Red Bull Air Races in Detroit

Anyone else planning to attend?

We saw the Red Bull Air Races in Reno, back in '04, and were blown away by
them. Rather than race against other planes, these are timed races over a
closed (very difficult, often bizarre) course. See
http://www.redbullairrace.com/news.php?lang=en for videos and race course
descriptions.

Detroit is their only Midwestern appearance, and we've got our hotel rooms
and tickets reserved. We're planning to meet several other folks who are
flying in from throughout the Midwest, and anticipate a great weekend.
(Keeping our fingers crossed for good weather!)

I'd be interested in the opinions of those who have seen both head-to-head
racing (ala the Reno Air Races) and Red Bull-style closed course races. I
personally have enjoyed both styles, but the Red Bull style has the
advantage of keeping the action right in front of the audience.

Regarding difficulty, Dudley, you've been involved in this sort of thing
over the years -- which, in your opinion, is the more difficult style of
race?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Anyone else planning to attend?

We saw the Red Bull Air Races in Reno, back in '04, and were blown away
by them. Rather than race against other planes, these are timed races
over a closed (very difficult, often bizarre) course. See
http://www.redbullairrace.com/news.php?lang=en for videos and race
course descriptions.

Detroit is their only Midwestern appearance, and we've got our hotel
rooms and tickets reserved. We're planning to meet several other folks
who are flying in from throughout the Midwest, and anticipate a great
weekend. (Keeping our fingers crossed for good weather!)

I'd be interested in the opinions of those who have seen both
head-to-head racing (ala the Reno Air Races) and Red Bull-style closed
course races. I personally have enjoyed both styles, but the Red Bull
style has the advantage of keeping the action right in front of the
audience.

Regarding difficulty, Dudley, you've been involved in this sort of thing
over the years -- which, in your opinion, is the more difficult style of
race?

Both are difficult but I'd give the edge to the Red Bull pilots, in my
opinion, some of the finest in the world.
Handling a heavy prop fighter flat out at low altitude is extremely
difficult as that relates to rolling in on the pylons. The airspeeds are
well above corner velocity for each type so turn rate and radius are g
limited on the pilot's ability to take it or the limit load factor
whichever occurs first. Structurally the airplane can be over g'd easily
so it's a trade off with what you can take pilot wise against the max g
available out to the limit load factor.
Done correctly, normal racing turns are extremely smooth and led with
great finesse. In this respect it's quite similar to Indy racing.
I've never done the Red Bull, but we have several RB pilots in our
workgroup. Just from watching their films, considering the sensitivity
of their aircraft vs where they put their airplanes on the course and
what they do to position them there, these pilots have my greatest respect.

--
Dudley Henriques

Jay Honeck wrote:
Anyone else planning to attend?

Detroit is their only Midwestern appearance, and we've got our hotel rooms
and tickets reserved. We're planning to meet several other folks who are
flying in from throughout the Midwest, and anticipate a great weekend.
(Keeping our fingers crossed for good weather!)

Jay,

Uh...my advice is to know exactly where you are going and how to get there
when in Detroit.
Don't get lost.
Don't ever wander aimlessly.

Oh, and take some time for some saganaki at Pegasus in GreekTown not far from
the waterfront.

--
Message posted via AviationKB.com
http://www.aviationkb.com/Uwe/Forums...ation/200805/1

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:xXtSj.91596$TT4.75465@attbi_s22:

Anyone else planning to attend?


Why, you gonna enter your Cherokee?


Bertie

Jay Honeck schrieb:
I'd be interested in the opinions of those who have seen both head-to-head
racing (ala the Reno Air Races) and Red Bull-style closed course races.

Ah! Never forget: It comes from Austria.

:-)

#m

On May 3, 6:30*am, Martin Hotze wrote:
Jay Honeck schrieb:

I'd be interested in the opinions of those who have seen both head-to-head
racing (ala the Reno Air Races) and Red Bull-style closed course races.

Ah! Never forget: It comes from Austria.

Red Bull originated in Thailand. I think it was Peter B. and some
other pilots who designed the race format.

Cheers

On May 3, 7:28 am, WingFlaps wrote:
On May 3, 6:30 am, Martin Hotze wrote: Jay Honeck schrieb:

I'd be interested in the opinions of those who have seen both head-to-head
racing (ala the Reno Air Races) and Red Bull-style closed course races.

Ah! Never forget: It comes from Austria.

Red Bull originated in Thailand. I think it was Peter B. and some
other pilots who designed the race format.

We get the Red Bull races on TV .
not a lot of other things happen while they're on...

WingFlaps schrieb:
On May 3, 6:30 am, Martin Hotze wrote:
Jay Honeck schrieb:

I'd be interested in the opinions of those who have seen both head-to-head
racing (ala the Reno Air Races) and Red Bull-style closed course races.
Ah! Never forget: It comes from Austria.

Red Bull originated in Thailand. I think it was Peter B. and some
other pilots who designed the race format.

Red Bull is international (today); but still: it is an Austrian company.

#m

"Kloudy via AviationKB.com" u33403@uwe wrote in message
news:838e912b5e416@uwe...
Jay Honeck wrote:
...
Uh...my advice is to know exactly where you are going and how to get there
when in Detroit.
Don't get lost.
Don't ever wander aimlessly.

Why not? Downtown Detroit really isn't some place to be afraid of.

If you are afraid of being in a "big city" you can watch from Windsor
Ontario.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

I've never done the Red Bull, but we have several RB pilots in our
workgroup. Just from watching their films, considering the sensitivity of
their aircraft vs where they put their airplanes on the course and what
they do to position them there, these pilots have my greatest respect.

What amazes me is how they can run a complicated course, performing multiple
maneuvers at high speed/high G, and end up being separated by mere seconds,
both from others and from their own times.

Talk about consistency!

I really hope Detroit is up to the task of hosting this event. I know
they've fixed up the riverfront area and all, but we'll be landing at
Ypsilanti and renting a car, which means driving into downtown. My
knowledge-base of gang symbols is twenty years out of date, and (unlike
Baghdad) I probably can't get a military escort through areas controlled by
the insurgents.

{;-0
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"