Digressing:
It will take a year or two [at least ] for the investigations to conclude. If Reno is re-run it would not be before 2013/14 at the minimum. No insurer will cover them without a thorough risk analysis and things in place to prevent future losses. Remember that the insurance industry is NOT interested in air racing.
One could possibly make a case for "low energy" classes like F1/Biplane/T-6 but jets and unlimiteds as we've seen are high kinetic energy 'weapons' if they go out of control.
Comparing air racing to motor racing isn't valid. Cars/bikes/boats can't as a rule access the public these days. An aircraft racer is a "free agent" and not a control-line model.
Here's a note rom the great Howie Keefe - the original Miss America..from Howie Keefe: - Aviation Legend --
I doubt the loss of an elevator trim caused Jimmy to dive in. At those speeds, we usually have a slight nose down trim. What might have happened is that if the trim blew off and he suddenly started to climb at what I called the Devil's Corner** it distracted him enough that caused him to go wide on the turn and in trying to get back as to not over fly the deadline ahead, he pulled back too hard and went into a high speed stall that, as one witness said, looked like he went into an involuntary lomcevak ( a somersault.)
I had that going wide at Devil's corner and choose to go behind the stands once and be disqualified rather then risk a high speed stall trying a tight turn to get back before the deadline came up. Cutting the deadline (a line down the center of the runway that starts where the stands start, not down where the pits start) that in all air shows the FAA says must be 2,000 feet away from the crowd line, can cost you not only being disqualified, but also the FAA may cancel your license. But going behind the stands is considered by the FAA as making a wise decision, but, naturally you have to be disqualified for leaving the race course in that particular race.
** I called it the Devil's Corner, because it is the only pylon turn on the race course where if you go wide, you have to immediately decide to make the Devil's Decision of going behind the stands or risk a high speed stall to get back before the deadline starts. What makes it a critical point is that the turn comes at the end of a straightaway where you are going your fastest--its easily a mile long and you are going "downhill" from about a 200' higher altitude that adds to your "flat & level" speed---really screaming. In my 11 years of Unlimited Air Racing at Reno, I must have come at that pylon over 500 times reminding myself to start my turn at least 3 seconds before getting there so as not to go too wide. Being distracted in those few seconds is critical.
I recall one race where Bob Hoover, who flew the pace plane to start our races and after the start flew overhead to keep an eye out for any problems, uncharacteristically dropped down on the race course flying at normal speed. I came upon him about a half-mile short of Devil's Corner and called out for him to hold his course because I was going to pass and make a turn right in front of him. He immediately left the course and later apologized.
Howie Keefe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV0nMJvnhz8I have been biting my tongue about that. I have been looking at the photos going: If the trim tab caused it, why did it only break off "AFTER" he was inverted and on the downside of the roll, AND if it DID break off - would it affect the elevator, now that flutter was gone and airflow going straight back? ( not assuming anything ) just curious. It just doesn't calculate in my little pea brain of mine.
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