by admin | Sep 14, 2015 | Air Race News
Reno, Nev. – The 52nd Annual National Championship Air Races is the world’s premier air racing event, and a new record was set today, Monday, September 14.
RECORD BROKEN:
Pilot, Tom Aberle, set a new speed record in the Biplane class in Phantom, a Modified Mong Sport, with a speed of 284.454.
Tickets for the show are still available by phone at 775-972-6663 or online at www.airrace.org. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
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About the STIHL National Championship Air Races:
Held every September just north of Reno, the STIHL National Championship Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. Last year’s event attracted more than 150,000 spectators and generated more than $66 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit www.airrace.org.
Media Contact:
Kena Cataneso
The Glenn Group
775-686-7768
[email protected]
by admin | Sep 11, 2015 | Media
Reno, Nev. – NBC Sports is slated to air a one-hour special on the STIHL National Championship Air Races in February of 2016. This is an incredible opportunity for the Air Races and the Northern Nevada area to be exposed to a national television audience.
The one-hour special is being produced by JM Associates, an Emmy Award-winning production company and leader in content development for sports and outdoor broadcasts.
“We’ve been producing niche sports for over 40 years and when we were invited to see what the STIHL National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nev. were all about, it took one quick look to know that this will be a hit with the national audience. Directing our cameras toward extremely compelling characters and fast, high-tech flying machines is a recipe for success,” said Mike McKinnis, VP Executive Producer for JM Associates.
Sponsorship of the special on NBC includes the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority as the Presenting Sponsor, and the Nevada Commission on Tourism, NASA, University of Nevada, Reno, STIHL, Inc. and Lewis Energy Group as the Gold Sponsors.
“We are thrilled to be able to bring a national treasure like the STIHL National Championship Air Races to a worldwide audience,” said Reno Air Racing Association president and CEO, Mike Crowell. “This will bring worldwide exposure not only to the STIHL National Championship Air Races, but also the Reno-Tahoe area and Nevada as a whole, and we couldn’t be more proud to be showcased on a premium network like NBC Sports.”
Viewers can watch the NBC Sports special on the STIHL National Championship Air Races in February, 2016. The air date and time will be confirmed at a later date.
Tickets are now on sale for the 52nd Annual National Championship Air Races held Sept. 16-20, 2015 at Reno-Stead Airport. For more information, to volunteer or become a vendor visit AirRace.org.
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About the Reno Air Racing Association:
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), a 501(c)(3), holds the STIHL National Championship Air Races every September just north of Reno. The Reno Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. Last year’s event generated more than $66 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit www.airrace.org.
Media Contact:
Kena Cataneso
The Glenn Group
775-686-7768
[email protected]
by admin | Sep 9, 2015 | Media
Reno, Nev. – The 52nd Annual National Championship Air Races is the world’s premier air racing event. Tickets for the event are still on sale.
WHAT: The 52nd Annual National Championship Air Races
WHERE: The Reno-Stead Airport
14501 Mt Anderson St, Reno, NV 89506
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 16 – Sunday Sept. 20; 8am – 4:30pm
The day begins with Biplane and Formula One Class races with the remaining four classes and aerobatic performances and demonstrations following later in the day. Unlimited Class races occur in the afternoon with the last event of the day ending at approximately 4:30 p.m. Schedule subject to change. Please see the tentative schedule for a complete list of events.
HOW: Tickets for the show are available by phone at 775-972-6663 or online at www.airrace.org. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
# # #
About the STIHL National Championship Air Races:
Held every September just north of Reno, the STIHL National Championship Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. Last year’s event attracted more than 150,000 spectators and generated more than $66 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit www.airrace.org.
Media Contact:
Kena Cataneso
The Glenn Group
775-686-7768
[email protected]
by admin | Sep 4, 2015 | Air Race News
With the kickoff of the STIHL National Championship Air Races only two weeks away, there are a few highlights to consider when purchasing tickets and coming out to the Reno-Stead Airfield Sept. 16-20. Check out the event information below and mark the calendar for this year’s air race and show.
Spectators will see six classes of planes including:
- Unlimited Class – Stock or modified WWII fighters with the P-51 Mustangs, F-8F Bearcats and Hawker Sea Fury being flown most often. The Unlimited Class flies in speeds exceeding 500 miles per hour.
- Jet Class – Aero Vodochody L-39 “Albatros”jets, non-after-burning jet with less than 15 degrees of wing sweep. The Jet Class planes fly at racing speeds in excess of 500 miles per hour.
- Sport Class – Super Sport and Sport classes consist of kit-built aircrafts powered by a reciprocating engine with displacements of 650 cubic inches or fewer.
- T-6 Class – One of three different types World War II trainers: AT-6, Harvard’s, or SNJ’s. The racers who compete in this class on a 4.990-mile race course create some of the tightest competition seen at the STIHL National Championship Air Races.
- Formula One – A minimum dry empty weight of 500 pounds, non-retractable landing gear, a minimum wing area of 66 square feet, a fixed-pitch propeller constructed of either wood or composite materials and a 100 HP 200 cubic-inch Continental engine. The Formula 1 class has several races across the country throughout the year, with Reno serving as the site for their National Championship and their biggest purse. At Reno, the race course distance covers 3.1068 miles.
- Bi-Plane Class – Biplanes must have a minimum dry weight of 500 pounds, at least 30 percent of the required 75-square-foot wing area must be contained in the smaller of the two wings, non-retractable landing gear, a fixed pitch propeller, and the largest engine permitted is the 360-cubic-inch, 180 HP Lycoming engine.
Notable pilots this year include Robert “Hoot” Gibson in Strega and Steve Hinton in Voodoo, in a culmination of a years-long rivalry with wins from both planes for first and second place.
