Title: Hinton Sets Record, Souped-Up Jets Are Banned Source:
EAA URL Source:http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-09-15_reno.asp Published:Sep 15, 2011 Author:Lane Wallace Post Date:2011-09-16 22:38:25 by X-15 Keywords:None Views:181 Comments:15
September 15, 2011 – This year’s edition of the 48th Reno National Air Races at Stead Field, Nevada, got off to a blazing start as 24-year-old race pilot Steven Hinton, flying the highly modified P-51 Strega, set a new qualifying record of 499.16 mph on the very first day of qualifying in the Unlimited Category. Will Whiteside, flying the P-51 Voodoo, qualified second, and Stewart Dawson qualified third in Rare Bear. Rod Lewis’ powerhouse Sea Fury, 232, flown by retired astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson, turned in the fourth-fastest qualifying time but then had to withdraw from competition due to mechanical difficulties. On the other hand, Gibson’s withdrawal made room for Matt Jackson to join the qualifying pack in the Sea Fury Furias. Furias was on a “waitlist” to race because its entry paperwork arrived late.
Lewis’ Sea Fury will not be the only powerhouse sitting out this year’s races, however. The Jet Class will also be missing several of its top fastest racers, due to a rule change implemented after the rookie Pylon Racing School (PRS) in June. In the past few years, owners of several L-29 Czech training jets, in an effort to beat the larger L-39 jets that had dominated the class, had put larger engines in the planes. But during this year’s PRS, one of the souped-up jets (flown by Heather Penney, daughter of veteran race pilot John Penney) had an overheating problem that almost resulted in the loss of its rudder. So, at least for this year’s event, the race committee has decreed that only jets with stock engines will be allowed to race. The other rule change that might affect this year’s event relates to weather. Last year’s Unlimited Gold Race on Sunday afternoon was finally called due to high winds - the first time that had ever happened. But this year, the Race Committee has already announced that if the surface winds are more than 35 knots, the race will be called in the interests of safety.
Jon Sharp, who holds 15 Reno championship titles in the Formula I and Sport classes, including four consecutive Sport Class victories in his NemesisNXT, officially announced his retirement from racing this past summer. But two of his NXT kit planes, one flown by Kevin Eldredge and one flown by Cristophe Delbos, are entered in this year’s Sport Class competition. So the airplane’s winning legacy might just continue without him.
What else? Well, the Air Force’s F-22 Raptor had to cancel (it, too, had mechanical issues). But the Air Force Thunderbird demonstration team will be performing over the weekend, along with a host of other air show performers. And for those who prefer their old airplanes straight up, the Rolls-Royce Invitational Trophy competition will showcase more than 20 Grand Champion-quality antique, classic, and warbird restorations throughout the week. The Rolls-Royce trophy, which resides at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Museum at Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., the rest of the year, will be awarded Sunday before the afternoon racing begins.
The Reno National Air Races run through Sunday. Results will be posted on the event website.
Poster Comment:
Learn about Reno here before you get the disinformation/ignorance/lies from the MSM.
“The best and first guarantor of our neutrality and our independent existence is the defensive will of the people…and the proverbial marksmanship of the Swiss shooter. Each soldier a good marksman! Each shot a hit!” -Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
That was a tragic accident, but far less than it could have been. I hope they continue with the air racing tradition. No cultural event, of which I think this qualifies, that's worth doing is always safe.
They should not use such old planes in such a punishing way. This was an accident waiting to happen. Aluminum will fail suddently after a long period of low frequency stress much faster then say steel.
Think of how work harding works; bend the wire coat hanger over and over and le voila! it breaks.
Now, take coat cangers, one steel, one aluminum. Put it in a testing machine that flexes both slightly for a long long period, which could be years.
The aluminum one will break long before the steel one will. To do steel that way could take decades.
"The United States today is like a cruise ship on the Niagara River upstream of the most spectacular falls in North America. A few people on board have begun to pick up a slight hiss in the background, to observe a faint haze of mist in the air or on their glasses, to note that the river current seems to be running slightly faster. But no one yet seems to have realized that it is almost too late to head for shore." -- Historian and author Chalmers Johnson"
These airplanes have been gone over and modified to a degree that there's hardly any original metal on them. They are stripped down and inspected by FAA inspectors on a regular basis, they're maintained better than any commercial airliner and that's not an exaggeration.
