This is the most relatable segment of airplane racing to me. Interesting timing that I just read the Kitplanes feature about Justin Meaders, then see him win this one. Also always good to see an Arnold design being competitive, as in the hands of Mr Senegal here.
Make no mistake: these aren't really attainable for most at this level. If you saw the list of 20~100 names on each airplane... Along with a dozen sponsors... The O-200 is said to only survive 2-20 hours of this abuse. Often spinning bearings, smoking $4,500 crankshafts, blowing holes thru $5000 cases, not to mention wearing out $2,000 worth of jugs regularly. They claim to be limited in mods, but the rules show you must use custom forged pistons and all sorts of tricks like specific bore-over and offset-grinds to attain maximum benefit. Its not a stock engine, literally everything can be modified if you read the rules. An engine probably costs $15,000-$30,000 to do right, and lasts maybe 1-10% of its normal TBO. You are blowing $2k-15k PER HOUR of operation plus travel and lodging for 4-6 person crew. This year was a good time until the last day. Other than many famous airplanes were not at Reno unfortunately. What IF1 needs going forward, to make it truly "International" and also an "Everymans" air race, is to use bone stock Rotax 912iS/iS Sport engines as-supplied from the factory. No tunes. Stock muffler. Rpm limiter, 130mm prop extension limits, etc. This would almost eliminate blown engines, and make the competition about the aircraft, aerodynamics, design, and piloting instead of old-school ford flathead 1932 hot rodding and blowing engines left and right in airplanes that stall/spin around 65-70kts... they also need red bull pylons instead of (get this) TELEPHONE POLES with STEEL BARRELS around the tops... Like WTF? Who would buzz a line of telephone poles at 250mph and attempt to get as close as possible in a 70-degree banked turn at 50' above the ground? With other planes under/beside in your blind spot so the only way out is thru a 1-ton pole or terra firma? That's dangerous and stupid, imo.
It's the perfect shape for racing - and this comes from a European. Historically, it allowed for testing at the highest speeds technologically feasable, while being easy to build and great to spectate.
