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11-22-2010, 10:05 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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You were missed Alan
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Carroll
Bob,
Looks like you beat your estimate by 7 mph and came very close to matching the RV-8s in this race. What's your secret - was it the tape? 
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I kept looking for your name to pop up on the entry list but sadly it didn't happen. I'm sure Jason Rovey was aching for another shot at his closest competitor.
There is no doubt that the tape pulled me closer to the RV-8s but another factor was the pre race wind analysis and race plan. I came up with a new spread sheet for wind and altitude analysis. It's rough and only considers the cosine of the relative wind and altitude but it proved to be pretty good for this race. My study showed the tail wind shifted from 180 at 10 kts on the surface to 235 at 20 at 3,000 feet then decreasing velocity at 6,000. The way the course was laid out there was a tail wind all the way from turn 2 to turn 6. I planned to start my climb after turn 1 then dive in the less than 1 mile leg between 5 and 6 and stay at 500 ft agl for the rest of the race. Many pilots stayed low for the entire race and they payed dearly. So the closeness of the finish with the RV-8s (and Gary Wilcox's RV-7) was only partly due to my plane being faster. On the other hand Jason Rovey said he went high where I did so I am gaining. There is not much more to try in the way of drag reduction but I have a few minor winter projects in mind.
Bob Axsom
Last edited by Bob Axsom : 11-22-2010 at 04:12 PM.
Reason: typo
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11-22-2010, 10:08 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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A report by Race 55's Team Ely shamelessly copied from elswhwere
From the back of the pack:
The Mooney arrived late so we started after the Diamond, which I think is actually FAC06, 125HP, although faster than Race 55. We sat with the Diamond crew for dinner the night before. Mossimo and Gina were excited about the race. Unfortunately, I think the Diamond turned to the left on climb out from T74. When he didn't see the start line he returned to the field. I hope to see them again next season.
All season long we talked up the League, and much to AnnElise's chagrin, our friend Charlie Sisk showed up at this last race in his C182. Fortunately for AnnElise, Charlie being new to this racing thing, he didn't want to stress his engine, so he planned to just fly the route and enjoy the trip. Hope all you hunters picked up a copy of his book.
Mike and I take turns in the left seat. This was my turn. We had no competition though. We were hoping that other Cheetah would show up - the one that was a first-timer at the Grace Flight Air Race, and maybe some others. We missed seeing Eric and Muffin in the Zodiac but glad there was at least a C150 starting behind us.
We did fly the start/finish line pretty low, and might have recorded a faster time if we'd climbed for the winds, but I'm not sure, as we don't climb well. Mike is the very best navigator in the world. He can spot the most obscure things from far off and just has a sense for where they are. His vast experience helps me a lot when I'm in the left seat.
I'm improving my turns, not that they were bad to begin with, but I think they were better this race. Well, all except one.
We went low at the dam turn and smiled pretty for the camera.
The photo plane that started behind us passed us up right away, and Mr. Jurskis (who wanted to be sure we could pronounce his name, but mispronounced ours) had the audacity to zoom past us. We didn't come close to the P51, nor even to X-Ray, but we finished our 4th race in our first season and we are totally hooked. Chief, the job you do is worthy of a standing O, and every one of you folks we've met this year in SARL has made this one incredibly fun year. This race was very well run in spite of the fog delay. Volunteers did an amazing job and pulled off a quick start.and the results were posted right away.
I'm impressed with the collective knowledge in SARL. Mike and I are looking forward to our first EAA Workshop Dec. 4-5. I'm signed up for the sheet metal course and he's signed up for the electrical/avionics course. There's so much to choose from and so little time.
I hope to be involved in hosting a race in 2011.
Linda Street-Ely
Race 55
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11-22-2010, 10:13 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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Another copied report from race volunteer and reporter Pat Purcell
RACERS,
I want you all to smile and be proud of yourselves.....air racers are the BEST. The sportmanship exhibited over the entire season was a shining example of what it is all about......I believe that we have a group and sport that has it all together....
Saturday saw a Cessna 150 and rookie crew be welcomed as a total equal alongside a highly experienced pilot flying a Mustang P-51. Hats off to those Unlimited Warbird pilots.....they love to fly and add so much to the races at a moneytary cost we do not want to think about.
Everyone is excited and anticipating 2011!!! I will be doing all that I can....keeping the monthly race report column in Fly Low magazine going and putting on as many races as I can and assisting everyone in anyway I can.
My personal thanks to each and everyone of you.....race organizers, pilots, volunteers!
Patricia "Pat" Purcell
Last edited by Bob Axsom : 11-22-2010 at 10:15 AM.