That being said, they're ex-military modified racers attaining speeds that are at the limits of propeller-driven technology and there's always a risk every time any plane leaves the Earth.
Stock restoration pics just to show you how extensive a restoration is. Any questionable parts are replaced, money is no object on these planes.
Maintenance:
“The best and first guarantor of our neutrality and our independent existence is the defensive will of the people…and the proverbial marksmanship of the Swiss shooter. Each soldier a good marksman! Each shot a hit!” -Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
You are right about that. But I worry if they use the old method of detecting weaknesses with dye penatrate rather then the new method using x-rays to find bad structural pieces. And I don't fully trust the method of rempacing working rivets with a larger diameter rivet as we used to do when we detected them on our helicopters in my old Army aviaton unit.
Regardless of how well these craft are rebuilt, I still trust new aluminum airframes over old ones. I am also very cautious when I fly. For example, if I am pre-flighting a rental I have never flown in, I allow plenty of time to do so and do my best to fail it which is preferable to the danger of flying something with a problem people have overlooked.
"The United States today is like a cruise ship on the Niagara River upstream of the most spectacular falls in North America. A few people on board have begun to pick up a slight hiss in the background, to observe a faint haze of mist in the air or on their glasses, to note that the river current seems to be running slightly faster. But no one yet seems to have realized that it is almost too late to head for shore." -- Historian and author Chalmers Johnson"
They should not use such old planes in such a punishing way. This was an accident waiting to happen. Aluminum will fail suddently after a long period of low frequency stress much faster then say steel.
It's not yet known what kind of failure caused the trim tab to fall off, assuming the photo of the plane with what looks like a missing trim tab is indeed accurate. Material fatigue is a well known concept among pilots, and no doubt the pilots of these type aircraft are well familiar with the issue. I would hope that the hinge would not have been made of aluminum as it is a weaker metal to start with.
Certainly upwards of 500 MPH do create lots of stress, and I'd say if the trim tab falling off caused this accident, then it means the trim tab must have been worked hard/under lots of strain to keep the elevator as it was. If it weren't then I wouldn't think the thing falling off would have been catastrophic. He should have been able to exit the race and land just fine, as all the trim tab does is make it *easier* for the pilot to hold a particular altitude.
You may be right though. I read this was the 3rd P-51 crash at the race since they've been holding it. Maybe the design needs to be reviewed to see if it's capable of doing these kinds of speeds for an extended time.
Your concerns are valid. There is a cottage industry for restorations, new skins, new rivets, new engines, new everything. CNC mfg methods make new parts with better tolerances (per original blueprint specs) than original parts. Plus, 65+ years of on-going maintenance have pretty much solved all maintenance issues, i.e. nothing new is being discovered at this point (except improved maintenance techniques and modifications such as better cooling systems and components, etc.).
Look at it this way: in WWII a plane had a combat-life expectancy of a few missions, they were expendable and maintenance (by draftee's or G.I.'s who wanted to do something else other than wrench on fighters) was geared to keep them flying until they were shot down or crashed due to pilot error/weather/etc. The people maintaining them today are in it for the long haul, they have the luxury of time to make everything perfect. Not "good enough", but perfect.
“The best and first guarantor of our neutrality and our independent existence is the defensive will of the people…and the proverbial marksmanship of the Swiss shooter. Each soldier a good marksman! Each shot a hit!” -Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
I am also very cautious when I fly. For example, if I am pre-flighting a rental I have never flown in, I allow plenty of time to do so and do my best to fail it which is preferable to the danger of flying something with a problem people have overlooked.
I didn't know you flew. I guess I don't know who else here flies. We should take a poll. I got a private license about 19 years ago, I guess it's been now.
My Dad was a commercial pilot who served as Navy pilot in WW II. My Mom was the youngest woman at age 16 in Connecticut in 1953m and I got my private ticket in 1970 at age 16 as well. I could fly before I could drive (by three months).
Years ago I had a Huey crash into a truck I was standing next to as well that did a pedal turn too fast with a heavy swing load. I did as I was trained and hit the ground and swam in the gravel, screamed and prepared to die. But I got up and was the first one on the bird laying on it's side with the T53L13 engeine still winding downm the short shaft having sheared separating it from the transmission. Basically the main rotor turned into metal shards hitting the ground a body's lenght from my legs.
I jettisoned the door and helped the pilot in the left seat with his inertial reel harness and gave him a hand getting out.
