years from now...

[planecrazy2]

It's the year 2034. There are still planes racing in September at the National Air Races held in Stead.

What classes are being raced?
Are there any WWII birds left?
Will we see a turboprop Sport class?
What airshow acts are there and what are they flying?


Peer into the future, what do you see?

[mgbf4u]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

I heard some people say it won't be here in 10 to 20 years while I was at the races.

[jarrodeu]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

I heard some people say it won't be here in 10 to 20 years while I was at the races.

They said that 10-20 years ago too. I'm looking on the positive side, I think it'll be around for a while. It's not like there are other racing events you can attend.

Jarrod

[race9]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

There will be a turboprop class, or they may open up the unlimiteds to turboprop. While old airframes may last a while racing, engines will not, and will eventually run out. Either the planes are modified to fit turbines, or unlimited racing as we know it dies.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

YEp, I heard the same statements over 25 years ago.

Dago appearing in '82, Dreadnought and Strega in '83 I think, and Rare Bear before them all...Guess who's still racing?


Much has changed, but much is still oh-so familiar too.

Live on, Reno Air Races!

[planecrazy2]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

Thanks for the discussion but remember the original intent in asking the questions was not to debate "if" the national air races will be in Reno, but rather what planes ya'll think will be racing.

Race 9, If turboprops were legal in a "Super Unlimited" class next year, ya think Jimmy would shove one in Cloud dancer?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

It's hard to predict the future.

Back in the 80's with Tsunami running the course and Pond Racer in the works, plus unique layouts like Wildfire, I figured by now at least half the unlimited would be unique, home-made airframes. If anything, it became just the opposite.

Even this decade we had promises of the same, with Renegade, "Lawn Dart", Shockwave and American Spirit in the works. Now the decade is almost gone and nothing has come to be. It's still 'Stangs, Sea Furies and the occasional, with one well-known modded Bearcat keeping them on their toes. You'd think we'd at least have seen another Rare Bear clone by now.

I guess cost is the biggest factor. There are still plenty of airframes to work with, but those are all being restored to stock mil replicas, not racers.


I've been predicting for years that turbines will eventually be our new unlimiteds (in their own racing class, of course), but now I don't know if that will happen in my lifetime or not.

But put a turboprop in an existing warbird like Cloud Dancer? Never happen. She's too valuable as she is. I suspect a larger version of Thunder Mustang would be more appropriate, or even a scaled-up NXT (I'd LOVE to see that happen).
.

[split-s]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

In the past year, I called RARA and asked them much the same question. They indicated that the warbird racers claim they'll still be racing at least another ten years.

Even under the demanding standards of the FAA, the laws of thermodynamics cannot be stayed either entirely or indefinitely. I fear that some Wednesday the Unlimiteds will begin their qualifying and start dropping like flies.

In my thread, "UNAVOIDABLE TRUTHS OF UNLIMITED AIR RACING" (design threads), I suggest that a/c like Piper's "Enforcer" -- essentially a P-51 with a turboprop fan (and without the ceramic armor) -- would be the best way to sustain the Unltd class, stocking the field with exciting, high-performance, quasi-military racers. Achieving an economy of scale would be the biggest hurdle to providing the necessary numbers.

$

[bflynt]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

My future:
As I've stated before in a previous thread I don't think we'll ever see turboprops in unlimited racers as long as the current owners and crew chiefs are running the show. The engine is the main focus of unlimited air racing not aerodynamics, structures, etc. If turbo props are allowed you take away what these people know and love. There isn't much you can tinker with in a turbine engine.

In 20 years, I could easily see the housing and building encroaching on Stead field and the races having to move elsewhere. The super sport class will be faster than the unlimited because they have a more rounded approach to going fast (engine, aerodynamics, structures). The unlimited race will be a parade of old racers and warbirds which still go fast but are too valuable for even rich guys to trash.

My 2 Cents,
Bryan

[marada mx3]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

I think that before the engines run out, someone or some group will step up and try producing new castings/forgings (Roush). There are already some aftermarket parts for at least the Merlins (Roush). Any aftermarket stuff for the roundies? The big question is whether there will be a sustainable market for any newly produced parts. Cost?

Thinking out loud!
Tommy

[race9]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

I don't think it would happen to stock Unlimiteds, until there are literally no engines left (which likely would never happen, due to re-engineering). However, a severe shortage could force the modified racers to seek alternate engines, such as turboprops.

[JET1]

i'll be dead so i won't care!

[supercub]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

I'll be able to park in the handicap spaces.......so won't have to walk as far. Bottled water will be $25, hambugers $65........and we'll be talking about the good ole days when it was only $3.00 and $6.00........but who cares, because the Super Sport class will be running well over 500mph and the unlimiteds.......well, again, who cares.......I like to see and hear them fly........that's what Reno is all about. I dd think there will be some homebuilt unlimiteds in the future, but I'm sure the warbirds will be there for some time. Keep em flying, so we can keep enjoyin em.
Brian

PS........maybe they'll have Cub races by then, so I'll be able to race

[John H]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

.

Even under the demanding standards of the FAA, the laws of thermodynamics cannot be stayed either entirely or indefinitely. I fear that some Wednesday the Unlimiteds will begin their qualifying and start dropping like flies.

Uh ok...could you please explain what you are saying? That during qualifying all the wings will rip off the airplanes?

[MMPerk]

Re: Racing 25 years from now...

What were things like 25 years ago? How far have things come since then? I think that for the short term we can make pretty accurate guesses. But twenty-five years from now...

I say that there will be air racing. It may not still be here in Reno...but men and women will still have the desire to compete against one another to see who is faster, to see who can fly a better line around the pylons, to see who will push their machines to the limits and even beyond. Crews will still burn the midnight oil making last minute preparations to give their pilot every chance to take home a victory after an epic battle in the sky.

Not much of a prediction about the future...as in the form the racers will take over the years ahead. Advanced turbine powered machines built from exotic materials? Warbird replicas built for racing so that the last surviving original warbirds can be preserved for future generations? Or maybe in 25 years, some government agency will decide that it's too dangerous for pilots to actually fly in the races and mandate that the races are to be flown virtually or by remote control in some big desert. My plane is faster than yours, my design is better, my crew is better, my engine builder can squeeze more power out than yours.

LP