Notable military performers this year include the F-16 Viper Demo/Heritage Flight and USAFA Wings of Blue Jump Team. Notable civilian performers this year include the Breitling Jet Team, Tora Tora Tora, David Martin, Red Eagles, Falcon Demo, and B-25 Fly-by.
“This is arguably one of the most competitive fields in the history of the STIHL National Championship Air Races,” said Mike Crowell, CEO of the Air Racing Association (RARA). “Truly, with such a stacked racing field, our fans are in for an unforgettable experience.”
This year also includes an expanded Drone Zone and The Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Challenge, the famed “Big D and Bubbah”, and a bevy of individual air performances from some of today’s most talented aerial stunt pilots, including Breitling Jet Team and Tora Tora Tora.
“The Drone Zone was wildly successful with people of all ages at last year’s event. We’re thrilled to offer even more unmanned aerial vehicle opportunities this year, and it’s been a great way to get visitors excited about the event and advancements in UAV technology,” said John Agather, Chairman of the Board for RARA.
The 52nd annual National Championship Air Races is the world’s premier air racing event. Qualifying events for the race take place Sunday, Sept. 13 through Wednesday morning, Sept. 16. The races kick off Wednesday afternoon Sept. 16, and continue through Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Reno-Stead Airfield. The tentative schedule is available on www.airrace.org for a complete list of events.
Tickets are available by phone at 775-972-6663 or online at www.airrace.org. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
# # #
About the STIHL National Championship Air Races:
Held every September just north of Reno, the STIHL National Championship Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. Last year’s event attracted more than 150,000 spectators and generated more than $66 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit www.airrace.org.
Media Contact:
Kena Cataneso
The Glenn Group
775-686-7768
[email protected]
by admin | Aug 27, 2015 | Media
Building on the success of last year’s challenge, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will host the second annual small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) Challenge at the STIHL National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nev., Sept. 16-20.
The 2015 challenge, which is sponsored by the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Advanced Autonomous Systems Innovation Center in partnership with NASA, will be composed of two separate competitions: An “Open Class” where competitors race their own sUAS and the “International Race of Champions” (IROC) format race where all participants race identical drones provided by Embry-Riddle.
The competition will take place inside the netted, 40 foot by 60 foot by 30 foot high “Drone Zone.” Only experienced operators may participate, and Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) membership is required to participate in the Open Class.
“The objective of the sUAS Challenge is to educate the public on UAS operations and opportunities, as well as highlight Nevada’s and Embry-Riddle’s leadership roles in unmanned development and innovation,” said Embry-Riddle Worldwide Assistant Professor David Thirtyacre, who is the challenge coordinator. “It is great to give the public a taste of what our students are working on as part of the future of this exciting field.”
The Open Class will include practice sessions Thursday and Friday, eliminations on Saturday and finals on Sunday. Each day will begin with a mandatory operators meeting at 9 a.m. with trials between 9 a.m. and noon. In the spirit of the Open Class, there are no restrictions for control techniques; either Line of Sight (LOS) or First Person View (FPV) may be used, nor are there restrictions on automation. The field for the Open Class is limited to 25 participants and will include obstacle and speed courses. All races will be in an individual, time trial format, with the winner determined by minimum time to successfully accomplish the course.
The IROC Class will be a separate race each day (Thursday through Sunday) with a required signup for each day. The competition will take place inside the drone zone from 2 to 4 p.m. The aircraft supplied will be a 180-size quad similar to a Dromida Ominus or Blade 180. The competition will be in a time trial format to determine the four fastest competitors. The final four fastest qualifiers will then race in a side-by-side semifinal and final race. The field will be limited to 15 participants per day or as determined by the event staff.
The Challenge is open to any private, academic or commercial participant, limited to one vehicle per operator. For the Open Class, the sUAS must be able to take off and land vertically (VTOL), be less than approximately 36 inches in major axis, less than 18 inches in elevation and weigh less than 10 pounds. The sUAS will be required to use an electric propulsion, actuation and power system, controlled by remote transmission using the FCC unlicensed bands. To ensure control reliability, a spectrum analyzer will be employed to ensure deconfliction.
There is no charge for entry in the ERAU sUAS Challenge, and each Open Class entry will receive complimentary general admission tickets to the STIHL National Championship Air Races. Trophies will be awarded to the Open Class Obstacle Course winner, Speed Course winner, and combined champion. Trophies will also be awarded to the daily winner of the IROC Class.
Those who wish to participate in the sUAS Challenge must register in advance by going to erau.edu/follow. For more information on the competition, email [email protected].
Weather or other factors may cause alterations or cancellation of each day’s competition.
WHERE: 14501 Mt. Anderson St., Reno, NV 89506. The Embry-Riddle Experience will be located inside the expanded Drone Zone just inside the main gates to the STIHL National Championship Air Races.
INFORMATION:
– National Championship Air Races: airrace.org
– sUAS Challenge: registration form and official rules
– Embry-Riddle unmanned and other degree programs: erau.edu/degrees
MEDIA CONTACTS:
– Melanie Hanns, Director of University Communications/Media Relations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; (386) 226-7538 or (386) 283-0753; [email protected]
– Valerie Glenn, The Glenn Group, (775) 686-7777 or (775) 250-8155, [email protected]
About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 75 baccalaureate, master’s and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts & Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering and Security & Intelligence. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., through the Worldwide Campus with more than 125 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and through online programs. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv.
About the Reno Air Racing Association
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), a 501(c)(3), holds the STIHL National Championship Air Races every September just north of Reno. The Reno Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. Last year’s event generated more than $66 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit
www.airrace.org, or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RenoAirRacingAssociation.
