Reno Air Race

Ian Cant wrote in message ...
Hmmm, we all have our predilections..

The Red Bull events [races ? demonstrations ?] kept
the competitors close to the spectators, kept them
moving dramatically, and showed the progress of the
event. A big TV screen fed by real-time downlinked
flight data gave a pilot's-eye view of the action as
well. The combination of speed against a ticking clock,
aerobatic maneuvering over a marked course, and spot
landing tasks was imaginative and the crowd did enjoy
it.

The same imagination and use of existing technology
could possibly be aplied to soaring. The engines,
or lack of, are not very relevant.

Ian


I'm sure the crowd was entertained. So were the crowds in Rome, a
long time ago...

Sorry, this isn't racing, it's a circus act. Wait until the first
plane snags one of the pylons and crashes in front of the crowd.
Heck, why not just have the planes race though a bunch of hangars and
under bridges! Yeehaa!

Better yet, give them real guns and have a dogfight inside a giant
cage!

This is typical of all RedBull events; they are more like video games
than anything else - and intentionally so; to appeal to their target
audience. Smart marketing.

Every year one of those goofy RedBull Suzukis (I think) comes by our
gliderport, with a couple of young kids in it trying to get us old
geezers (usually sitting aroung the clubhouse, drinking beer, cursing
the ultralights in the pattern for making too much noise - there
really ought to be a season on those things) to try their product.
It's fun to leer at the cute chick while telling her that I never
touch the stuff, while imbibing a suitable adult beverage. Ah, the
joys of age...

Does anyone else find that current airshow aerobatics are boring? I'd
rather watch model airplanes - and it's getting to the point where
it's hard to tell the difference!

What I like is some guy (or gal) in a 450 Stearman or T-6 doing nice
slow graceful energy management aerobatics. Acro should be fun to do
and ride through, not beat you up!

Kirk