Volume ll Number 4 September 1 991

FORMUI,,A ^FT?I?UM ffi wB #@ffiffifle

=

Cris Ferguson at Stockton flying Robin Reid's Superskate, a pretty Shoestring. Neal Nurmi photo FORMULA FORUM

Membership in lFl is open to DIRECTORS pilots, owners, crews, and technical people active in STU LUCE lnternational"K-f,'#kl Formula One Air . Technical Director FormulaE Rules package and application 455 Park Shadow Court available from Bill Rogers at the Baldwin Park, CA 9l7M above address. Send a check for 81819ffi-5027 $6 payable to IFI to cover cost of rules and mailing. WARD GARLAND ForumO rssl. Operations Director Formula 42528 7th St. East International Formula One Pylon l.ancaster, CA 93535 Air Racing lnc. All rights 805i945-5583 reserved. CLASS OFFICIALS FOR DAVE MORSS Formula Forum is the official l99l Pilot Committre Publication of International t0O4 Springfield Drive Formula One Pylon Air Racing, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE San Carlos, CA 9rt070 Inc., A Texas Non-Profit 4r51593-1448 Corporation. Member of the JIM MILL-ER, President Intemational Council of Air 172'l Fawnctest BRUCE BOHANNON Shows and the Air Racing San Antonio, TX 78248 Technical Committee Council of the United States. 5121493-1516 2800 Red Bud Alvin, TX 71511 Articles appearing herein are the KATHY GRAY, Vice President 1t3l33t-8847 opinion of the authors and not P.O. Box 3425 necessarily the opinion of IFI Simi, CA 93093 SCOTT GARLAND Inc. Contributions should be 8051584-t72t Procedure Committee sent to the Editor, Bill Rogers P.O. Box 2831 at 926 Rawhide Place, ROGER STURGESS, Secretary Corona, CA 91718 Newbury Park, CA 9I32O. Treasurer 7t41278-3342 Phone or FAX 805/498{846, or 2900 Sagamore Way via PC floppies in WP or Los Angeles, CA 90065 BILL ROGERS ASCii. 2131258-1121 Promotions Director

FORMULA FORUM - SEITTEMBER 1991 PRESTDENT'S PAGE Jim Miller

Only a couple of weeks left before Reno, time really does fly. Hope you all are burning the midnight oil getting your racers in top shape. Got a call from Jon Sharp. He was trying to find out how my new turbo charger was working - but I played it cool. His seems to be going good. I will be flying my "Pushy Cat" this weekend for practice.

Reno's insurance will be covering us all for this year; we will not need to pay the extra $90.m for Westar's coverage. Maybe by next year we can get things worked out to our best interests with Reno. They do have our prize money up to $72,0m.00, which is good news. Reno has 29 Formula One entries, so everyone be on time on Tech and Qualifications.

I am still working on two possible races, one in Brownsville, Texas on November 2nd and 3rd this year, and the other at Waco, Texas for next year in April. Both are still talking and have not said No yet, so I am still hoping they will go with us. See you all in Reno soon. Jim.

Reno tol.d us that they negotiated with their insurance brokcr in an anempt to obtain a premium reduction if all International Formula One owners were self-insured. They were unsuccessful. This tends to show that the risk is not from Formula One activities. Perhaps the real concern is the normnl one of a member of the public falling off the grandstand or tripping on a cable. It wouM be interesting to see what wouW happen if all classes required insurance. In any case it appears that our entry fees are subsidizing Reno's insurance. cost. H.

George Budde in Oakie Streaker at Stockton this year. Neal Nurmi photo

FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER 1991 FIFTH COLI.iMN Editorial

