Red Bull Air Races?

[Paul Taylor]

I just read where they are taking the year off.

Sounds like they are working on safety issues.

It was fun to watch.

[Air Ministry .]

Id thought they were fitting Streamers and Sharpening the Props ! .

[Randy Powell]

I never thought of Red Bull as racing. Seeing who can fly an obstacle course the fastest isn't racing to me. But it is kinda fun to watch.

[PerttiMe]

The Red Bull courses are just a bit more twisty than what they have at Reno: time counts and you get penalties for cuts  

Those twisty courses might be a little tricky to negotiate, flying Rare Bear, Strega, September Fury, or some other of the heavies.

[wwwarbird]

 It's good to see anything aviation related getting airtime on the tube, but I can't say I'll miss the Red Bull Air Races. Kind of neat, but too pre-fabricated for me. I do highly commend Red Bull for their interest and promotion of aviation though.

 Here's some "real" Air Racers. These guys are out there in bunches going WAY faster, wingtip to wingtip at times, and aren't flying over water with "poofy"  pylons. Oh, and as another minor little detail for the pilots to deal with, the engines seem to eat themselves on a semi-regular basis

[PerttiMe]

the engines seem to eat themselves on a semi-regular basis

Apparently, that has been a concern to some: for how long are there going to be new Merlins to replace those blown apart in Tractor Pulling, Boat Racing and Air Racing.

A R-3350 or R-2800 may be easier to get (?) - a comfort for those who prefer round engines.

The Super Sport class is getting pretty fast too, I hear: smaller aircraft with more accessible engines.

[Randy Powell]

>>Those twisty courses might be a little tricky to negotiate, flying Rare Bear, Strega, September Fury, or some other of the heavies.<<

The Reno birds also go quite a bit faster and are often wing tip to wing tip. Nothing against the Red Bull stuff. It's entertaining. It's just not racing.

[PerttiMe]

It's entertaining. It's just not racing.

There is a good argument that it is not racing if there's only one contestant on the course at the same time.

Time Trials?
Speed Stunt?

[Randy Powell]

Well, that was my point. The Reno guys do speed trials, but that more for class placement. Racing is multiple contestants on the course at once to see who wins. Thus the term: Race.

[Mark Scarborough]

Really, I dont get where there has to be more than one person on the course at a time, granted, its more exciting that way perhaps? but still, a race doesnt HAVE to be side by side,, for reference, the definition of race,,,,,
race
1    /reɪs/ Show Spelled [reys] Show IPA noun, verb, raced, rac·ing.
–noun
1.
a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.
2.
races, a series of races, usually of horses or dogs, run at a set time over a regular course: They spent a day at the races.
3.
any contest or competition, especially to achieve superiority: the arms race; the presidential race.
4.
urgent need, responsibility, effort, etc., as when time is short or a solution is imperative: the race to find an effective vaccine.
5.
onward movement; an onward or regular course.
6.
the course of time.
7.
the course of life or a part of life.
8.
Geology .
a.
a strong or rapid current of water, as in the sea or a river.
b.
the channel or bed of such a current or of any stream.
9.
an artificial channel leading water to or from a place where its energy is utilized.
10.
the current of water in such a channel.
11.
Also called raceway. Machinery . a channel, groove, or the like, for sliding or rolling a part or parts, as the balls of a ball bearing.
12.
Textiles .
a.
the float between adjacent rows of pile.
b.
race plate.
–verb (used without object)
13.
to engage in a contest of speed; run a race.
14.
to run horses or dogs in races;  engage in or practice horse racing  or dog racing.
15.
to run, move, or go swiftly.
16.
(of an engine, wheel, etc.) to run with undue or uncontrolled speed when the load is diminished without corresponding diminution of fuel, force, etc.
–verb (used with object)
17.
to run a race  against; try to beat in a contest of speed: I'll race you to the water.
18.
to enter (a horse, car, track team, or the like) in a race  or races.
19.
to cause to run, move, or go at high speed: to race a motor.

I cant see any qualifier in there that predisposes a race to involve two or more concurrently ?

[Mark Scarborough]

That being said, yeah the COMMON context of a race typically involves side by side,, so I get your point,,
 I happen to think the Red Bull air races are in fact races,,

[peabody]

Edy and I took the motorbike to the southern tip of Manhattan last Father's Day and watched them....
They were way kewl!
And it's a shame that they are "on break"....neat stuff!

Have fun!

[wwwarbird]

 Yes, "side by side" or against the clock, either way can certainly be considered racing. Many of the post WWII Air Races were over a distance, like L.A. to New York etc., and were against the clock. In most cases, even the "side by side" forms of racing still boils down to beating the clock.
 It's just that when it's more than one contestant out there at a time, it adds even more challenges for the pilots or drivers. This is especially true in Air Racing because you constantly have to be aware of where the others are around you, it's literally life or death on the line. To me at least, this among many other things makes it all more exiting to watch. Imagine trying to fly your stunt pattern with 6 or 7 other guys in the circle with you at the same time. It would be a bit more "tense" for you as the competitor, and would certainly be great entertainment for those outside the circle.
 
 At Reno, it doesn't hurt that they are flying some extremely cool heavy metal oil-spewing fire-breathing time bombs either. With all due respect to the pilots and teams, the Red Bull Air (Show) Race aircraft are no more impressive to me personally than a big overgrown R/C 3D plane.

 More "real" Air Racers...

[PerttiMe]

"real" Air Racers...

Of course, we all know what is the "most successful aircraft in air racing history", according to the National Air and Space Museum anyway...

It is Jon Sharp's "Nemesis", running basically the same engine as a Cessna 150

http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A20000657000

[Chris McMillin]

Here was my racer, Reno '98 and '99. We flew eight-up with a race horse start. The course is 3 miles, 1 mile straights and 1/2 mile turns in an oval like Indy.
Chris...

[PerttiMe]

Here was my racer, Reno '98 and '99. We flew eight-up with a race horse start. The course is 3 miles, 1 mile straights and 1/2 mile turns in an oval like Indy.
Chris...

Looks like a relatively stock Pitts S1. The white cowl must be a speed mod?

I've seen some pretty radical interpretations of the Biplane racer. Apparently, the rules were changed at some point to keep more traditional biplane configurations competitive.

[Chris McMillin]

Yes, the rules evolved into airplanes with no cabane struts. They were moved to a separate class from the Sport Biplanes to Racing Biplanes. In the early 90's the Bipes were removed from the RARA schedule altogether. A few years later they were reintroduced and the Sport Biplane formula required the cabanes or a pylon to configure the top wing above the fuselage.

I raced the airplane in a basically stock condition, then modified it with a pressure cowling, single strut gear, pressure recovery wheelpants, cf prop and spinner, four into one exhaust, and a Bendix fuel injection system. I sold it to another racer and it proved my 25 mph increase prediction.

Chris...