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Air racing is a type of motorsport that involves airplanes or other types of aircraft that compete over a fixed course, with the winner either returning the shortest time, the one to complete it with the most points, or to come closest to a previously estimated time.
The first 'heavier-than-air' air race was held on 23 May 1909 - the Prix de Lagatinerie, at the Port-Aviation airport south of Paris, France. Four pilots entered the race, two started, but nobody completed the full race distance; though this was not unexpected, as the rules specified that whoever travelled furthest would be the winner if no-one completed the race. Léon Delagrange, who covered slightly more than half of the ten 1.2- kilometre (0.75 mi ; 0.65 nmi ) laps was declared the winner. [1]
Some other minor events were held before the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne in 22–29 August 1909 at Reims, France. This was the first major international flying event, drawing the most important aircraft makers and pilots of the era, as well as celebrities and royalty. The premier event — the first Gordon Bennett Trophy competition — was won by Glenn Curtiss, who beat second-place finisher Louis Blériot by five seconds. Curtiss was named 'Champion Air Racer of the World'.
The first air race in the United States was the 1910 Los Angeles International Air Meet at Dominguez Field, just south of Los Angeles, from 10 to 20 January 1910. The event was organised by pilots A. Roy Knabenshue and Charles Willard, who raised funding from railroad magnate Henry Huntington, and the Los Angeles Merchants and Manufacturers Association. William Randolph Hearst carried coverage of the event in his Los Angeles Examiner , and hired a hot air balloon with a promotional parse touting his newspaper. The event attracted 43 entrants, of which 16 appeared. It was there that aviation pioneer and military pilot Jimmy Doolittle, then thirteen, saw his first airplane. [2]
In the years before the First World War, popular interest in aviation led to a large number of air races in Europe; including the 1911 Circuit of Europe race, the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air Race, and the Aerial Derby.
In 1913, the first Schneider Trophy seaplane race was held. When the competition was resumed after the war, it was significant in advancing aeroplane design, particularly in the fields of aerodynamics and engine design, and would show its results in the best fighters of World War II.
On 19 October 1919, the Army Transcontinental Air Race began along a 2,700 mi (2,346 nmi; 4,345 km) route from Long Island, New York to San Francisco, California, and back, which would see widespread carnage; including seven fatalities (two en route to the race). Of the 48 aircraft that started, 33 would complete the double crossing of the continent. [3]
In 1921, the United States instituted the National Air Meets, which became the National Air Races in 1924. In 1929, the Women's Air Derby, nicknamed the 'Powder Puff Derby', became a part of the National Air Races circuit. The National Air Races lasted until 1949. The Cleveland Air Races was another important event. In 1947, an All-Woman Transcontinental Air Race, also dubbed the Powder Puff Derby was established, running until 1977.
In 1934, the MacRobertson Air Race from England to Australia took place, with the winning de Havilland Comet flown by C. W. A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black.
In 1964, Bill Stead, a Nevada rancher, pilot, and unlimited hydroplane racing champion, organised the first Reno Air Races at a small dirt strip called the Sky Ranch, located between Sparks, Nevada, and Pyramid Lake. The National Championship Air Races were soon moved to the Reno Stead Airport, and have been held there every September since 1966. The five-day event attracts around 200,000 people, and includes racing around courses marked out by pylons for six classes of aircraft: Unlimited, Formula One, Sport Biplane, AT-6, Sport, and Jet. It also features civil airshow acts, military flight demonstrations, and a large static aircraft display. Other promoters have run pylon racing events across the US and Canada, including races in Las Vegas, NV in 1965, Lancaster, CA in 1965 and 1966, Mojave, California in 1970-71, and 1973–79; at Cape May, NJ in 1971, San Diego, CA in 1971, Miami, FL in 1973 and 1979, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1984; Hamilton Field, California, in 1988; at Dallas, TX in 1990, in Denver, CO in 1990 and 1992, in Kansas City in 1993, in Phoenix, Arizona in 1994 and 1995; and in Tunica, Mississippi in 2005. Numerous other venues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico have also hosted events featuring the smaller Formula One and Biplane classes.
In 1970, American Formula One racing was exported to Europe (Great Britain, and then to France), where almost as many races have been held as in the U.S.A. Also in 1970, the California 1000 Air Race started at the Mojave Airport with a 66 lap unlimited air race that featured a Douglas DC-7, with one aircraft completing the circuit. [4] [5]
In 2003, Red Bull created a series called the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, in which competitors flew individually between pairs of pylons, while performing prescribed manoeuvres. Usually held over water near large cities, the sport has attracted large crowds and renewed media interest in air racing. The inaugural season had stops in Austria and Hungary. [6] In 2019, Red Bull decided not to continue the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. [7]
Aero GP has multiple aircraft racing together pik around pylons, and is based in Europe where it has held an air race each year since 2005.
