Gold Cancelled to winds

[Big_Jim]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

However I feel very Strongly that RARA OWES us for not giving us the big show most of us came for: Unlimited Gold.

:

Are you kidding me?

Here, send me your address and I'll write you a damned check to 'cover your expenses' as well as a little extra to keep you away and never let you come back.

Get your priorities straight. This wasn't about you.

[Cloudchaser427]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Well, on the plus side. Next year looks like Rare Bear could be ready to race early for a change. She's already to go

[Big_Jim]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Not flying yesterday was the right call. But historically, the one time they had a cancellation (due to rain) they raced the following day.

I have been there since 1971. They have NEVER run a race on Monday.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I am 100% certain that they would have raced in those conditions had The thunder Mustang not had that landing incident.

It was really nasty to be sure, and looking at the line up and seeing TWO tigercats I knew that the race was going to be dicey. I had an ugly feeling that there was going to be some really dirty air up there.

Having just witnessed a nasty accident I am sure the pilots did not want to go up with that on their minds, and in the end I am glad they decided what was best for them.

As for RARA's role in this, I have a laundry list of complaints about what they did, and are doing wrong. I feel the future of the races are in jeopardy and RARA is not taking the steps needed to prevent them from ending. Sometimes I feel like they are working to make it happen sooner.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Just out of curiosity...to those who are criticizing RARA's decision and the way they are handling it:

How many of you have actually WORKED on the administrative side of putting on an airshow? How many of you actually KNOW what it takes as far as cooperation with and from the FAA to make it happen? How many of you know just how closely the FAA was watching at Reno this year?

I have. I do. I know.

If the FAA says 'no', then the airshow doesn't happen anymore, kids. The air races could be done and gone forever if you don't follow the rules.

Just because YOU may not understand the reasoning for some of RARA's decisions, doesn't mean that that they are wrong. It just means that you don't know, or have a need to know, what is going on politically and administratively behind the scenes to make the show happen.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Just to be clear, in regards to RARA, I am not specifically talking about the race being canceled, I am talking about the whole event.

[Dialtapper]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Are you kidding me?

Here, send me your address and I'll write you a damned check to 'cover your expenses' as well as a little extra to keep you away and never let you come back.

Get your priorities straight. This wasn't about you.

A kinder, gentler air race fan....

[Hans Oberev]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I agree with Wayne, the additional drama of the cancellations will make the offseason that much more delicious....cruel but delicious. The FAA is always there, observing and making sure the event is as safe as possible aren't they? There are always do-gooders that think we are all a bunch of idiots,they know best and must protect us from our own stupidity. Screw them! The last perfect storm had a bad ending. We will never know what would have happened had the Gold Unlimited's raced on Sunday. I'm thinking someone would have pushed SteveO to use every last ounce of power. It might have been all three of the major contenders...a real barn burner for sure! Darn it!

[greyphantom]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

i completely understand canceling the last race after what happened. While on the way home the thought popped in my head though that if the winds might be a concern again, they could make an attempt to bump up the unlimited gold to an earlier time when its not so bad. Then they can show michael goulian, greg poe, and the hornet. No offense to any of these great performances that i enjoyed very much, but I think if there was only one race people could watch, most would choose the gold unlimited. But again, I AGREE AND IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO CANCEL THE RACE

[Big_Jim]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Just to be clear, in regards to RARA, I am not specifically talking about the race being canceled, I am talking about the whole event.

So am I.

[tow-3]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

I think that they did run one on monday in the sixties will have to check that out, but its a whole different ball game now. The people that are saying that they should have run it on monday have no clue as to the logistic nightmare that putting a show on is, on a good day, let alone a bad day. bottom line is there is no way that it could run on monday. the logistics are just not there. I dont agree with RARA all the time but this time the call was the right call.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

So am I.

So does that mean you support every decision RARA has made, and are willing to overlook any short sighted-ness or things that did not go as planned and simply chalk it up to "Well it's hard to put this show on"?

I dont think anyone here is saying RARA needs to be fired/replaced.

No, I have never organized an air racing event, but I have done lots of event planning stuff and I have also been to 27 years of the air races, so I think I know what works and what does not. It is an opinion and I am entitled to it, as you are to yours.

[WVRACEFAN]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Just out of curiosity...to those who are criticizing RARA's decision and the way they are handling it:

How many of you have actually WORKED on the administrative side of putting on an airshow? How many of you actually KNOW what it takes as far as cooperation with and from the FAA to make it happen? How many of you know just how closely the FAA was watching at Reno this year?

I have. I do. I know.

If the FAA says 'no', then the airshow doesn't happen anymore, kids. The air races could be done and gone forever if you don't follow the rules.

Just because YOU may not understand the reasoning for some of RARA's decisions, doesn't mean that that they are wrong. It just means that you don't know, or have a need to know, what is going on politically and administratively behind the scenes to make the show happen.

Agree. As a human being, I left the 2007 event saying a prayer for the lost pilots and their families. As a fan, I left wondering if after reviewing the event, if the FAA was going to say "no more".

An incident in the Gold final, especially if attributed to the conditions, might possibly have resulted in the same thing. Besides, it may not have been the event many hoped for. It's quite possible some pilots may have elected to stay on the ground anyway, and with the wind and dust, it may have been, IMO, a finish decided by cut pylon and deadline penalties instead of who crossed the finish line first.

[JET1]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Are you kidding me?

Here, send me your address and I'll write you a damned check to 'cover your expenses' as well as a little extra to keep you away and never let you come back.

Get your priorities straight. This wasn't about you.

I'll chip in a few bucks too.....pretty unbelievable "air race fan" perhaps Nascar would be a better sport for him! (ah jeez now all the Nascar fans will be on me like a cheap suit...go mark martin!)

[Leo]

Re: Gold Cancelled to winds

Given that the top 4 (I am including GG even though it was somewhat of an unknown) were going to probably be hard charging through it all, it is almost certain there would have been at least one mayday. Most of these racers glide like bricks, even clean. Add a windmilling prop, gear, flaps, etc. and the possibility of reaching a safe place is severely cut down. Super sport just served to prove the point.
There are a lot of things I don't like about the way RARA runs things, but it IS their show, not ours. we just buy tickets. They have a fine line to balance. A lot of the people come out to see the various acts (proven by 1/4-1/3 of them leaving after the Snowbirds) and sadly, a lot come out because it is dangerous. RARA has to put on a show that appeals to all of us. They have to portray it as dangerous BUT NOT DEADLY. Crashes are real bad publicity and every time we have one there is a call to stop the races. Whether this was in their minds or not I have no idea but it is a factor, behind the obvious concerns for life, limb and equipment. Cold hearted, but as a business (and they are whether we like it or not) they had to assess the risk and make a choice. I am sure they were not that happy about it either.
As far as "owing us". I'll have to look at the stub but isn't there a statement that they hold no liability for injury and reserve the right to change the schedule as needed?