The reunification of air racing is a developed the independent capability for possibility again. As a minor participant in our own races. FV did the same. its disintegration in 1976-77, I have been an Some groups run events with no officiating active advocate of finding ways of putting a at all, and I find it hard to believe that coherent racing organization back together. constitutes racing. ln 1975 the four racing classes, Fl, Bipes, Clearly an officiating group is needed to T6 and UL were represented by the U.S. provide support for the classes that are not Air Racing Association changed earlier from self sufficient (UL, T6 and Bipes). A group Professional Race Pilots Association to is also needed for the fans and enthusiasts reflect heightened involvement with technical for air racing who need news and an and associated enthusiast membership. With opportunity to meet their heros and heroines two reps from each class and technical and (or is that sexist?). The time is right for general membership directors, the stage was NAG, USARA and PRPA to settle set. A dispute within Fl could not be differences and to combine into a single resolved when the directors split evenly on nationwide support group. the issue. The big airplane classes resigned from USARA as they tired of trying to The Air Racing Council of the U.S. arbitrate an internal Fl problem. (ARCUS) was formed to provide an umbrella group for insurance coverage, but Since then racing groups have proliferated. it can be much more. It has already Some classes have more than one, Formula provided the first meeting of all classes and Vee was added and now the Canard Racing continues to be a forum for exchange of Association. Since technical rules, pilot views. It is intended to represent all groups qualifications and race site requirements involved in racing, not to dictate to them. differ for each Upe, it makes sense to have single individual organizations to represent records and are under the each class. In order to reflect diverse views jurisdiction internationally of the Federation they must be 'democratic' otherwise we Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) whose have rival groups splitting off and inventing U.S. representative is the National yet more organizations. Aeronautic Association (NAA). The NAA used to 'sanction' air racing but found that The "support groups" which ended up with difficult when it could no longer identify a the remains of USARA - Northern Area single point of contact. New players in Group, USARA (now PRPA) and Eastern NAA including Jack Sweeny, a long time Region USARA, at various times tried to leader in the air racing community, have provide a framework for the racing classes. expressed interest in re-establishing They were not successful in convincing all cooperation with air racing via ARCUS. classes to join even though some did participate, needing officiating support for A meeting is planned for Reno with racers their events. When this was not group and NAA reps. Lets support these forthcoming at one point, Formula One initiatives and work to reunite racing.

FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER I99I TECH TIPS Stu Luce FOR SALE As a reminder for Reno, the Tech lnspection Information on aircrafr for sale or wanted racers with new team will be looking for the should be sent to Katlry Grq at P.O.Box as possible, to inspect as early 3425, Simi, CA 93093 ffi5/584-1721 since it takes a little longer than one that has be already been approved. We will #2O N59298 Cassutt "Diamond Back" available for new only from Noon Contact George Budde on Saturday. We are expecting 29 airctatt Home: (405) 733-IM9 and we cannot check them all on Sunday. If Work: (680) 680-6368 you want to fly the first session on Monday ready inspection morning, be assembled for #47 NL47JH Modified Cassutt, Inspection early on Sunday. General Tech Contact John Housley: will begin at 0900 Sunday in order of sign Home: (314) 256-8469 up on the list on the office. Since Reno is Work: (314) 234-0666 providing insurance we will not ask for proof of insurance as was suggested last #55 N555GR Grove GR-7 "Bummer's month. Bullet". Top Qualifier Reno 1990 at 2M+ m/h. 3rd Place Gold Racer As a reminder to the inspection team, Also "race tested" engine parts remember to bring your Tech tee shirts to Contact Jim Bumford: wear. this not only looks good but keeps the Home: (619) 226-4624 security cops peaceful. #69 N55x Miss Reno, Gold Racer, Jim Vliet provided the following additional formerly 1983 Gold Winner, Flexi Flyer. design information informntion on useful $30,000 including trailer. "Drowing sources. For an ad.dress see Contact Don Beck: Boerd". Home: (702) 83136/.7 Work: (702) 831-6544 Other books available from Aircraft Designs include: #77 N1769 Modified Cassutt "Super - - Composite Aircraft Design $36. Spook". Reno 1990 Silver winner. Includes Vol - $34 - Modern Aircraft Design, 2, trailer and spare engine. Element - ABC's of Desktop Finite Contact Dick l,auters: Analysis, 2nd. edition - $28. Home: (307) 472-%45 - $30. - Designing with Core 1296 Grass Creek Rd. Casper, WY 82ffi - Test Flying - $32. #85 N85lRR Shoestring "Superskate" Race wing, race engine 1l hr since overhaul, new the For Sale: We will continue to advenise mags. Raced at Stockton - $14,000 following aircrafi in FORMULA FORUM Contact Robin Reid: until you let us lstow that they have been Home: (813) 694-3481 soW or withdrawn from the market. Work: (313) 942-4252

FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER 1991 ODDS AND

Jon Sharp's new #3 Nemesis had a ready for Reno. Brad recently won his first successful first flight on July 7. The team trophy in Formula Ford - obviously a racer has had many flights since and is confident off the old block! that they have a fast airplane that will be absolutely ready for Reno. All flight Inside cover picture this month is "Falcon". inspections are being scheduled prior to the Designed by Art Williams, and built by Dan race. l-al,ee, this exercise in ellipses incorporated lessons learned from Deke Slayton's Dave Morss has always been frustrated that 'Stinger". It is unusual in that the span no matter when he arrived at Reno, someone exceeded the length by 3.5'. The plane was always beat him to the prime corner spot in destroyed in a crash at Reno in 1981 that the hangar. He has solved the problem this took the life of veteran racer Bob Downey. year by electing to test at Stead density altitude, rather than in the fog at sea level I recently decided to put some old movie Santa Cruz. His base of operations is the film on videotape. Such a deal - more is RARA hangar. cheaper so dug through old boxes and came across a reel called F-l. My projector broke Business considerations have prevented years ago, so I had no idea what was on it. Vince Kirol from flying Dick l^auter's #77 It turned out to be one of the first races I at Reno. Phil Steen will get the ride instead ever attended; crewingfor #93 at Mugu, and of his usual place in George Budde's #20 Miramar in 1974. Also some '75 Mojave Diamond Back. with Ward Garland starring as an airplane owner. Madelaine Kenney has made sure that her airplane owner does not bump her from the New pilots at Reno include John Housley cockpit for final races, by getting her own who is racing the ex-Porter, ex-Sharp plane. Madelaine is the new owner of the Cassutt #43. John previously raced a Harr), Cameron Cassutt which raced as #101 Cassutt at the last Cleveland race held in in the EAA l.owers-Baker-Falck long 1988. This airplane is for sale we believe. distance races. She persuaded her mother to John is an aerospace engineer from Ballwin accompany her on an epic trip, California to MO. The other newcomer is Greg Doster Chicago and back in 4 days, to bring the from Boise ID. who is the proud owner of airplane home. LBF rules were quite free so #24 the ex-Morss Shoestring. lrts give a rebuild was needed to bring the engine into them a warm Fl welcome. IFI compliance. Besides planning the IFI Awards Barbecue Bob Drew Jr, 7lb 1oz son for Sue and on Saturday evening at Reno, Betty Carrier Brad, born 7 Aug makes Bob and lune has been busy having IFI shirts and other grandparens for the first time items made up. She has lots of new colors Congratulations to all. As part of the trip to and a shirt listing all the Reno winners over Seattle, Bob Senior stopped off in Oregon to the years. Featured in front is Reno champ pick up Race #2 from Ron Hawes to get Jim Miller. Who will be on next years?

FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER I99I DRAWING BOARD James A. Vliet MARTIN HOLLMAN'S AIRCRAFT DESIGN SOFTWARE the stresses in the wing spars and skin, and tip deflection and twist of the entire panel. These are plotted on-screen or can be printed Martin Hollmann is an experienced out. An estimate of the total wing weight is composites structural engineer who has also calculated. Note the user has ffiily, written a number of books on aircraft many variables to play with, including wing design. His 'Modern Aircraft Design, planform, airfoil, sweep and twist, load Volume l,2nd. Edition.' includes a number factors, spar cap dimensions various of computer programs for aircraft design. at etc. Hollmann states results The programs are presented as BASIC stations, that the compare closely more sophisticated listings with diskette versions available. (I with finite-element methods. I don't recommend trying to key these into analysis recommend you DO NOT RELY this your computer yourself - buy the diskette.) on progmm for final design without reviewing - Aircraft Design - calculates performance the results with more sophisticated from dimensions, weights, power, etc. verification methods - however, the program - Center of Gravity - calculates C of G for is great for gening 'ballpark' numbers and empty & gross weights. comparing spar dimensions & materials, etc. - Aerocenter - calculates aerodynamic center for various configurations. The constraints are that the design must use - Spar - calculates spar cap & web loads 'Rutan-style' hotwired foamcores and a on a composite spar. constant-width spar. Only a straight-taper - Airload - calculates wing airload planform is supported (no double-tapers). distribution across panel. Also, the results are only as good as the - Airfoil Plot - plots full size airfoil materials data you provide - don't be misled sections (not as fancy as WingBuilder-PC !!) by entering 'theoretical' composite numbers - Composite - calculates strains in each without conservative derating to' real-world' layer of a laminate piece. achievables. haven't tried it yet - but a - Composite Wing - calculates stresses & [I hollow molded-skin wing might be modelled weight of a composite wing. by entering the proper material strength values for the skin sheets and entering zerc Of these, the most interesting to raceplane for the core material density??l I intend designers is Composite Wing. With a few 'someday' to modify this program to handle constraints, this program will help you do an a multi-taper wing planform. initial design layout for that composite wing you've been scheming about. It combines The programs are available in either many of the other programs into one MS-DOS (using GWBASIC) and Macintosh 'do-it-all' program which is easy to use. (using Microsoft Basic) formats, for $39.00 After the user enters all dimensional and + $4. shipping from: Aircraft Designs, materials parameters in the Input Inc., 25380 Boots Road, Monterey, CA Configuration window, the program %9n (408) 649-6212. The $48 book is calculates the lift distribution across the wing helpful but not essential. using the discrete vortex method, and then

FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER 199I o trl 3 ln o (oF)-o.r{D}O@-l')!O t'1 vltlln{oF\ot400l t*- r.- tr- z F- F, r._ F, t- \o N o

v (rJ-O€\OC{!.O--r.,c,lln!.@}.)-roc.lcl E0J iOr.o(Ollr}1l-)tt!.lOc'\O o 5zgdoP zo ---SO F E {o tE '-F=b It (') LOH. 6 r") Ctr 6r lJ.t S C'l ,O \O o dtcb 0 Or(Bl.'lr}(\t-.-6-grO- - F E Ft-t*-NF-€tnVoo E fL ?=,I o _*_ltlo o 6 z o, a o) iI o; xU c >@ lr, Zo L t 5 o.: a (\ €ro|.rF-|J-)f-.ltr,rf, o 0 €\o\oIf)vc.rt.F-coo' F< oTL E c!c!c.lN(\(\-C)!f,Or = o LJ: F o (D t) o uJe z. - - o .ta LL F: o uJ6 a; o. U o 6 u o E o F O ln (\ F) tEr c.l c! o It O U} E lnrrO€NS o g U o c.l (\c.t--\oFo.r--o -tn- U c z o (t o U' iil U o u u) $r o tL s o E o-- F O O J J E o (J 3 -Nt4rSlnrOF-€Or-- o o o _6R c) il lt o m tl ll L C) I rr o - C'l q L t!- E o o(fot o f t o :qri ELH o t! O ) o .c o Il (oC! U- an o il6 +d o € (J i O\o FF E L oq- o F o o f o o 6 3o3 o J ('t) a'i; \o 1., ilH i.(1. ;E - tr) o lNll -l -.a (D gr: lollol J .c) o!D O LilLil E Cn g._ LAJ il oc t4 Hil o I rJ L5o (\ E E 2 PrE ua lsllsl L OJ €- ao r..-Q! o) lo 0 l-ejl'l lE o aojm.- =t =, o E IO a a ' an 6 r.- c q ti t") :t lo L 0 -'-i(') o o li'.l t.- O (] o9\ FF E c KLU o o tl t) o O l'ns o u-, q-: HIlrE L o I o HHE ? E o o lt n il v F- {O o I v9q 6 c -l')('r E]Htg @ (J { n ll,,llttd o q) > o u.l .-ilil"llc c{ I Q o) 6 [ ilO o ll acE ort o- c o C\l € - F u. $t .. 5 m99 FFF { ood- too(DQ'= O E 4 =;t nn ;o (-Jo-\o- 6 (o @l :nlLnllrnl (/)-.OO: o g9 (9 ol -L l-ln : l.f,ll oll-o @.- Ly -- C wl9 a -l lNt b l-llol OY '- -'^ L .- a el lJ o c Lrlljl roco aj6qov'=C'Y - a c' il o c y OCn o o) ll oE L o o c $rrrr f;o- F g \tr(\ HHEH L) 6 o (.9V(o u- [ [ s ii U) G I o@ GoYLLJ''J'''-= ()r' EILSEIU a CT '6 JC fl(n@@==-^ tr) I a OJ Or .G o ct) O LO jjj-'3EEE F) q- o C L OP c L oO [email protected] |.4 z (9 (t (')E rLLU(9ClOL! l.t o, ; = a F .gFEoI.;Pfl

