Novem ber/Decem berl 997 FORIVTTTLA FORTT]VI THE IF1 JOURNAL t996 3 km Gtass World Speed Record 2ffi3 -75 FfiFFi f#ffi Still too fast to catch - Jon Sharp wins Reno and Lancaster Bilt Rogers photo FORMULAFORUM Membership in IFl is open to TRISH SHARP pilots, owners, crews, and Promotions Director. technical pmple active in Formula 44210 Galion Ave. One Air Racing. Members $50, Lancaster, CA 93536 Associate Members S25. Rules 8051723-7636 pckage and application available [email protected] from the Secretary, Will Dennis. For rules, send a check for $7.50, SCOTT GARLAND payable to IFl t0 cover cost of Operations Director. F'ormula Forum O lgg7 printing and mailing. 45438 Clubhouse Drive Temecula, CA 92592 International Formula One folon A}ID 9091693-2408 Air Racing Inc. All rights CLASS OF'X'ICIALS DIRECTORS T'OR 1998 [email protected] reserved. TOMIIeHART Formula Fornm is the offtcial EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Technical Director. publication of International JON SHARP 2121 Holabird Ave. Formula One fulon Air Racing, Klamath Falls, OR 97601 Inc., A Texas Non-Profit President. 44210 Galion Ave. 541/850-6083 Corporation. Member of the International Council of Air Lanczste4 CA 93536 805/723-7636 DAVE MORSS Shows and the Air Racing [email protected] Pilot Committee. Council of the United States. 775 UplandRoad I}AVID HOOVER Redwood C1ty, CA 94062 Articles appearing herein are the Vice President. 4r5/368-6s99 opinion of the authors and not 107 Williams Lane [email protected] necessarily the opinion of IFI Foster City, 94044 Inc. CA 415/573-1323 KEVIN KELLY [email protected] Technical Committee. Contributions should be sent to 3245 West Ave. J4 the Editor, Bill Rogers at 926 WILL DENNIS Lancaster, CA 93536 Rawhide Place, Newbury Park, Secretary 8051723-0361 CA 91320. Phone: 805/498- 110 Main Street. Suite B [email protected] 0846, FAX: 8051499-6297 or:'rra Willits, CA 95490 modem, ZiplPC floppies in WP 707t4564576 GARY HUBLER or ASCii. Email text to me at: [email protected] Procedure Committee. [email protected] 5011 Hubler Lane Caldwell,ID 83605 [email protected] CONTENTS 3. Laughlin Update 10. Reno Pix 4. Bill Nusz 14. Lancaster Report Bill Rogers 5. 5th Column Editorial 18. Odds & 6. Reno Report Bill Rogers 19. For Sale F'ORMULA TORUM . NOVEMBER 1997 LAUGHLIN Fl AIR RACES December 4-7,1997 Okay, so where is Laughlin? On the Racing: two raceslday, 8 planes each Colorado River at the Arizona./Nevada Showday Sat. and Raceday Sun. border on that pointy bit at the bottom of Purse: $50,000, deposit received. NV, about 90 miles south oflas Yegas. Officials: Airport: Laughlin/Bullhead City Ops: Scott Garland with JeffGunn, Dean International, just across the river in AZ. We Carrier, Jim Stevenson, Jim Wieherer will have hangars at rdght (see map) and be Tech: Ror Hawes(acting) with Kevin Kelly , in open pits like Lancaster during the day. Bob Griffith, Mark Johnson, Roger Sturgess, Contact number: 520 17 54-3922 Bill Rogers Pilots. Dave Morss Eotel: Make your own reservations at OfficialslPylons: Frank Roaco Ramada Express: Call 1 -800-243 -6846; Timing: Roger/Grace Sturgess, BetE Carrier group rate should be $10 weekdays and $30 Scoring: Debbie Guise for w/e; ask for MSLAIR. Any problems, Flags: Jim Maloney ask for Sheri Westbrook. Local phone: Contest: W.Garland, J.Stevenson, W. Rogers 702-298-424A Probable Entry (16 Spots+ 2 Alts) Robert Jones Scotty Crandlemire George Budde #2 Bobby Budde #10 David Hoover Dan Gilbert Ray Cote Dick Roberts Jon Sharp Steve Myers Gary Hubler Holbrook Maslen Bruce Bohannon Eric Matheson Randy Howell Greg Reid #42 Dave Morss Jim Miller iTgVEDA Schedule: Tech Inspect: AM, Thurs. 4 December Practice/Qual: Friday; F'ORMULA F'ORUM - NO1rEMBER 1997 Bill Nusz 1955-1997 Lt. Col. Bill Nusz and an RAF exchange pilot, Flt. Lt. Leigh Fox, were killed on Oct. 22ndtnthe crash of their T-38 at Edwards AFB. They were flying photo chase on a B- 18 test mission, when their airsraft had a 500kt midair at low altitude with the other ch&se, an F-16. They had apparently ejected unsuccessfully. The F-16 landed safely on the lake bed with wing damage. Bill Nusz, a multi-rated pilot, first soloed as a sixteen year old in l971,joined the Air Force and graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School as a flight test engineer in 1983. He had a distinguished Air Force career, culminating in his position as Director of Engineering for the 4l9th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, CA where he was responsible for B-18 development testing 5th Column Editorial Bill Nusz, from Lombard, Illinois, made his This year for the first time, the Reno Air