In June of 2005 against all odds and extreme pressure from the Reno Air Race Association not to start another race, entrepreneur Jeff Landers, a Memphis native, organized the Tunica Air Races in Tunica, Mississippi with Unlimited, T-6, and Sport classes represented. After the successful and safe race in 2005 RARA fought any and all efforts for the growth of this motorsport and any effort for a 2006 race there and one in Tucson Arizona. [8]
Powered paragliding or paramotor races have been organised by the Parabatix Sky Racers made up of the world's top paramotor pilots. The first occurring on 4 September 2010 in an airfield in Montauban, Southern France. These are foot-launched ram-air wings powered by small two-stroke engines, and allow for much smaller race venues such as city parks or beaches, where the audience can see the pilots up close as they carry out spectacular manoeuvres swooping close to the ground-pylons during the race. [9]
In November 2021, the first remotely-piloted eVTOL drag race between two Airspeeder craft took place. In 2022, The remotely-piloted racing series (Airspeeder EXA Series) began in 2022 with Zephatali Walsh named as the inaugural season champion. [10] The aircraft, built by Alauda Aeronautics, use electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology and are designed to be crewed by human pilots. [11]
| competition | 1st race | primary description | course | field | sanctioning body |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Bennett Trophy | 1909 | time trials | Pilon, rally (1920) | open | |
| Daily Mail aviation prizes | 1910 | various events to encourage aviation | point to point & circuit | open | Daily Mail |
| Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe | 1912 | encourage aviation | cross-country circuit | open | Aéro-Club de France |
| Schneider Trophy | 1913 | encourage seaplane development | triangle | seaplanes | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) |
| Pulitzer & National Air Races | 1920 | unlimited | pylon | open | |
| King's Cup air race | 1922 | handicapped race for light aircraft | cross-country (UK) | British pilots | King George V |
| Dole Derby | 1927 | California to Hawaii | point to point | open | National Aeronautic Association (NAA) |
| Challenge International de Tourisme | 1929 | encourage light aircraft development | technical trials & rally | light aircraft | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) |
| Thompson Trophy | 1929 | unlimited | pylon | open | National Aeronautics Association (NAA) |
| Women's Air Derby | 1929 | unlimited | transcontinental (US) | female pilots | |
| Bendix Trophy | 1931 | unlimited | transcontinental (US) | open | |
| MacRobertson Air Race | 1934 | commemorate 1934 Melbourne Centennial | intercontinental (UK to Australia) | open | Royal Aero Club (RAC) |
| Formula V Air Racing | 1977 | provide affordable racing | circuit | formula aircraft | Formula V Air Racing Association |
| race | 1st race | description | sanctioning body |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aero GP | 2005 | pylon races plus additional disciplines | |
| Air Race Classic [12] | 1977 | All women's cross country race, with handicapped speed planes; courses change every year with at min. 2100 NM routes, completed within 4 days; previously known as the All Women's Transcontinental Air Race (AWTAR) which in turn was popularly known as the Powder Puff Derby - founded after the first Women's Air Derby of 1929 | |
| Air Race 1 World Cup | 2014 | pylon races, 8 aircraft together, first one across the line wins | |
| Air Race E | 2020 | Airbus-sponsored, similar to the Air Race 1 with experimental electric aircraft | |
| Airspeeder | 2022 | eVTOL races with experimental electric aircraft, digital circuit tracks with one & two aircraft at a time. | |
| British Air Racing Championship | 1952 | handicapped air races | Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association |
| European Air Racing Championship | 2000 | handicapped air races | Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association |
| Hayward Air Rally | 1965 | Proficiency navigation and fuel planning competition, starting in Hayward, CA (KHWD), courses vary every year. [13] | |
| Parabatix Sky Racers | 2010 | Paramotor precision air races, pylon racing, interactive ground obstacles, one & two aircraft at a time [14] | |
| National Championship Air Races/Reno Air Races | 1964 | unlimited class pylon race, also includes Formula One class | Reno Air Racing Association |
| Schneider Trophy | 1981 | landplanes, revived commemoration of original races | Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association |
Restricting aircraft to a specific type or design creates a competition that focuses on pilot skill. Air racing events such as the Reno air races, incorporate multiple classes or aircraft. These may be defined by the race organiser, or by a sanctioned group. Some air races are limited to a single class. [15] Classes used at the Reno races are as follows:
| class | first race | primary description | course | sanctioning body |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-6 Air Racing | 1946 | T-6/Harvard/SNJ with a P&W R-1340-AN-1 engine | pylon | |
| Biplane Air Racing | 1964 | 360 cubic inches (5,899 cubic centimetres ) engines, mostly Pitts Specials | pylon | Professional Race Pilots Association biplane division |
| Formula One Air Racing | 1970 | 200 cubic inches (3,277 cubic centimetres) engines | pylon | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) |
| Formula V Air Racing | 1972 | 98 cubic inches (1,606 cubic centimetres) Volkswagen engines | pylon | (defunct) |
| Sport Class Racing | 1998 | experimental piston powered aircraft with engines up to 1,000 Cubic Inches and capable of a 200 MPH minimum qualification lap speed. | pylon | Sport Class |
| Unlimited Air Racing | 1964 | Generally standard or modified WWII fighters, i.e., P-51 Mustang, F8F Bearcat, Hawker Sea Furys | pylon | National Air-Racing Group (NAG) |
| Jet Air Racing | 2002 | L-39, L-29 Provost, Iskra, and de Havilland Vampires | pylon | Racing Jets, Inc. |
A warbird is any vintage military aircraft now operated by civilian organizations and individuals, or in some instances, by historic arms of military forces, such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the RAAF Museum Historic Flight, or the South African Air Force Museum Historic Flight.