FORMULA FORUM - SEP'TEMBER 199I SECRETARY STI.IFF Roger Sturgess

Bloody hell Reno is here again! Time seems Those of you that are paid members will to fly by when you have a real (?) job and find, with this newsletter, a form, a list of the editor demands a page for the paid members and an instruction sheet for Forum NOW! I'm not sure that nominating the officers of your choice. anything of note has happened since the last Every year the Directors appoint a of these epistles...well DusE O'Dowd, the nominating committee to survey the "Mick" from Kansas rejoined and registered members and make their proposals for the three aeroplanes. Is this an Irish take-over of upcoming year's Officers and Directors. IFl or do we have a new museum on the horizon? Madelaine Kenny re-upped and Nominations are:- registered aeroplane number 41. We have a new member, Greg Riddle, an A & P for Vice Pres. Hoot Gibson mechanic who would like to help someone at Secretary Roger Sturgess (lousy Reno this year.. Home phone 901-837-3001. choice I think but I am a good Treasurer) Greg lives in Texas at the moment but will Ops. Director Ward or Scoff Garland be moving to Orange County, CA., in Pilot Boss Dave Morss October. Noel Bertaves of France, an Air Tech. Dir Tom Dehart Liberte pilot, also renewed in July. Tech. Rules Bruce Bohannon Procedure Rules Dan Gray Reno entrants have been sent a letter to Promotions Stu Luce advise them that the IF1 self-insurance rule has been waived for this year as RARA The treasury is in good shape and an interim could not get any rebate from their carrier accounting will be presented at the AGM. to relieve our payments so we will rely, as RARA has obtained some sponsorship to usual on RAIU{ insurance. The entrants are bring the Reno purse up some from 1989 listed on the last page of the Forum and if levels to $72,000, but I have no anyone has problems give me a call. confirmation as to the value of Tech. fees to be paid. ($5,m bst year. H.) Late news on new aeroplanes is that both Madelaine Kenney's and Rick Todd's new With luck I shall rejoin the ranks of the Cassutts have flown successfully. Alberto unemployed on the Friday before Reno and Rossi is into a major rebuild and is thus should be available, on the phone, for questionable, but he was like that last year another twelve hours a day from then on. and made it, so don't count him out. Grace is not too happy about this but as she has been off work since the middle of June It is time for the AGM again, that will be and spending money, like a drunken sailor, held at 3pm on Wednesday, the llth of on the kitchen. I shall have to keep close September at Reno, Stead Airport. tabs on her for the rest of the year.

cheers Roger.

FORMULA FORUM - SEITTEMBER I99I LETTERS

A letter to the Editor:

I hope you won't mind my adding my two (aligned with the tip of ttre prop arc) into the cents worth to the discussion regarding flight cockpit, where it was free to be used for suits from the last issue. The Formula V's emergency breathing or for pilot cooling. voted down the proposal only because it was Nonetheless I feel that the fire safety presented as a single package without a concern is more important, and that the line-item veto. The package contained one discomfort concerns can be solved or controversial requirement calling for minimized. mandatory wearing of goggles. Some competitors (rightly so) questioned this item The Formula V flight suit proposal did not - as it was recognized that goggles may require flight suits for appearance but hinder the pilot's peripheral vision and thus specifically for safety. Nonetheless, create a safety risk. All other items about professional appearance is an important flight suits, gloves, underwear, etc. had the secondary factor. The public and the popular support of a majority of the F-V's, sponsors have a preconceived notion, based and will probably be adopted when Formula on , of what a top racing driver V air racing resumes next year. should look like. If we want to 'make it' in the professional world, we must I believe that fire-proof flight suits are a look the part. We already have sharp good idea. The Formula V's HAVE HAD looking aircraft and a spectacular exciting one in-flight fire (Charlie Terry's race event - pilot and crew uniforms are the 'Beetlebomb') - any use of tuned exhaust 'icing on the cake' that the public expects. headers, as is currently popular in the Formula V class, adds a definite risk of Good luck on your television promotion in-flight fire. The discomfort due to efforts....I'll be watching for you on the temperature is a recognized problem - the tube. auto race drivers get around this by use of coolsuits [not suitable for racing airplanes] and/or staying inside an air-conditioned Jim Vliet building or trailer until just before the start of the race [again probably not suitable in the air show environments we operate We encourage letters to the editor and atl.One solution for air racers might be the welcome your comnrcnts on any faintly use of the uncontaminated external air relevant subject. Roger Srurgess pinted source as was seen on Paul Musso's 'Real ever more outrageous item"s last year in an Sporty' some years ago. A half-inch flexible attempt to stir people up, so lets have your tube led from a wing leading edge vent ideas. M.