first appearance in Formula One air racing at Racing Association (RARA) shared sorne of the Reno National Championships in 1996, their conserns (and achievements) with race where he raced his modified Cassutt lllM participants. This kind of direct contact is model, "Baby Dragon". urnprecedented; previous communication was occasionally through the Race Director or After acquiring the stock sport Cassutt, this third parly gossip frorn people who knew skilled engineer made a number of modifi- Trustees. Chairman Jack Walther totrd us of cations on the plane seeking to increase three years of $300K losses; of meetings to performance. His efforts were rewarded by decide if we would even have a Championship a 6th place in the Bronze Race. He continued race in '97 and of a last minute bail-out by the to improve the plane, qualifuing 14 mlt:, Stead Airporl authority who advanced faster and earning a place in the Silver this payments due on land sold to them by RARA. year; definitely a man to watch. Who even knew they had sold the land under the UL course? Most peopie apparently Bill made his home in Rosamond, C4 at the assumed that the Trustees were waiting until it Skypark where he kept a Cessna 310 and appreciated enough so that they could sell out "Baby Dragon". He is survived by his wife and retire on the profits. He told of putting Gail, also a Lt. Col. at Edwards. Our hearts insurance and security up for bid, reducing go out to Gail and the rest of his family and costs by $250K. The need for an additional friends. F'ORMULA F'ORUM - NOVEI\TBER 1997 $50K of income to break even, drove course (violates FAA AirshoilAir Race attempts to tap into team tee shirt sales, guidelines). Give the classes more amongst other things. More sponsorship recognition and refer all new entries to them was discussed, as well as increased prize immediately for approval - that is happening money if RARA made a profit. Better at the race and is required by the FA{ but treatment of current sponsors, the press, and the entry packet still claims it is open to even the racers was promised. In all I felt anyone with the fee. Schedule a meeting that it was an honest attempt at commun- early in the year and sign a written contract ication; and a warning that things had to with the class. Pay a nominal fee to IFI for change or the 33'd Reno would be the last. TV rights. These suggestions came to my A sobering thought. mind, but contact Jon Sharp with ideas for RARA improvements. The next surprise was that we were asked for our help in improving the event. We This year was WINDY We almost canceled (and they) know that the answer would be to the Gold and some aircrak received minor attract a major sponsor. Buick is now the damage (if an expensive graphite prop is primary contributor, and they took some minor). Some folks expressed concern that steps to cater to them more than in the past. the Ops Director would launch in such If Formula One could bring a sponsor to pick conditions. Perhaps we should review our up some or all of our prize fund, that would procedures. It is our policy not to fly in rain substantially reduce the cost to Reno of our but Rule 4.5 covers weather minima: participation. It is a pity that NARS Visibility more than 3 miles - OK; cloud base sponsor, Plymouth, would conflict with higher than 1500'AGL - OK. What about Buick. I don't think that taxing the racers surface wind less than 35 mJh and cross wind for a few teeshirts is worth the ill will it component less than 20 mlh peak? generates. Some considerations: These numbers are in There was minimal interference with our place after 50 years experience. Although operations, although the T6's had a lot of not required, Scott talked to each ofthe help. I never saw the new Race Director pilots and obtained concurrence for his Frank Kimmell, except at meetings Ue iras decisions. One aircraft (#2) suffered damage a much lower profile than Thornton Audrain directly attributable to a wind gust. Lessons and perhaps that is why Bill Eck ganged up learned - Starter should hold if a gust is with the FAA and created a "Safety experienced at flag drop, we need to inspect Committee" which ovemrled the long all possible launch runways prior to established Contest Committee, and issued committing to them. It would not hurt for the kind of arbitrary decisions we used to get the Procedure Rules Committee to review from Jerry Duty, Thornton's predecessor. the weather minima again. Comments to This should be stopped. Gary Hubler the new Chairman. Ed Other improvements? Treat the press better Sorry for all the words ond lock of pictures and allow more coverage at our startline.