The Reno Air Races, officially known as the National Championship Air Races, are a multi-day event tailored to the aviation community that took place each September at the Reno Stead Airport a few miles north of Reno, Nevada, with the last races held in 2023. The Reno Air Racing Association plans to resume racing at a new venue in 2025. Air racing is billed as "the world's fastest motor sport" and Reno was one of the few remaining venues. The event includes races in six classes and demonstrations by airshow pilots.
The National Air Races are a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the United States since 1920. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew rapidly during this period; the National Air Races were both a proving ground and showcase for this.
Roscoe Turner was a record-breaking American aviator who was a three-time winner of the Thompson Trophy air race and widely recognized by his flamboyant style and his pet, Gilmore the Lion.
The World Championship Air Race is a series of air races sanctioned by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI). Originally established in 2003 as the Red Bull Air Race, and created by Red Bull GmbH, the event involves competitors navigating a challenging obstacle course in the fastest time. Pilots fly individually against the clock and have to complete tight turns through a slalom course consisting of pylons, known as "air gates".
Rare Bear is a highly modified Grumman F8F Bearcat that saw major success at the Reno Air Races over multiple decades.
Sylvester Joseph "Steve" Wittman was an American air-racer and aircraft engineer.
The Sharp Nemesis NXT with "NXT" standing for "Neoteric experimental Technology," is a kit-built sport-class aircraft designed specifically for air racing. It serves as a successor to the previous model, the Sharp Nemesis, and was created by Jon Sharp, the president of Nemesis Air Racing. The Nemesis NXT is a single-engine, low-wing aircraft with retractable gear and seating for two individuals. The original design of the aircraft incorporates a Lycoming TIO-540-NXT Thunderbolt six-cylinder engine for propulsion.
The GP-5Sweet Dreams was a Super Sport Class racing airplane designed by George Pereira, owner of Osprey Aircraft. It was originally built by Gary Childs, who sold it to another builder, who in turn sold it to George Backovich. Backovich enlisted the help of designer Pereira to complete it in 2007, after changes to its automotive engine conversion, and switching the propeller manufacturer.
FlightPathTV is a New Zealand documentary television show about aviation. It was created by Malcolm Clement and Fletcher McKenzie and produced by Leading Edge Media. Filmed at locations around the world, FlightPathTV was produced in New Zealand.
Tsunami was an experimental purpose-built racing aircraft designed and built in the United States during the 1980s. After a short undistinguished career Tsunami crashed, killing its designer, John Sandberg, on 25 September 1991.
Steve Hinton is an American aviator who held a world speed record from 1979 to 1989 and won six Unlimited-class air races, including two national championships. He won four consecutive Unlimited races in one year.
The Galloping Ghost was a P-51D Mustang air racer that held various airspeed records and whose fatal crash in 2011 led to several NTSB recommendations to make air shows safer.
On September 16, 2011, The Galloping Ghost, a highly modified North American P-51D Mustang racing aircraft, crashed into spectators while competing at the Reno Air Races in Reno, Nevada, killing the pilot, Jimmy Leeward, and ten people on the ground. Sixty-nine more people on the ground were injured. It was the third-deadliest airshow disaster in U.S. history, following accidents in 1972 and 1951.
September Fury, given the race number 232, is a highly modified Hawker Sea Fury that is a regular racer at the Reno Air Races.
Voodoo is a highly modified North American P-51 Mustang that was the 2013, 2014 and 2016 Unlimited-class champion of the Reno Air Races. The pilot for these wins was Steven Hinton, Jr of Chino, California.
Wesley "Lee" Behel was an American aviator and air racing champion. He was the creator and, at the time of his death the president, of the "Sport Class" a group of racing airplanes designed for planes under 1000 cubic inches in engine size that participate in the Reno Air Races each year in September, as well as a retired Lt. Colonel in the Nevada Air National Guard.
The Air Race E World Cup is a planned air racing championship run to Formula One rules and adapted for purely electric aircraft. Entrants will design and build electric aircraft to take part in races, flying in groups of 8 around a 5 km oval course marked by 'pylons' at speeds in excess of 250 mph. The series is backed by Airbus, who signed on as founding partner in February 2019. The inaugural series was initially announced for 2020 and but was delayed due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Miss Ashley II was a custom-built racing aircraft based on the North American P-51 Mustang.
Airspeeder is an electric flying vehicle racing series based in London, United Kingdom. The aircraft, built by Alauda Aeronautics, use electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology and are designed to be crewed by human pilots. The first remotely-piloted drag race between two Airspeeder craft took place in November 2021. A remotely-piloted racing series began in 2022 with Zephatali Walsh named as the inaugural season champion.
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