Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

[Mluvara]

Looks like RARA has addressed the situation of aircraft not being in their pits at Reno.

From page 44 of the rules of competition (http://airrace.org/userfiles/files/R...nalFinal.pdf):

"All Racing Aircraft assigned a parking space in the pits will make reasonable efforts to remain in the pits unless required maintenance deems it necessary for the Race Aircraft to be moved to a hangar better suited to perform said maintenance. Aircraft removed from the pits must be repositioned in their pit space not later than 2 hours prior to take off for its scheduled race, or they will be officially scored as a “Did Not Start” for that race. Should an aircraft undergoing maintenance outside the pits determine that the aircraft will not be in the pits two hours prior to take off for its scheduled race, that team must contact the RARA Scorer and indicate that they are officially withdrawing from their scheduled race and will be awarded a “Did Not Start” standing for the scheduled race. Future pairings will be in accordance with the Class Rules of Progression as incorporated in the NCAR Rules of Competition."

[Big_Jim]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

Looks like RARA has addressed the situation of aircraft not being in their pits at Reno.

From page 44 of the rules of competition (http://airrace.org/userfiles/files/R...nalFinal.pdf):

"All Racing Aircraft assigned a parking space in the pits will make reasonable efforts to remain in the pits unless required maintenance deems it necessary for the Race Aircraft to be moved to a hangar better suited to perform said maintenance. Aircraft removed from the pits must be repositioned in their pit space not later than 2 hours prior to take off for its scheduled race, or they will be officially scored as a “Did Not Start” for that race. Should an aircraft undergoing maintenance outside the pits determine that the aircraft will not be in the pits two hours prior to take off for its scheduled race, that team must contact the RARA Scorer and indicate that they are officially withdrawing from their scheduled race and will be awarded a “Did Not Start” standing for the scheduled race. Future pairings will be in accordance with the Class Rules of Progression as incorporated in the NCAR Rules of Competition."

No retreating to the sanctity of Aviation Classics and roping it off this year....

[Tigercat24]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

That makes things a bit tighter

[Fence Sence]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

That's what it sounds like. It's only fair. I can't imagine Mr. Lewis liking it but, fair is fair. They can still take it to the cave every night though, right?

[ChrisMX105]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

The intention was to have the Bear in the pit in 2010, Due to needing close access to equipment for work that was being done it was in the hangar. That being said it will be in the pit this year

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

What's the purpose of this rule? Is this done because RARA wants the paying public the ability to see the planes out in the open? They're allowed to go into a hangar after a race, but they want them back out in the pits 2 hours prior to a race?

Probably the last thing a race crew needs is to have a Race Official in an fluorescent green shirt and a stopwatch telling them "The time is 1 hour 59 minutes and 59 seconds. You were supposed to be here 2 hours before the race. Your're one second late so here's your "Did Not Start" Ticket...like a parking meter cop. I can visualize tempers flaring over this one. Might make some interesting video scenes, the tempers flaring that is.

I wonder what clock they're using, the US Naval Observatory Atomic Clock?

Who's the legal analyst in the group to go over the rule wording, word by word, meaning by meaning...

"Aircraft removed from the pits must be repositioned in their pit space not later than 2 hours prior to take off for its scheduled race"

Race Official: "It's 1 hour 59 minutes and 59 seconds. Your engine was outside of the pit space."
Race Plane Owner: "Yeah, but my tires were in, get outta here, I'm calling my lawyer..."

[4banginfocus03]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

LOL!!!

[ShermB]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

More than likey a response to themany complaints from the paying public that they had no access last year. It is the fans who buy tickets that keep this thing going, don'tcha know?

[jarrodeu]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

I guess if the Bear team ran out of time they could just take the data plate off and put it in the pits. lol

Jarrod

[Dago Dog]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

+1 for what Betty said. The race teams all need the same advantages/disadvantages. A nice cushy hanger ain't fair to the other teams. An empty pit to look at by the folks that "pay the bills" Sucks!!

[degroodtt]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

@SkyvanDelta

As others have said, there is a wealth of knowledge on AAFO. Big Jim mentioned no going to Aviation Classics and roping planes off. Fence Sence then mentioned that Mr. Lewis may not be happy about that. Most all of the pilots, crew and planes are very accessible all race week. It has been the history of the Bear to have allot of drama all race week. Last year the crew must have thrashed to the last minute all week long. She stayed in the cave and the ropes were far enough away that no one in the cave needed to acknowledge anyone on the other side of the ropes.

That being said, please let's watch what we wish for. Mr. Lewis comes out to play with allot of planes. I am sure he has his reasons for doing what he did with the Bear last year. I told my wife the first time we went out. She said all of these guys are great with the fans. I told her that no one ever knows when the guy with 2 million will come over and start asking questions. Maybe Mr. Lewis doesn't need that guy.

We all loved watching Mike Brown and his air force. I am not going to insert my opinion, but Mike obviously decided the cost / fun factor didn’t add up. I for one hope that Rod Lewis’s fun meter stays off the scale.

Tom

PS +1 for Mike Brown's old Air Force ++2 for Rod's current Air Force.

[Propellerhead]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

The purpose of the rule is to avoid scenes like this...

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

Is it that Rare Bears crew does not want to drag all their tools and equipment out of the hanger and put it in the pit area and then have to work in the weather when they have a nice comfortable hangar to work in?

That seems like a lot of extra work. If you're outside, you should have shelter from the sun, wind, rain so you need a giant tent like some of the other Unlimiteds have. Just more time spent setting up and moving equipment when they would prefer to wrench on their plane or rest because they are sleep deprived, exhausted from being overworked.

I can understand the crew wanting to keep their plane inside the hangar where their tools are and protected from the weather. Maybe they could put bleaches inside so the public could have access to watching the mechanics wrench on the Bear. And I can understand RARA's position that the paying public wants the planes in the pits so they can seem them...

Maybe one of those big tent companies should come in and cover the entire pit area with giant tents. Then everyone would be out of the weather. The Reno sun, wind, rain is hard to work in.

[race9]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

They're not saying that you CAN'T go into a hanger, just that you have to be back in the pits no less than 2 hours before the race.

[BUD_XXX]

Re: Interesting 'rules' change for 2011.

Yeah well I remember the big teams all thrashing till the wee of the morning the last couple years, I wouldn't want to do that outside without a big top canopy, which the Bear has never had...like Strega, Voodoo...etc..
And then again...Voodoo, and Strega have not had access to a big beautiful "Bear Cave"...either...with a minor exception..a smallish hanger that either Strega or Dagon Red used to change a motor....
But I have really missed walking up to the Bear and crew... They had been very isolated in the Cave..
I do like the idea though, that all the planes are available to the public on Race day...