No one was killed, both pilots had very bad bruises, and the young man who had been standing where it hit ran like hell instead of doing the protocol Vick Morrow should of when his head was lopped off filming the Twilight Zone movie.
We were afraid he was unter it, but he was at the bottom of the steep bank on the opposite side of the road behind the truck out cold after hitting his head on a rock.
It happened very fas, I remember the truck tipping off the right wheels when the bird it it almost tipping onto me. I don't think I've ever had a fright or adrenalin rush quite like that.
I don't ever want to have something like that happen again.
"The United States today is like a cruise ship on the Niagara River upstream of the most spectacular falls in North America. A few people on board have begun to pick up a slight hiss in the background, to observe a faint haze of mist in the air or on their glasses, to note that the river current seems to be running slightly faster. But no one yet seems to have realized that it is almost too late to head for shore." -- Historian and author Chalmers Johnson"
"My FIL said that during WWII only the best of the best were allowed to fly the Mustang, and he was good enough to do it."
The damn things are huge engines and fuel tanks with stubby wings. The heat the pilot gets from the engine is incredible. In the Army I have gotten rides in G and S model Cobras and got to fire French made wire guided missiles from UH-1M (Mike Models) helicopters when the 1/17th Airborne Air Cav were burning off ths ammo in the field at Fr. Steward getting ready to turn the birds over to the Guard. Basically they were Charlie Models with a Cobra 540 rotor head with teflon bearings instead of the oil filled grips and a T53L13 engine that produces 1300 shaft horse power govenored back a few hundred HP because the drive train can't handle all the power plant produces.
"The United States today is like a cruise ship on the Niagara River upstream of the most spectacular falls in North America. A few people on board have begun to pick up a slight hiss in the background, to observe a faint haze of mist in the air or on their glasses, to note that the river current seems to be running slightly faster. But no one yet seems to have realized that it is almost too late to head for shore." -- Historian and author Chalmers Johnson"
I don't ever want to have something like that happen again.
How come?? ;^)
I've never had an unforgetable event like that. Hope I never do, or if I do, there is only mental issues to deal with afterwards.
Got my flight license at about 29 years old. Would like to get back into it at some point. I've done ultralights which are my favorite. Here in Ecuador the mountain scenery is fantastic to fly around, though obviously treacherous as well with the winds, altitude and lack of friendly landing places if there was an emergency.
Hang gliding take skill and is more unforgiving then flying a light aircraft that wants to stay in the air if it is above stall speed and in the right relative attitude to the forward motion of the A/C.
I agree that memorable things like this make one appreciate life. I told the PIC who lost control I was grateful he had missed me. He replied he was too, but he had had no real say in the matter at the moment the tail rotor came off snd became an expensive free flying pinwheel.
I told the I had heard the sound and noted the tail rotot sound was gone which they noted. And then in the official investigation report they concluded this had happed by their examination of the wreckage.
It's sad to see a dead helicopter. They are magnificent creatures of moving parts deliborately put in conflict with each other in a balanced way that creates flight.
A huey will fly without the tail rotor above 60 knots forward speed and can land doing an autorotation running landing, but the fuselage wants to obey the laws of physics and move opposite the direction of the main rotor if in hover.
The pilot in this inccident was a Vietnam vet and had crashed helicopters when there. He was the calmest one of anyone involved directly in this incident. Someone who asked him how he was got the answer which were the first words he said after this brush with death, "I need a cigerette."
He had a sour look on his fadce and didn't allow the inspection of his bruises and being checked over be a public affair. He had enough experience and rank to find this incident a slightly embarrassing affair. He was a much more conservative pilot after that we all noticed.
I'm sure he walked slightly funny after recieving 'feedback' about the cause and affect of doing a fast, snappy petal turn to get on land to transition to forward flight and climb with a swingload changing the weight and balance of the whole fling configuration that completely changes flight control response.
But that's the breaks, isn't it? A dangerous job where you are supposed to be one of the most responsible ones has no free lunch to it if you fuck up.
"The United States today is like a cruise ship on the Niagara River upstream of the most spectacular falls in North America. A few people on board have begun to pick up a slight hiss in the background, to observe a faint haze of mist in the air or on their glasses, to note that the river current seems to be running slightly faster. But no one yet seems to have realized that it is almost too late to head for shore." -- Historian and author Chalmers Johnson"
