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ISSUE
125 - July 2010
Over 8,000 Total Ads Listed
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Unlimited Racing License #223 |
By Jay Consalvi, Contributing
Editor & Photographer
Roslin, Ontario, Canada |
Flying airplanes has always been a
part of my life. My Dad, rest in peace, took my Mom and I
flying when I was three days old, on our way home from the
hospital. I think that makes it reasonable to say that flying
is in my blood. On Thursday, 17 June, I think I may have
discovered something else that is in my blood, or will be
if I have anything to say about it...Unlimited Air Racing
in Reno.
I should preface by saying that, like all of us,
I have experienced some undeniably special moments in aviation.
Our first solos, our first $100 hamburgers, our first aviation
competitions - all of these experiences are jotted down in
our logbooks and held in our memories for safe keeping...and
hangar-flying... My first taste of air combat in a Navy jet,
my first day carrier landing, my first night carrier landing
(yikes), - all of these experiences kept me excited, a little
scared, and definitely wanting for more. Flying my Stearman,
a CAF T6, and now an F4U Corsair - well, even a blind squirrel
finds a nut once in a while..!
Okay, so take all of those
experiences I just mentioned, wrap them up in a flour tortilla,
cover it with some of the hottest fire sauce you can find,
eat it as fast as you possibly can, and...besides a mean
case of the runs...you'll have a good idea of what it is
like to haul the chili around the pylons of Reno's Unlimited
Race Course in what is arguably the coolest fighter of WWII
and Korea - the F4U Corsair!
Thanks to Classic Fighters of
America, based in Ramona, CA, I have been given the opportunity
to cut my teeth in warbirds in none other than the Corsair.
When asked if I'd like to go to Pylon Racing School, and
ultimately, race the Corsair in Reno, I was beside myself
excited! Umm, lemme see...yes, I would love to go fly a Corsair
with a bunch of fighters, full throttle, 50' above the ground,
as close to the pylons as I can get, passing, being passed,
and generally raising hell around Stead Airport for a week!
Bring it! |
Day One of the course began with lots
of ground instruction by some great unlimited air racers.
Together, they were able to pound into our heads a few of
the more important items - tighter intervals on take-off,
join up quick, be predictable, don't pass on the inside,
and don't kill yourself. All pretty good points, I'd say. |
Day Two introduced us to the race
course...and introduced me to the sport that has now got
my head spinning and the butterflies in my stomach flying
loop-the-loops. Picture launching with three P-51 Mustangs
and a gigantic Hawker Sea Fury, all lined up next to the
bent-wing of your Corsair...seriously, you have got to be
kidding me! Now picture all of us, line abreast, 20 degrees
nose down, throttles forward, 300 knots, just waiting to
hear those sweet words, "Gentlemen, you have a race!" All
I can really say about those first three laps around the
pylons is that I flew low, flew (kinda) fast, and turned
left...and I literally screamed at myself in the cockpit
about how cool this sport is!
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The second flight on Day Two followed
about the same flow. We launched, we flew, I was giddy and
couldn't stop smiling, I nearly got twisted onto my back
flying behind the Sea Fury and then I completely screwed
up a simulated engine-out and had to take my own wave-off.
Nice one, Jay. At least no one was looking...right? Like
I'll tell anyone who will listen, though...the day that I
am perfect in an airplane is the day I'm gonna get REAL nervous... |
Day Three of PRS brought two more
flights. On the first one, the flight went out to the practice
area to execute a few individual aileron rolls. |
This simulates recovery from the unusual
attitude that may exist after flying through the wake turbulence
of, say, a Sea Fury, at 50'. After our rolls, we came down
the chute once again and ran around the course. Some passing
and getting passed, and 5 laps later, we were off the course
and up to cool down. The afternoon's flight was just like
a race, and we all had a blast. It was fun holding off one
or two of the Mustangs with the big Corsair...but I have
a sneaky feeling they might run a little faster come race
week. It was also more than a little fun looking down at
my girlfriend standing next to pylon 8, and thinking about
how cool we all must look right now. Hey, I gotta take advantage
of those rare moments... In the debrief, we all received
good marks from our Instructors, both on the ground and in
the air. At the end of the debrief, on a little piece of
paper, we were handed our racing license numbers. I am more
than proud to say that I was issued Unlimited Racing License
#223. In the past ten years before us, only 26 pilots have
been issued their licenses.
My friends in our class of 4 have earned the right to be rookies
in this year's Reno National Championship Air Races. We have
lots to learn, and I can speak for all of us in saying that we
are more than excited to let the learning begin. September can't
get here quick enough..!
Keep an eye out for the Big Blue Bent-Wing
airplane rounding the pylons. We'll be fast, but I think you'll
be able to pick us out of the pack. |
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