EAA Sport Aviation - February 2012

B- 17 FEATURED ON PAWN STARS

EAA’S B- 17 ALUMINUM OVERCAST was featured on the History Channel’s popular show Pawn Stars on December 19. Richard Harrison, better known as “Old Man” on the series, and Austin Russell, known as “Chumlee,” visited Aluminum Overcast

during its October 11-12 tour stop at North
Las Vegas Airport (VGT). The visit was
incorporated into the December 19 episode
when George Daubner, EAA B- 17 program
manager, provided a ground tour of the air-
craft, followed by a flight for the two in the
venerable bomber. The show is available
online for viewing at your convenience.
Visit www.SportAviation.org for a link.
Note: The first mention of the B- 17 is at 8: 48
of the episode, and the extended segment fea-
turing Aluminum Overcast begins at 13: 45.

Blue ribbon panel to study possible changes to ensure safety
RENO AIR RACES MOVING FORWARD WITH 2012 PLANS

MIKE HOUGHTON, RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION (RARA) presi-
dent and CEO, announced in early January that the associa-
tion will hold the 49th Reno National Championship Air
Races on September 12-16, 2012, at Stead Airport.

Houghton said the association is in the process of acquiring the permits and FAA waivers required to hold the event, which was cut short last year by the crash of Jimmy Leeward’s Galloping Ghost Unlimited P- 51 that resulted in 11 deaths and more than 70 injuries.

“We’re moving ahead,” Houghton said, noting that pre-
paring for the air races is a year-round process. He called last
year’s crash—the first-ever at Reno that resulted in the death
of spectators—a terrible tragedy that “will not become the
concluding epilogue of the historic Reno National Air Races.”
As plans for the event proceed, an appointed blue ribbon
panel of aviation experts will study all aspects of the races,
both on and off the pylon course, to determine what can be
done in the areas of safety. Panel members include:
• Jim Hall, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from
1994-2001;

• Nick Sabatini, former FAA associate administrator for aviation safety;
• Jon Sharp, winningest pilot in the history of air racing (his Nemesis Air
Racing team won a record 15 Reno championships); and
• Steve Hinton, Unlimited champion Reno racer and one of the world’s
most well-known and respected pilots.

After reviewing all aspects of the races, the panel will make any deter-
minations and recommendations within 90 days, Houghton said.
If for any reason it is determined that the air races cannot be held,
Houghton said an alternative aviation event and memorial tribute to
the 2011 victims would be organized.
Houghton said future updates would be posted on www.AirRace.org
and the Reno Air Races Facebook page.

LONGTIME EDITOR ‘DIALS BACK’

LONGTIME EAA EDITOR MARY JONES has semiretired, reducing her hours to 25 per week. Mary started with EAA in December 1983 as an editorial assistant, working under the direction of Jack and Golda Cox, Gene Chase, and Norm Petersen. Throughout the years Mary has served as editor of an evolving group of EAA publications, beginning with Ultralight and the Light Plane and including Light Plane World, Experimenter, and Sport Pilot & Light-Sport Aircraft. Most recently she served as the editor of EAA Sport Aviation and was a member of the team that led the redesign that was introduced in January 2010.

Reflecting on her career, Mary said, “Twenty-eight years ago I set upon a somewhat daring adventure, coming to work at EAA when I knew nothing about airplanes. I’ve learned a lot about aircraft during those 28 years and, as Paul always says, a lot about people, but mostly I have had the pleasure to get know hundreds, maybe thousands, of wonderful people all over the world. But there comes a time to change one’s life up a bit, and several months back I decided that time for me was now; the stress of 28 years of deadlines takes its toll! As executive editor of Sport Aviation, I’ll participate in various events for EAA, but it’s time to dial