RENO, Nev. (AP) - Pilots offered praise this week for a new course designed to keep them farther away from spectators at the Reno National Championship Air Races after last year's accident that killed 11 people.
Pilots who flew the course for the first time during a training seminar this week ahead of the Sept. 12-16 races reacted positively to it, said Reno Air Racing Association President Mike Houghton. The repositioning of several pylons moves the course about 150 feet farther away from spectators and helps to ease the gravitational pull on pilots competing in the fastest of six aircraft classes by smoothing out some turns, he said.
A modified World War II P-51 Mustang crashed in front of VIP boxes last September at the Reno National Championship Air Races, killing 11 people and injuring about 70 others.
"I don't think it'll have an impact on speeds. (It'll affect) just the G-force pilots feel," Houghton said. "Every change we've made has taken safety to the next level, and this is one of those steps."
Pilot Steven Hinton, who races in the Unlimited class, praised the changes in a Facebook post Thursday.
"Had a great time at (the seminar) and the new course felt good! 89 more days till the races," he wrote.
The competition at Reno Stead Airport is the only event of its kind in the world, with planes flying wing-tip-to-wing tip around an oval pylon track, sometimes just 50 feet off the ground and at speeds of over 500 mph. This week's seminar, which drew nearly 50 rookies and veterans, for the first time offered special training to provide a feel for the gravitational pull pilots will experience when racing.
Pilot Jimmy Leeward, 74, was traveling at 530 mph when his P-51 Mustang experienced a significant event that caused the plane to pitch skyward while making a turn, then roll and slam into the ground nose first near box seats. Investigators said instruments from the aircraft showed the plane exceeded 9 Gs, and that appears to have incapacitated the pilot as blood rushed from his brain.
Houghton said the new course is expected to reduce the G-force on pilots in the fastest classes from roughly 3 to 2. It's difficult for people to maintain awareness at 5 Gs. Average roller coasters expose riders to about 2 to 3 Gs, but only for brief moments.
The changes are in line with safety recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board after last year's crash.
Pilot Eric Zine of Los Angeles, who competes in the biplane class, thinks the changes will make the event safer.
"Last year's crash was a one-in-a-million thing that happened," said Zine, a SkyWest Airlines pilot. "I think we took a safe event and made it safer (with the changes)."
Rod Hightower, president of the Experimental Aircraft Association, said he enjoyed flying the new course.
"It's a dangerous sport and the risk is there," he said. "But the whole industry worked well with regulatory agencies in coming up with positive changes. We try to move the safety bar up and up."
The cause of last year's crash is still under investigation, and the NTSB is expected to release a final report on it later this year.
This week's training seminar offered pilots a chance to hone their skills before the September event, which attracts the world's top racing pilots.
Houghton said his association is trying to raise money to cover a $1.7 million increase in insurance costs after last year's crash. The organization previously paid $300,000 for insurance.
"We're a $5 million-a-year organization, and that's a significant bump for us," he said, adding a committee has been formed to solicit donations from sponsors and local businesses.
A modified World War II P-51 Mustang crashed in front of VIP boxes last September at the Reno National Championship Air Races, killing 11 people and injuring about 70 others.
"I don't think it'll have an impact on speeds. (It'll affect) just the G-force pilots feel," Houghton said. "Every change we've made has taken safety to the next level, and this is one of those steps."
Pilot Steven Hinton, who races in the Unlimited class, praised the changes in a Facebook post Thursday.
"Had a great time at (the seminar) and the new course felt good! 89 more days till the races," he wrote.
The competition at Reno Stead Airport is the only event of its kind in the world, with planes flying wing-tip-to-wing tip around an oval pylon track, sometimes just 50 feet off the ground and at speeds of over 500 mph. This week's seminar, which drew nearly 50 rookies and veterans, for the first time offered special training to provide a feel for the gravitational pull pilots will experience when racing.
Pilot Jimmy Leeward, 74, was traveling at 530 mph when his P-51 Mustang experienced a significant event that caused the plane to pitch skyward while making a turn, then roll and slam into the ground nose first near box seats. Investigators said instruments from the aircraft showed the plane exceeded 9 Gs, and that appears to have incapacitated the pilot as blood rushed from his brain.
Houghton said the new course is expected to reduce the G-force on pilots in the fastest classes from roughly 3 to 2. It's difficult for people to maintain awareness at 5 Gs. Average roller coasters expose riders to about 2 to 3 Gs, but only for brief moments.
The changes are in line with safety recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board after last year's crash.
Pilot Eric Zine of Los Angeles, who competes in the biplane class, thinks the changes will make the event safer.