FORMULA FORUM - SEITIEMBER I99I l0 REFLECTIONS. .TIoNS-.nons- -rIoNS Al Wimer

extensive menu of racing classes, PREHISTORIC MIDGETS This despite a few engine-size class adjustments, was doomed, however, and the attrition once Most of us associated with Formula One air was rapid. The smaller displacement racing in today's racing world generally started classes were eliminated in something of a think of "Midget" pylon events, those flown wholesale manner, until by 1937 there by a limited engine-size racing class, to be a remained only two besides the Unlimiteds, post-World II development. Our historical the 397 and 550 cubic-inch classes... and time clock for the "midgets" seemingly is sadly, in 1938 there was onlY one, the geared to a beginning in 1947 with the for planes with engines under 550 publication of the 190 cubic-inch Grave, cubic-inches. specifications, the construction of the first planes, and the Goodyear Trophy race in Interestingly though, in those exciting days Cleveland that September. While the of the "golden era" of air racing, if a pilot specific engine displacement class of 190 felt his plane was good enough, he could cubic-inches does indeed date from 1947, enter and race in a higher displacement the appearance of midgets at the year's class, but for obvious reasons this challenge should properly be only worked in one direction. A 350 cubic- regarded as a revival of midget racing, not inch plane could not race in the 200 cubic- its introduction. inch class. There were, however, some drawbacks to "moving up", and among them One of the delightful aspects of the National was one of often overriding concern. The Air Races held in the early 1930's was the larger displacement class courses were wide variety of powerplant classes available normally significantly longer (up to 200 aircraft builders, pilots, and spectators. It to ) and the smaller birds often didn't reached its zenith in the'31-'34 period. As have the fuel capacity to go the distance. an example: 1932... in addition to the two formidable Unlimited classes (one, the Aerol Arguably, although this general reduction in Trophy race, was exclusively for women), classes made for faster and seemingly better there were seven separate race categories for race planes according to some observers, it engines of lesser displacement. Starting at pretty well eliminated the independent the top (below the Unlimiteds), these were builder of limited means. No longer could for displacements of 1,000, 800, 685, 510, he dream, design, build and race a small 350, 200, and 115 cubic-inches. In addition economical homebuilt as of yore. Racing was a separate category for stock there was getting specialized, designs more model airplanes with the 503 cubic-inch complex, and it was all getting expensive. Curtiss OX-5 engines. It would seem that By reducing the available classes, the races needed mighty few aerobatic race organizers intensified the competition in those and demonstration performers to sustain remaining, making a big-money affair of interest in 1932... they had 17 separate limited displacement racer development as pylon events to keep the spectators occupied. well as for the high performance Unlimiteds.

1l FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER I99l Reflections... Cont. Fifteen days later the NAA Contest Board accepted the specs and the new race class Amusingly though, it must be noted that the was born... but in reality it was actually the significant refinement and improved rebirth of the "midgets". Emphasis was lent capability of the "small" Greve class racers to that reality by the winner of the inaugural was such that both the 1936 and 1937 Greve race of this "new" limited displacement winners also beat the Unlimiteds of those class, the'47 Goodyear Trophy race. Steve years to win the top pylon racing event, the Wittman's "Buster", the winning aircraft, race, and this against had first raced as "Chief Oshkosh' 16 years aircraft with engine displacements as high as earlier in 1931 with a 4 cylinder Cimrs 1830 cubic-inches. engine (115 HP) in the 350 cubic-inch class. ln'32 it raced in both the 350 and 550 But all was not well in this one remaining cubic-inch classes, winning the former, and "limited displacement" class. By 1939 the it repeated that winning performance in '33. number of Greve racers could be counted on Seemingly what goes around, comes around! one hand, and the pilots who had raced in the smaller engine classes were not happy. Author's Note: "Chief Oshlcosh" lost raced A group of them led by Art Chester met pior to the '47 Goodyear in the 1937 Greve with PRPA officials at the '39 Cleveland Troplry race with a larger 6 cylinder races and drew up tentative plans for a new Menasco engine (larger than the 4 limited displacement class that would use cylinder Cimts it hod previously sponed). stock engines and operate with stringent controls. Unfornrnately World War II intemrpted all plans and pylon racing was suspended for the duration of the war.

