RENO, NEV. – Earlier this month, Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) proudly announced the 2023 recipients of the second annual Flight Training Scholarship (FTS) program.
“’Racing for the Future’ is more than just a saying – it’s a mindset our association has in order to facilitate the future of aviation in our local youth,” said Fred Telling, Reno Air Racing Association CEO. “Through these scholarships, we can continue to foster a love for aviation while helping to ‘STEM’ the pilot shortage. We’re thankful for the Ray Foundation and the gifts from various donors for helping us make this scholarship program possible for a second year.”
These 10 recipients will be awarded up to $10,000 toward their private pilot license. In order to be considered for a scholarship, these students must be between 16-20 years old, maintain a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher and be a resident of Reno or its surrounding areas.
The 2023 Reno Air Racing Association Flight Training Scholarship recipients are:
“Getting to know our award winners throughout this year’s application process has been an absolute joy,” said Greg Gibson, Reno Air Racing Association scholarship coordinator. “They are smart, motivated and inspiring. We know the future of STEM and aerospace is better because they will be part of the next generation of pilots.”
This scholarship program began last year and has enabled several recipients to complete the necessary training and successfully obtain their private pilots license. While the search for a new venue is underway, the scholarship program is not going anywhere. RARA plans to continue the scholarship program to help enable and encourage the next generation of aviators to soar.
For those interested in donating or learning more about RARA’s scholarship efforts:
Event named #2 in 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest for Best Air Show
(Photo: Curtis Noble)
Reno, Nev. – The National Championship Air Races (NCAR), which is held annually by the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), has been named second in the top 10 ‘Best Air Shows’ in North America and first in the United States, per USA TODAY. The winners, including NCAR, were chosen by a panel of relevant experts and then confirmed by the public through a voting process. The wildly popular and well-known event will hold its final race at the Reno-Stead Airport from Sept. 13-17, 2023 and tickets can be purchased online at www.airrace.org.
“We are honored to be named in the top 10 best air show events by USA TODAY and to be alongside so many prominent and well-known events,” said Fred Telling, chairman and CEO of the Reno Air Racing Association. “For decades, the National Championship Air Races has untied fans and spectators through displays of aerial skill and impressive feats of racing. This recognition further solidifies that our dedication to provide a world-class event has continued to impress fans far and wide.”
The 10 recipients represent the best air show events in North America and the National Championship Air Races are the highest ranking show in the United States. Nominees for all categories are chosen by a panel of relevant experts, including editors from USA TODAY and 10Best.com in addition to other media outlets before being brought to the public for voting. In partnership with USA TODAY, 10Best.com provides users with original content for top attractions and destinations in the U.S. and around the world. In the ‘Best Air Show’ category, winners included private and military air shows, both recent and historic in nature and covered every corner of the nation. The National Championship Air Races ranked second in the 2023 round-up following a four week voting period by the public.
The final National Championship Air Races is set to return with more than 150 planes and pilots as well as several ‘hands-on’ displays and experiences including the GRADD-NVBAA STEM Education Discovery Zone, heritage displays, military demonstrations and static displays and more. The event will also mark the third year of competition for the STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) Drag which has become a phenomenon both in the skies and on social media. To learn more about the event’s final year or purchase tickets, visit https://airrace.org.
Ticketing will open to the general public for the last National Championship Air Races at Stead Field this Wednesday, March 22nd at 8AM PT. We will have ongoing announcements about our active search for a new home for the National Championship Air Races, but for sure you’ll want to be there for this year as we close nearly six decades at Stead.
Please visit airrace.org for the latest information on all of our ticketing options. We will be implementing dynamic ticketing this year, so prices will increase as we get closer to the event. Prices will be the lowest possible when they go on sale Wednesday, so save the date and use the link below on March 22nd!
The National Championship Air Races has once again been nominated in the 2023 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel awards! An expert panel selected the National Championship Air Races as a contender for Best Air Show, which just launched. The contest gives voters four weeks to vote for the candidate of their choice, and a person can vote once a day for the run of the contest.
Even though our cherished event is having its last races this September in Reno, we’d like to let the world know how much we all love the Reno Air Races, so please visit the link below EVERY DAY of the contest to vote for the National Championship Air Races and Air Show! Voting ends on Monday, April 10 at noon ET. The winning events as determined by your vote will be announced on April 21. Read the official Readers’ Choice rules here. VOTE NOW & OFTEN!
It is with heavy hearts that we write this to let you know that, after nearly 60 years of air racing in northern Nevada, 2023 will be the last National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport. While we knew this day might come, we had hoped it wouldn’t come so soon. Citing the region’s significant growth amongst other concerns, the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority has made the decision to sunset the event. For so many around the world, Reno has become synonymous with air racing and it is hard to imagine the National Championship Air Races gracing any other skies than those in the Sierra Nevada. However, we are confident the event will continue. In fact, we are currently exploring several other possible locations to host the event in the future but it starts with making this year’s event the biggest and most successful it can be. In essence, the future of the National Championship Air Races starts now. And, we need your help.
As we take off for one last time in Reno, we are inviting the community and race fans from all over the world to join to send off the National Championship Air Races in style. Consider it a celebration of six decades of thrills, history, pageantry, camaraderie and family. Reno has been the event’s home for the last 59 years, and we could not leave without recognizing the community that has embraced our event and helped make it one of our region’s signature events. We look forward to seeing the many faces the Air Races have brought joy to over the years, as well as new ones who will get the chance to see the only racing event of its kind for the first time this year.
While we discuss the future of the Air Races, we are grateful for our time at the Reno-Stead Airport and our partnership with the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority. Our event has generated hundreds of millions of dollars for the local economy, while instilling a love for flying in the community and becoming a valued partner to many charities and non-profits. We have always been so thrilled to show off the beautiful Reno Tahoe area to the tens of thousands that flew in just for our event and we’re looking forward to doing that again this year. The support from both our community and visitors has been overwhelming, and the impact they helped us make in Reno is immeasurable.
The last National Championship Air Races will take place from September 13-17. The 2023 event is set to return with more than 150 planes and pilots as well as several ‘hands-on’ displays and experiences including the GRADD-NVBAA STEM Education Discovery Zone, heritage displays, military demonstrations and static displays and more. The event will also mark the third year of competition for the STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) Drag which has become a phenomenon in the skies. While this is our last year at this location, the Reno Air Racing Association is committed to preserving and growing this great event and developing the next generation of Air Race fans. We look forward to seeing you in September.
With much appreciation and love,
The Reno Air Racing Association Board of Directors
