Reno Air Racing Press Conference 1/4/12

[LiveAirShowTV]

Our friends at KRNV-TV in Reno, NV tell me they will be streaming it live. Go to: http://www.mynews4.com/ Look for a link to the stream. If we get a direct link in the morning, we will pass that along. Here's hoping for the best!

Jeff Lee
LiveAirShowTV

[Paul Krumrei]

This is a good statement of positive notion "The steps being taken to ensure the event continues will be discussed."

[Paul Krumrei]

The press conference will take place at 11a.m. in the Mt. Rose Ballroom in the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

[Paul Krumrei]

I cannot find a live link anywhere.

[Paul Krumrei]

http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story ... PUNRA.cspx

[airtj]

http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story ... PUNRA.cspx

[mrhenniger]

Did anyone watch it live? I can not stream video at work. Anything to add to their statement below?

Mike

RENO, Nev. (AP, MyNews4.com & KRNV) – The Reno Air Racing Association President Mike Houghton has announced they will hold an event at the Reno – Stead Airport on September 12 – 16 of 2012.

Houghton said his goal is to have an air show and race at that time, moving ahead with plans for this fall's competition despite a tragic crash at last September's races that killed 11 and injured more than 70. Houghton says a memorial will be held to remember the crash. He said it, "needs to be done right."

Association President Mike Houghton said the association is enlisting a panel of experts, including former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall to advise the Reno Air Racing Association on new safety procedures. He expect the panel to present their findings in 90 days.

They are still waiting to get approval for all racing permits needed for the National Championship Air Races. If racing permits are not granted, Houghton said they still plan to have and air event. Houghton added if racing is not allowed it will be last of the event. Race officials say they must secure a number of permits to make sure the competition happens.

Houghton says the fans at the air races overwhelmingly want the event to continue. He said fewer than 20% of attendee from last year’s races asked for refunds.

Tickets are on sale for the race events.

[RandolphB]

So does anyone know where to write to encourage permits to be issued to allow the Racing portion? Between all the Aviation Forums on-line I believe we could get a strong positive turnout in a grassroots effort to see the Races happen again....

[cwmc]

Who would refuse? I believe the FAA, Governor, mayoral positions and local officials are all on board. I wonder why Mike mentioned that?
Chris...

[mustanglover]

Who would refuse? I believe the FAA, Governor, mayoral positions and local officials are all on board. I wonder why Mike mentioned that?
Chris...

The two big ones are the Airport Authority lease and I am sure the insurance binders.

[P51Mstg]

The whole statement boils down to "we are going to try"...


Where did you hear the FAA was "on board"..... Just wondering. Knowing govt agencies, they'd be last to approve and in this case probably only when ordered from higher up....

Did someone find insurance? I'm sure without insurance, the county isn't going to let them use the airport.......

Mark H

[51fixer]

NTSB is having a hearing in DC on Jan 10th regarding Reno Air Races and Airshow safety.
I wonder if the investigation phase of collecting data, and interviews on the accident is completed yet. The hearing is another way of getting input.
Then analysis will be performed. A report with Findings and Recommendations will be presented.
The FAA will then need to study the report and decide what changes need to be made in it's policy, Inspectors Handbook or possibly even the FARs.
The FAA can only make decisions based on the FARs, policies that are written out and what is in its Handbook.
If nothing has changed yet they are using the same info as last year to approve this years Race.
If they are waiting for new rules they won't make a decision until they get them.
With budget cuts and funding issues I wonder what priority this decision making process has at the FAA.

[mustangdriver]

I worry about what the FAA will comeback with. They are also looking into warbirds that do ride programs such as B-17's and others.

[Nathan]

I would not expect anything good to come out of it to be honest. I feel another black cloud will hang over aviation.

[Dudley Henriques]

NTSB is having a hearing in DC on Jan 10th regarding Reno Air Races and Airshow safety.
I wonder if the investigation phase of collecting data, and interviews on the accident is completed yet. The hearing is another way of getting input.
Then analysis will be performed. A report with Findings and Recommendations will be presented.
The FAA will then need to study the report and decide what changes need to be made in it's policy, Inspectors Handbook or possibly even the FARs.
The FAA can only make decisions based on the FARs, policies that are written out and what is in its Handbook.
If nothing has changed yet they are using the same info as last year to approve this years Race.
If they are waiting for new rules they won't make a decision until they get them.
With budget cuts and funding issues I wonder what priority this decision making process has at the FAA.

Looking at it logically, whatever rules and regulations were in place at the moment the accident occurred were obviously inadequate to cope with the physics involved allowing the accident aircraft to transition from its position in 3 dimensional space at the instant the failure occurred to its impact location.

This as well as other factors will be weighed heavily by the governing bodies and the insurance underwriters as the decision process continues toward a final conclusion.

Obviously, the same logic that defined the accident conditions will dictate what has to be done to prevent the same conditions from reoccurring. Most likely result of the FAA and NTSB final finding will be the enforcing of conditions that reflect the aforementioned logic.

At that point I'll be looking for the Reno race community to assess its ability to continue under the new "adjusted conditions".
The final outcome I believe is still very much in doubt. Personally I hope the final solution is workable first from the safety aspect and secondly for the Race community at large.

Dudley Henriques