When air racing resumed in 1946, a new era of the sport dawned but it was a different ball game. Gone were those interesting one- of-a-kind designs; not a single pre-war Unlimited appeared at the '46 races. The only planes flying in the Unlimited events were war-surplus fighters.... and there were no limited displacement classes.

However, the pre-war idea of that one smaller engine displacement class would not die and on September 24th the New York Times reported that the NAA Technical Committee had an interest in midget racers. In late October the PRPA completed work on the specs for a 190 cubic-inch class, and , the maestro, that organization formally adopted the specs Reno 1 983. Al Wimer photo on December 3rd.

FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER I99I t2 RACE RTN.DOWN

RENO, NV, Sept. 8-15 l99l Remember your IFl, NAG and USARA The winners of our perpetual trophies last Membership cards. They entitle you to a year are reminded to bring them to Reno so $75 Pit Pass if purchased prior to 5 PM that we can present them again at the awards Wednesday. BBQ on Saturday night in the IFl hangar: The IF1 Annual Membership Meeting will State Points: Jim Miller Quaker be held on Wednesday September 11 at 3pm Ken Scott Crew Chief: ChiP King in the back room of the IFI Hangar at George Owl Design Award: Gary Hubler Stead. Judy Wagner Rookie: Alberto Rossi Bob Downey Good GuY: Dave Morss Immediately following (at 5pm), NAG is P & M Trophy: Jim Bumford planning to have a general meeting We are planning a replacement for the Those with long Reno memories know that State trophy which is at least 15 Quaker it is not always great weather during race years old and rather the worse for wear. week and I have to believe we must be due for weather of some kind, so pack longjohns Reno Entries: Totzl 29 for 24 spots plus with your shorts - 20 people in Carol's van spares gets awful crowded. 2 Bob Drew M Hep Porter Sharp*, 55 Jim Bumford 3 Jon RACES 4 Bill Ippolito 56 Rick Todd OTHER 10 Bobby Budde 57 Rick Todd* 14 Jim Miller 62 Alberto Rossi CAF Midland, TX, October 12-13 l99l 17 Sonny Swenson 64 Denny/Sherwood* the 19 George Budde** 66 MorssiUnze It turns out that our contact with make the 20 George Budde 69 Don Beck Confederate Air Force did not fallen 21 Deke Slayton** 77 l-auters/Steen move to Midland, so that this date has he is 24 Greg Doster ** 87 KathY GraY through. The good news is that still involved with the 27 Ptay Sherwood 89 Bruce Bohannon interested in IFI and is 30 Mick Richardson 90 Troy Channing CAF at Brownsville TX. 41 Madelaine KenneY* 95 Gary Hubler 2-3 43 John Housley 96 Dan GraY CAF Brownsville, TX, November 99 Dave Morss l99l

Bohannon * New plane *x Cert or Recert Pilot Possible Local race with Bruce and Jim Miller working the deal. We Recertification questions? Contact Dave should have more information at Reno on Morss at 415) 591-4103 this potential event.

13 FORMULA FORUM - SEPTEMBER I99I CALENDAR OF IFl EVENTS L99L

September 7 -8 Compiegne, France APAF Firm

September 14 Cranf ield, UK FARA Probable

September 8-15 Reno, NV 24 AtC Firm october 12-13 Midland, TX CAF Show Cancelled

November 2-3 Brownsville, TX CAF Show Possible

PYLON AIR RACING - THE WORLD'S FASTEST

FORMULA FORUM lnternational Formula One Pylon Air Racing 926 Rawhide Place, Newbury Park, CA 91320