2015 SPORT CLASS AIR RACING WELCOME LETTER
The staff of the Sport Class Air Racing Association (SCARA) welcomes you to the class, and to the 2015 Reno Air Race season. We look forward to flying with you during the 18th Annual Pylon Racing Seminar (PRS), hosted by the Reno Air Race Association (RARA).
During PRS, our Primary Objective is to ensure new and returning pilots meet the FAA, RARA and SCARA standards to become, and/or re-qualify as, Certified Sport Class Race Pilots. Our goal is to certify all those that demonstrate the attitude, judgment and skills necessary to safely operate in the air race environment. We want you to succeed, and we will strive to provide you with the tools and the instructional environment to do so. The following information is provided to help you prepare for the PRS program.
In 2015, there will be Rookie and Certified pilots from all 6-race classes attending PRS, totaling over 70 aircraft and 86 pilots. The Sport Class has 12 Rookies (12 aircraft), 9 Instructors (7 aircraft), and 13 Certified Racers (12 aircraft) entered to date. That is a total of 34 pilots/instructors and 31 aircraft. This is the largest group for any class in PRS history! That is exciting news for the class, but it brings with it the responsibility for each of us to be fully prepared to perform at our best upon arrival in Reno.
Sport Class hosts a FAST formation warm-up clinic on Monday and Tuesday prior to PRS. This is mandatory for Rookies and highly encouraged for all class pilots. The FAST clinic will begin with Ground School on Monday morning at 10am, and you should plan to arrive at the classroom with your aircraft fueled and ready for the first hop following Ground School. The final location for the Ground School brief will be provided to you upon arrival.
For PRS, on-site check-in is Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning in the large RARA hangar at the west end of the airfield. Expect to show original pilot certificates, medicals, AROW documents, logbooks, and proof of insurance there. You must satisfy all RARA paperwork requirements before flying in the seminar, so get all required copies of your documents turned-in to the RARA Registrar, Dana, before arriving at Stead Airport.
There will be PRS in-briefings and Rookie academics most of the day on Wednesday. Certified Racers get a shorter in-brief and will be practicing on the racecourse Wednesday afternoon. Starting Thursday, there are 6 flying opportunities, Thursday through Saturday to complete your certification (2 periods per day). Each class has a morning and afternoon flying period, with on-course flying finished by 1700 daily. Last year’s PRS schedule is attached for your reference, and we will post an updated schedule as soon as it is published by the Reno Air Racing Association.
PRS flying begins with smaller flights, with some continuation of formation flying and light aerobatic skills evaluation, along with guided flights around the racecourse. Following that, training expands to include more on-course flying, controlled passing and simulated engine-out procedures. Training will culminate with a complete race profile to include join-up, air-start, on-course flying and recovery. The checkride for a Sport Class Racing License is a progressive event, covered by all of the hops that you will fly. We will execute and complete various elements of the checkride throughout the training syllabus. Issuance of a racing license will be contingent upon completing all elements of training, and demonstrating the attitude, judgment and skills required to operate safely in the air race environment.
As a reminder, and to be fair to all Rookies, we do not have time to teach aircraft systems or maintenance, so you and your aircraft must come prepared to fly. We also do not teach basic or dissimilar formation skills; you must be formation proficient and current. Prior military formation experience or a FAST or FFI Wingman card is desired. Our FAST ground school will cover a review of the basics of formation flying to establish our class standards, and during PRS we will introduce the required racing formations and procedures, and then you will be expected to perform them correctly.
You should come to PRS familiar and comfortable with:
• SCARA & RARA rules (available on our website Training tab)
• SCARA Basic Formation Guidelines and Standards (available on our website Training tab)
• FAA Order 8900.1, Change 229, Volume 3, Chapter 6, Section 2: “Requirements for Air Race Class Accreditation and Letters of Authorization” (available on our website Training tab)
• Your aircraft’s POH
• Basic aerobatics
• Unusual attitude recoveries
• G-LOC
• Density altitude effects on performance
A Sport Class PRS Instructor will likely ride in your aircraft for at least one sortie. He will not fly in your aircraft if he thinks the equipment condition will not allow for mission accomplishment. Items of particular concern are:
• Cockpit internal/external communication – a loud & clear intercom and external VHF transmission (PTT) capability for the instructor is a must
• Full access to engine controls and flight controls from the instructor seat is required
• Seat belts and shoulder harness must be functional with ability to tighten securely
• Canopies must not be severely cracked, or crazed; we must be able to see through it
• All aircraft must have a fire extinguisher aboard and accessible in flight
Race numbers are required to be on each race aircraft during PRS; check the RARA rules for required dimensions, location, and orientation on the airframe.
Fuel servicing will be available through Aviation Classics, a Phillips 66 dealer. Each aircraft operator may place a credit card on file with Aviation Classics, or may present to the card at the truck for each load of fuel delivered to the aircraft. SCARA has arranged for us to have the pump fuel price for fuel delivered by the truck, which will be stationed on the ramp near our aircraft staging area.
Make sure your aircraft is mechanically sound and fit for at least 10 sorties (4-5 during FAST, 6 during PRS). It is recommended to have enough crew to assist you in aircraft preparation and spotting. This is not required, but will make your PRS experience more manageable.
We are excited as a class to have a large group of highly motivated Rookies joining us for the 2015 PRS. We look forward to flying with you, and if you have any questions as you prepare for FAST and PRS, please don’t hesitate to ask. Your Sport Class Officers and their contact information are listed below:
President Bob Mills (775) 544-3511
Vice President Vicky Benzing (408) 306-9128
Secretary Tom McNerney (816) 309-6038
Treasurer Rick Vandam (775) 742-5640
Cheers,
Bob Mills
President, Sport Class Air Racing Association
2014 PRS Schedule (sample)