Three-Time Champ John Parker Is Blacklisted

For more than three decades, John Parker and American Air Racing have been highly noticeable fixtures at the Reno Air Races. In fact, when John retired from his flying job at the airlines, he decided to move to Stead Field in Reno (NV), home of the annual races and air show.

That was six years ago. Now, the three-time national champion and his aircraft have been banned from participating at the Reno event this year. Parker says, it's all because his name was associated with a band of Stead tenants whose complaints about RARA restrictions at Stead during the two-week event led to a meeting between the local airport authority and the RARA executive committee. Parker, it would seem, is guilty by association.

On August 5th, Parker returned from Oshkosh (WI) to find a letter on his desk. It was from Mike Houghton, the RARA executive director. The letter informed Parker that his racing privileges had been suspended because he was deemed a troublemaker. So, RARA's Houghton wrote Parker, "This decision is not negotiable, as the Executive Committee had recently heard that you have personally made attempts to interfere with the relationship between the Reno Air Races and the Airport Authority of Washoe County (AAWC), as well as the tenants of Stead Airport. Your continued activities in this vein are most disturbing. As the Reno Air Races are "invitational" in nature, we are withdrawing our invitation to you as an owner, primary or alternate race pilot."

In short, Parker lost his "invitation" to race his Thunder Mustang in the Sports Division. Also, his Glasair III, which he leased to Lee Dodd of Tahachapi (CA) to race in this year's Unlimited competition, has also been grounded by RARA. Since Dodd can't race the Glasair-III, Parker has terminated the lease. That, he says, cost him approximately $5,000.

What's The Beef?

Parker says he and his fellow Stead tenants virtually have to shut down for two weeks out of every year for the Reno Air Races and the accompanying show. Specifically, they're torked about the dusk-til-dawn restriction on traffic at 4SD. While the festivities end each day at between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., the airport only remains open to general aviation traffic from 4:30 or so until local sundown. Parker says he was told by the RARA it's a matter of security. They don't want to staff the flightline and all the accompanying exhibits 24/7. But Parker says that's cutting into his aircraft-building business and besides, it's just not fair to the people who park at Stead all year long.

And for expressing that opinion, Parker is banned.

"It's a really nice place, 50 weeks out of the year," Parker told ANN in a telephone interview Sunday. What Parker doesn't understand is the RARA's relatively new, cold-shoulder attitude. "The problem is only coming up now," he said. "I think our success changed RARA's attitude. Issues of access and use have always been there. This all of a sudden came up."

Parker is a three-time NARA champion and, since becoming involved in the organization in the 1960s, has almost always finished "in the money."

"My reaction was major disbelief," Parker said. "There were not interested in talking about anything. They sent the CEO (Michael Houghton) over to talk with me. We spend an hour together and I didn't say 20 words."

So Now What?

Parker continues to ready his TM-1 Thunder Mustang for this year's races. "But personally, I don't hold much hope," he said. "But we're continuing to plan our race participation." As far as more meetings with RARA aimed at perhaps reaching an accommodation, Parker says "Nothing is scheduled. The Executive Committee is sticking with its decision to throw me out."

ANN tried to contact RARA President and CEO Mike Houghton, but got no response.

FMI: www.americanairracing.com, www.airrace.org