"Last year's crash was a one-in-a-million thing that happened," said Zine, a SkyWest Airlines pilot. "I think we took a safe event and made it safer (with the changes)."
Rod Hightower, president of the Experimental Aircraft Association, said he enjoyed flying the new course.
"It's a dangerous sport and the risk is there," he said. "But the whole industry worked well with regulatory agencies in coming up with positive changes. We try to move the safety bar up and up."
The cause of last year's crash is still under investigation, and the NTSB is expected to release a final report on it later this year.
This week's training seminar offered pilots a chance to hone their skills before the September event, which attracts the world's top racing pilots.
Houghton said his association is trying to raise money to cover a $1.7 million increase in insurance costs after last year's crash. The organization previously paid $300,000 for insurance.
"We're a $5 million-a-year organization, and that's a significant bump for us," he said, adding a committee has been formed to solicit donations from sponsors and local businesses.
NTSB Identification: WPR11MA454
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 16, 2011 in Reno, NV
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN/AERO CLASSICS P-51D, registration: N79111
Injuries: 11 Fatal,66 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On September 16, 2011, about 1626 Pacific daylight time, an experimental North America P-51D, N79111, impacted terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering at Reno Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to Aero-Trans Corp, Ocala, Florida, and operated by the pilot as Race 177 under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Casualties on the ground included 10 fatalities and 74 injured. As of the time of this preliminary report, eight of the injured remain hospitalized, some in critical condition. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the local air race flight, which departed from Reno Stead Airport about 10 minutes before the accident.
The airplane was participating in the Reno National Championship Air Races in the last event of the day. The airplane had completed several laps and was in a steep left turn towards the home pylon when, according to photographic evidence, the airplane suddenly banked momentarily to the left before banking to the right, turning away from the race course, and pitching to a steep nose-high attitude. Witnesses reported and photographic evidence indicates that a piece of the airframe separated during these maneuvers. After roll and pitch variations, the airplane descended in an extremely nose-low attitude and collided with the ground in the box seat area near the center of the grandstand seating area.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration examined the wreckage on site. They documented the debris field and identified various components of the airplane’s control system and control surfaces. The wreckage was removed to a secure storage facility for detailed examination at a later date.
The airplane’s ground crew noted that the airplane had a telemetry system that broadcast data to a ground station as well as recorded it to a box on board the airplane. The crew provided the ground station telemetry data, which includes engine parameters and global positioning satellite system data to the NTSB for analysis. The onboard data box, which sustained crush damage, was sent to the NTSB’s Vehicle Recorder laboratory for examination. Investigators recovered pieces of a camera housing and multiple detached memory cards from the airplane’s onboard camera that were in the debris field. The memory cards and numerous still and video image recordings were also sent to the Vehicle Recorders laboratory for evaluation.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Reno Air Race Association are parties to the investigation.
Accident occurred Friday, September 16, 2011 in Reno, NV
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN/AERO CLASSICS P-51D, registration: N79111
Injuries: 11 Fatal,66 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On September 16, 2011, about 1626 Pacific daylight time, an experimental North America P-51D, N79111, impacted terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering at Reno Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to Aero-Trans Corp, Ocala, Florida, and operated by the pilot as Race 177 under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Casualties on the ground included 10 fatalities and 74 injured. As of the time of this preliminary report, eight of the injured remain hospitalized, some in critical condition. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the local air race flight, which departed from Reno Stead Airport about 10 minutes before the accident.
The airplane was participating in the Reno National Championship Air Races in the last event of the day. The airplane had completed several laps and was in a steep left turn towards the home pylon when, according to photographic evidence, the airplane suddenly banked momentarily to the left before banking to the right, turning away from the race course, and pitching to a steep nose-high attitude. Witnesses reported and photographic evidence indicates that a piece of the airframe separated during these maneuvers. After roll and pitch variations, the airplane descended in an extremely nose-low attitude and collided with the ground in the box seat area near the center of the grandstand seating area.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration examined the wreckage on site. They documented the debris field and identified various components of the airplane’s control system and control surfaces. The wreckage was removed to a secure storage facility for detailed examination at a later date.
The airplane’s ground crew noted that the airplane had a telemetry system that broadcast data to a ground station as well as recorded it to a box on board the airplane. The crew provided the ground station telemetry data, which includes engine parameters and global positioning satellite system data to the NTSB for analysis. The onboard data box, which sustained crush damage, was sent to the NTSB’s Vehicle Recorder laboratory for examination. Investigators recovered pieces of a camera housing and multiple detached memory cards from the airplane’s onboard camera that were in the debris field. The memory cards and numerous still and video image recordings were also sent to the Vehicle Recorders laboratory for evaluation.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Reno Air Race Association are parties to the investigation.
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