Pilot's Update, November 2004

After this successful race season, I would like to share just a few recollections and thoughts with all of you, from the race pilot's perspective.

The previous update detailed in excellent fashion the chronology of the events, from our test flights prior to race week, qualification, a wild goose chase looking for disintegrating aluminum parts, blower change, cylinder change, ignition coils change, final test flights, and the Gold Race. I just need to add to the observations from the previous update, my sense of awe for the dogged determination and tireless dedication for what I consider to be a very dedicated and hard working race crew. Many of you were personal witness to their professionalism.

Some of our guys lived no more than five minutes from the hangar...but never got home for a shower and change of clothes for six days! They worked non-stop, taking periodic, short naps on the couch or on cots behind the parts bin. There simply wasn't enough serendipitous energy left for wild celebration after a successful test run at midnight on Thursday. Then after Friday's heat, I remember expressing concern to Lyle about their state of exhaustion when faced with another all-nighter to change out another cylinder. However, there was not even a hint of retreat in any crewmember's spirit.

They were running on borrowed nervous energy on Sunday, then doubled up their pace when RARA officials announced that we would race approximately 2 hours early to avoid a weather cancel. Last minute adjustments for our "secret sauce" were made from an old chart just prior to pulling out from the hangar. We crossed our fingers that we weren't going to blow two or three jugs through the cowling when putting the "hammer down" on the race start.

Because weather was low to west of the course, we all agreed to a modified rendezvous with the pace plane. After Skip Holm, Mike Brown and I were on board, I recall looking to see if the course was clear. From our position over the east side of the course, climbing southbound at 6500 feet, I couldn't see the "valley of speed" because of the clouds beneath us between our position and the west side of the course!!! I remember thinking: "Jeez...if we blow an engine, we won't be able to pull up for a forced landing...we'll be pulling right up into the clouds...blind to a safe landing runway"! We continued our climbout as the remaining gold racers came on board.

Coming down the chute, the engine was running smoothly, I set RPM for the race, brought the secret sauce on line..."Gentlemen, you have a race"! Power came up as briefed by Lyle, Bill Hickle, Mel Gregoire and our crew chief. With all of the problems we had faced throughout the whole week...and leading right up to the early pullout for this race, I really didn't know what to expect. I was treated to an engine running smoothly and at a horsepower that quite impressed me (still classified).

You all remember that we fell back to third on Saturday with faulty ignition, so were starting out on Mike Brown's wing. After the start, The "Bear" made quick history of the third pole position and I was able to focus immediately on attacking "Dago". The "Bear" and I moved forward steadily to get on Skip's wing. I felt comfortable getting tight on Skip. He's a thorough professional, and since both of us had experience years ago in jet fighters over the skies of North Vietnam, I felt a trust in hanging with him a few feet off the ground, close to 500 mph. Then something strange happened on lap two...

Just before the eastside ridge, "Dago" bobbled a little...I adjusted...then Skip just turned left, well short of pylon four. Since I was on his wing, I initially started to follow, then saw pylon four and had to bank away in a right turn to make it around the outside. Skip went about 280 feet inside pylon four, headed straight for five. From the stands, it must have looked as if "Dago" had just accelerated away from the "Bear". Geometry makes for some strange illusions. I remember thinking that something must be amiss in "Dago's" cockpit, as Skip just doesn't do something like this. Be that as it may, I knew immediately that as long as I kept the "Bear" from getting too greedy on the pylons...we just won the Gold!

It wasn't over yet. Vis on the "valley of speed" was marginal; from six, you could barely see seven and eight. And, it was just plain dark out there! Coming down the valley, I eased out of the secret sauce and reduced power to just maintain one to two seconds behind "Dago". If I pushed Skip, I knew he'd push it up...then I'd push it up...then he'd push it up...Then I'd push it up. Who knows how that might have ended up. I had to make a decision. I consulted with our crew chief. He agreed with me to hold this power and dog Skip to the finish line.

Then on lap four, I noticed smoke down the left side of the fuselage rounding pylon five. "Oh swell...the engine's getting ready to grenade". But it kept running smoothly..? "Better not mess with the power". Next lap, we were smoking again...and the next. Video tapes subsequently show that the "smoke" was condensation over the wing from pulling "gs" in the humidity around pylons five and six. For the rest of the race, I intentionally flew just a little wider and a little higher than I'm accustomed to, just to make sure that no pylon judge would have any doubt that I hadn't cut a pylon. "Bear" and I crossed the finish line 1.18 seconds behind "Dago".

When I pulled power back on the climb for the cool down, I heard a loud screeching coming from forward of the firewall. First thought was that the blower drive we just installed was about to come apart. That would be an immediate engine failure. I normally fly at least two cool down circles to let the "Bear's" engine settle down slowly, but now pulled high for an immediate precautionary approach in anticipation of a flame-out. Focusing on the flameout approach, I didn't do my usual gear check turning base leg. On short final I noticed one gear light not on with a simultaneous call from Race Control that I had one gear not down (gotta love those guys!). Note: the screeching was the hydraulic pump running dry after loosing fluid.

After a go-around, emergency gear lowering and a safe landing we taxied to the grandstands. "Dago's" team was in wild celebration. This was confusing to me as there was no doubt about "Dago's" cut at pylon four. We started a wild celebration immediately, that must have looked strange to the "Dago" team. I subsequently felt bad for the "Dago" folks. After being declared the victors, they had the trophy taken away and it was brought to us. That just ain't the way it should've happened.

Should I have pushed up the power and tried to pass Skip for the finish?

Knowing what we know about the engine's health after the race was over, we certainly could have afforded to make that attempt. Crossing the finish line first is always the preferred and more satisfying way to secure a victory. However, knowing what I knew about the history of this engine during race week, I decided to continue operation where I knew it was healthy since I knew we had the victory secured. We have some things in the works as I write that will allow us to operate next year with more aggressive decision criteria.

So what now? We have a healthy race engine. We're building up another race engine. Aero mods are in the works. And we may be doing some long awaited comparative flight testing between the 3-blade and 4-blade prop this winter. The Jury's still out on which prop is better to race with. We'll keep you advised of the results.

I'd like to give my thanks to everyone supporting this team in every way you do. With this very hard earned win, very special recognition must go to what I consider to be a very dedicated and hard working race crew. Thanks guys, and gals...