Gold Cancelled to winds

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I'd be upset if it weren't for the fact that it was the PILOTS who called the race. If they don't feel safe, then I'm all for their decision. THEY'RE the pros.

It's not my desire to see people hurt and/or aircraft broken. True, the "old school" boys would have probably chosen to fly, but I dang-near saw a lot of close calls in them-thar' days tew!


No postponed race, I would imagine because of cost reasons and logistics difficulties to hold the event for one more day, and their insurance and FAA waivers most likely don't go beyond Sunday either.

[FuryFan]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I may have misunderstood, but didn't Stevo say that the decision was made by the pilots as a group?

Kevin

[uhhuh35]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

They just declared Steven the winner through points accumulation. How unusual.

And what a letdown after waiting all year. Guess I'm GLAD now I didn't make the trip now.

Wasn't that how the first Reno champ was decided? On points accumulation?

[Race 29]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I'm sure that was just Steveo being a class act and a professional. I agree that if I were Bob Button, Jimmy Leeward, or Rod Lewis, I would be seriously furious. Even though these guys are very upper middle class, I'm sure they spent quite a bit to get there to race. Safety is paramount though.

Race 29

[glider90]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Obviously a safe race would have been best, but I am OK with this. My brother was on the field, and told me he was glad they stood down. He said it was bad out there. No race is better than a race that costs a plane or worse yet a pilot. I thik the Sport incident was a data point in that decision. It sounds as though the teams all agreed. Tiger hurt the airplane in 1997(?) landing in high winds. At least they are all healthy for 2011.

I know I am disappointed, and have to beleive that all the teams (especially Voodoo after the 4AM thrash) are as well. I know those guys want to go out and see who really has what, but at what cost?

There was mention that the rules state a cancelled race will result in previous days standings taking effect. I have not read the rules myself yet but will. I hope it is there. Now that it has been used maybe some of the sandbagging thru Saturday will lessen.

Heres to 2011 with all the Unlimiteds safe.

[doubleup]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I'm sure that was just Steveo being a class act and a professional. I agree that if I were Bob Button, Jimmy Leeward, or Rod Lewis, I would be seriously furious. Even though these guys are very upper middle class, I'm sure they spent quite a bit to get there to race. I've been there when the weather was WAY worse and they still ran. The wind was just as bad on Wednesday, and I watched two Mustangs do a formation takeoff. I can't see that and think for a second that the pilots really made that decision. Safety is paramount and I seriously do believe that, but this was weak sauce!

Flame away!

Race 29

They aren't pissed. They are safety first and the wind today was bad with big gusts hitting the airport. They do spend a lot of money to get there and put their planes in the air but not to put the pilots or aircraft in danger. It was a smart move made by people that know what they are doing.

Now to the point of strategizing for Sunday. Well maybe Strega and their team had the best strategy?

We can all armchair this but I am glad they stood down. It was really bad out there this afternoon and the last thing we need is an ego making a decision that ends in something really ugly.

And no the wind was not worse Wednesday! Not even close.

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

What were the weather conditions and windspeeds?

[SWAdude]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I am yet another one that missed the races this year. My fourth since 1983. If there was a year to miss this was the year I guess. These aviation type decisions are never easy to make. Especially with 50 thousand or so anxious spectators. With 30 to 35 mile an hour gusty winds, good on them to make the hard decision.

See ya next year!

[Race 29]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

So I guess that I've just got racing on the brain. I do agree that I wouldn't want to be in a racer with a blown engine trying to find a runway in that wind. I shot my mouth off a little too early I guess. It is so fortunate that George Giboney is still here to be with his family tonight. I'll tip a beer tonight to the race where nobody broke!

Race 29

[BUD_XXX]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Purse money will be distributed by points, with the first ten planes getting the Lion's share.

The reason they gave was because, although they felt they could take off and land OK, they felt that if there was a Mayday, that would present undue risk.

Remember too that the Super Sport crash was immediatley before the intros.

I saw the thunder mustang all the way....he pulled up and immediatley was looking for a place to put down....in a hurry...looked like a dead stick but the prop was turning.....he looked like he was too far down 14 to get it down...I then thought he was doing a dead stick short final for 26, but as he attempted to turn it into 26 there was this 40 mph wind and I don't think he could turn....so he then put it down at the intersevtion of 14 and 26 but at a 45 degree angle directly into the flight line.... I assume he was about to buy some really expensive jets and maybe a fuel truck too...cause he attempted to turn it back towards 26 and he was in the dirt crossed up.....hit a bump which lofted him into the air and the wind caught him and he cartwheeled...

As he carwheeled the plane came apart and at one point, both ends of the plane broke away from the cockpit...and I remember seeing his legs flailing around......

One minute after the crash crew got there, he got out and stood up, apparently with a cut on head....but OK...

whew! that was almost a mass casualty event. If he had not turned away...he would have hit the jets...almost for sure....

[Ron101502]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

If the super sport had been cancelled there would have been one less bent airplane. I'm sure that factored into the decision. I wonder how many of the folks upset with the decision fly airplanes for a living, after 40+ yrs and over 21,000 hours I agree with the decision, as long it was made by the pilots and not the FAA or RARA.

Respectfully,

Ron

[BUD_XXX]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Winds were 20+ steady gusting thru 40 and expected to continue till dark.

sunny broken and scattered clouds...65 degrees.

[johnnyrace]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

The wind gauge by us showed several gusts well into the 40s

[gorace71]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

They didn't cancel soon enough. Ask George Giboney who is now out of an airplane. George is one of the great guys running at Reno, but he faced an almost impossible position when his engine quit.

Super Sports is down two aircraft and they didn't have enough to start with this year. Kevin will find a way to get back, but it took John Parker two years to completely build a new aircraft and I don't know if there are any kits left.

At least the Unlimited got out without a scratch.

BP

[doubleup]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Purse money will be distributed by points, with the first ten planes getting the Lion's share.

The reason they gave was because, although they felt they could take off and land OK, they felt that if there was a Mayday, that would present undue risk.

Remember too that the Super Sport crash was immediatley before the intros.

I saw the thunder mustang all the way....he pulled up and immediatley was looking for a place to put down....in a hurry...looked like a dead stick but the prop was turning.....he looked like he was too far down 14 to get it down...I then thought he was doing a dead stick short final for 26, but as he attempted to turn it into 26 there was this 40 mph wind and I don't think he could turn....so he then put it down at the intersevtion of 14 and 26 but at a 45 degree angle directly into the flight line.... I assume he was about to buy some really expensive jets and maybe a fuel truck too...cause he attempted to turn it back towards 26 and he was in the dirt crossed up.....hit a bump which lofted him into the air and the wind caught him and he cartwheeled...

As he carwheeled the plane came apart and at one point, both ends of the plane broke away from the cockpit...and I remember seeing his legs flailing around......

One minute after the crash crew got there, he got out and stood up, apparently with a cut on head....but OK...

whew! that was almost a mass casualty event. If he had not turned away...he would have hit the jets...almost for sure....

You and I must have had the same view. I almost lost my lunch when I saw him exposed after the plane broke up!