Camaraderie, airmanship and uncooperative weather make for memorable event

By ANN Contributor Pat Purcell

Day 2 Update

The Marion Jayne U.S. Air Race continued across the high country. The racers turned into comrades and competitors, appreciative of the skills they discovered in their fellow travelers.

With the exception of two Grumman Tigers, each model airplane was different, each pilot trying to find the tailwinds needed to exceed their handicap.  Alas, this is the week all the spare winds seemed to gather their entire force in Florida and little was left for us.

Being one of the slower airplanes, we'd rather everyone had a strong tailwind because it works on the slowest, the longest. We also had a secret weapon, which I'll reveal if you promise not to tell.  Fran Bera is one of the country's winningest racers and she pulled past us in her Comanche.  We could see the sun glinting off her polished airplane as she pulled away, but we continued to see her altitude selection for winds and matched her. All's fair, right?

The Farmington to Dalhart leg introduced us to the grandeur of the high desert Navajo country. The 10,000 foot ridges surprised us with their lack of rough air in the early afternoon.

We flew off the edge of the ancient mountains at Angel Fire (NM) resolved to visit that beautiful spot again one day on the ground. The chart elevations turned from dark brown to beige, and then green as we passed lower terrain going into Dalhart (TX).

However, sightseeing wasn't all that was going on.  About half the racers stopped at Winfield (KS), planning on better winds the next day. The other half went on, reading the weather differently. Patty and I continued on to Mexico City (MO).  Tomorrow will tell who was right.

Day 3 Update

All the air racers arrived by deadline in Valparaiso (IN) after flying six legs of the 2,100 mile Marion Jayne Air Race.  On September 4 the field launches together for the final leg into the Cleveland National Air Show.

The competition is so close that the final leg will determine the winner. The racers have been running neck-to-neck for 1,800 miles.  Many different strategies have been employed and not a single pilot thinks he has this race in the bag.

Winners of this event will be announced and awards made on September 4 during the Air Show.   The pressure will truly be on the front runners at this point, as they have one more race to fly, the Cleveland 300, before the winner of the Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy for 2004 can be named.

On Sunday, September 5, the racers will again take to the sky and that same day the winners will be announced and the trophies presented.  The air race is proud to announce that a special trophy will be awarded by Pat Thaden Webb, daughter of Louise Thaden. Louise won the 1929 First Women's Air Derby and the 1936 Bendix Trophy Race.  Both of these races flew from California to the Cleveland National Air Show.

Day 4 Update

Devil Badweather caught up with us today. After three days of good flying weather across America, our final leg became the weather challenge.

After a wakeup call at 0530, load and preflight the airplane, we enjoyed an EAA fly-in pancake breakfast, and were ready to fly by 0700.  Except for the ground fog in Valpariaso (IN), the plan worked well.  Then it went downhill.

The leg was to be a short shot to Cleveland (OH), but first we ran into bad weather. Next, a sports team had a game scheduled at a stadium near the Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, and of course airshows and air races cannot place small airplanes near athletic events. More delay.

To top it off, the President chose today to visit Cleveland, making the destination airport off-limits. All these problems were solved for a 1400 takeoff, seven hours late and just in time for afternoon thunderstorms.

The Valpariaso to Cleveland leg was a classic demonstration of sportsmanship.  I was proud to be among a group of pilots, each intent upon winning the race while looking out for each other.

Visibility was murky, but the Baron in front relayed visibility and small thunderstorm developments along the course. The pilots talked to each other for safety, volunteering their distance from Cleveland as the faster passed the slower in the less than wonderful visibility.

The only secret was altitude, for the best tailwinds were a trade secret.  It was necessary to contact Toledo approach as we transited their airspace and the controller asked one airplane to verify 3,500 feet altitude. The response was "affirmative, but please don't tell my friends," the joke being that we were all on frequency and listening. Air racing is challenging, educational and fun among generous people of such integrity.

Next -- the race results! Stay tuned!

FMI: www.us-airrace.org