Reason: typo in title
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11-22-2010, 04:02 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 778
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Axsom
I kept looking for your name to pop up on the entry list but sadly it didn't happen.
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Bob - I really wanted to come but work made it impossible this time. Sounds like it was a great event to finish the season, and your performance was really impressive. Among the RVs it appears that you had by far the highest ratio of race speed to "factory" posted speed (Van's cruise numbers for RV-6A and RV-8).
Guess I'll have to think up some new tricks over the winter to stay competitive...
__________________
Alan Carroll
RV-8 N12AC
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11-22-2010, 05:28 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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Checkout the P-51 photo currently on SARL home page
I assume this was take at the finish line at Macho Grande private strip. I've seen a lot of P-51 photos but none quite like that one. They also have a photo of this years National Champions in Production and Experimental airplanes. http://www.sportairrace.org.
Bob Axsom
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11-23-2010, 12:16 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 2,125
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It was truly a great time. Mike and Kit, Mark and Cheryl did a super job throughout, and Darrell and the Taylor gang did a great job on race day...with lots of kids of all ages out to see the planes and the race!! It was fun seeing Scott and Tanya Card, but I missed Jay (was that you in the orange 737 hat?)
I have to take one in the chops for staying low...my bust for leaving the computer at home and struggling through iPhone weather briefs (my story and I'm stickin' to it!) I just didn't think the wind gradient would be as high as it was, or that it would last past turn 3. I watched the Rockets ahead go high, then get slowly smaller, but didn't want to trade speed, thinking the advantage would be shorter-lived than it was...and I had John Huft breathing down my back!! Good news was that I was able to slowly reel in Mark after turn 6, and though I couldn't catch him, I was a little faster overall. Had I gone high with him...hmmm...might have been our third photo finish of the year! (Now his experimanting with mogas and having to run rich hurt him, and it looks like a gear leg fairing may have delaminated a bit on him, so I have lots of work to do this winter to stay close to Pesky...but what a blast!) But I posted my first-ever 250+ mph average time (with little to none of that tailwind those cheaters used  ), so I'm pretty happy with that (and I'll be "cheatin'" next time too!!  )
Fun race and fun season guys!! Thanks for the camraderie all year!
Here's the link to the Macho Grande photos from which that P-51 shot came from. These are over the start/finish at the private airfield. Yee haw!
Cheers,
Bob
Last edited by rvmills : 11-23-2010 at 12:24 AM.
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11-23-2010, 01:10 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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Looked at the photos
Think how fast those Bonanzas would be if they could completely close the nose gear door. As I sequenced through the photos I recognized the RV-8 that crossed the finish line just ahead of me and looked forward with great anticipation to the next shot ... It was Nick Nafsinger's RV-10 that crossed behind me ... sigh. Great photos!
Bob Axsom
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11-23-2010, 08:12 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Pagosa Springs, CO
Posts: 130
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What a race!! This was my last race as I surrender my medical so that I can remain eligible for light sport. I have raced for the full four years of the leagues existence, and this was easily one of the very best. It is hard to describe the job that Mike Thompson and his crew did under almost impossible circumstances...they were fantastic!
And for the racing, it was the best. A P-51 Mustang, burning a gallon per minute, and barely beating a rocket! How far has experimental aviation come?! Tom Martin in his evil rocket also beat Bruce Hammer for the title of fastest fixed-gear airplane in the known universe! He has worked wonders with that airplane, and his current cruise speed could sell a lot of kits if his drag reduction techniques were incorporated.
Bob Axsom has also made some good gains lately. Lots of new people this year have joined the fun.
Many thanks to Mike Thompson for his hard work and dedication to keep this sport alive.
John
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11-23-2010, 08:58 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Hicks Airfield, Fort Worth,Texas
Posts: 1,728
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Fun Day!!!
Carol an I were there an we had fun just watching,
Lots of really neat planes.
__________________
Jay Pratt VAF #2
RV Central - Builder Assistance
Paul Revere, Borrowed Horse, & Shooter
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11-23-2010, 11:44 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: League City, TX
Posts: 595
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Rocket 100.. a view through the lens
I hope you enjoy viewing the photos just half as much as I did taking them! Following is a link to a Picasa Album
Picasa Album... >> here
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
__________________
R. E. "Ernie" Butcher
Friends of the RV-1/Eagle's Nest Projects
"Mentors build the student...
Students build the airplane." -Glen Salmon
Dedicated to the historical preservation of the RV-1 Aircraft
and organized for the purposes of promoting, supporting,
fostering, and engaging in aviation and aerospace education.
www.RV-1.org
www.EaglesNestProjects.org
Last edited by Special Delivery : 11-23-2010 at 11:51 AM.
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