Recap of the 2014 National Championship Air Races
From the viewpoint of the Reno Air Racing Foundation, dba Pathways to Aviation.
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Introduction The Reno Air Racing Foundation, doing business as Pathways to Aviation, is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization formed in 2004 by the Reno Air Racing Association. Often referred to as simply the “Foundation,” the organization inspires youth through the education and historical preservation of air racing and aviation. The Foundation’s purpose is to encourage and support young men and women to pursue studies and careers in aviation, aerospace and aeronautics; to perpetuate the memory and spirit of aircraft, general aviation and air racing and their places in history; and, to promote and establish relationships with organizations that share and support our common purpose. The Foundation supports programs and initiatives to: Introduce local youth to aviation; Cultivate a desire to fly for recreation, business and career; Promote learning to fly and obtaining a pilot's license; Support scholarships for students needing assistance in aviation-related careers; Perpetuate the growth of aviation, aerospace, and air racing; Engage the aviation community; and, Represent and further the ideals, developments, and strategic direction of aviation. The Foundation meets its mission of supporting education and heritage through: Individual scholarships – support of students pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace. Community support – contributions to local organizations inspiring or inspired by careers and history of aviation and aerospace. Events – coordinate or support events designed to promote and inform about aviation and aerospace. Our signature event continues to bring out the finest in aviation, aerospace, and air racing. The recent 2014 National Championship Air Races proved to be an incredible experience for the Foundation. Thanks to great leadership and extensive planning, the results from the Air Races far exceeded all expectations. Rather than keep the experiences private, we’ve taken the liberty to share how the Foundation leveraged the 2014 National Championship Air Races to establish its purpose, define its role as an aviation leader, and pave the way for an exciting future.
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The Air Races Plan Several months prior to the 2014 National Championship Air Races, members of the Foundation presented a plan to the Reno Air Racing Association board, seeking endorsement and approval. The idea…take a popular visitor area of the Reno-Stead Airport and transform into an education zone for Air Race week. Never in the history of the Air Races had the event served to provide educational programming in the areas of air racing, aviation, aerospace, and unmanned aerial systems. The expansion plan would serve as an educational launching pad for the next 50 years of the National Championship Air Races. The Foundation’s plan focused on introducing, engaging, and inspiring children and people of all ages through educational and experiential programs at the Air Races. Four distinct programs highlighted the plan, designed as key elements of the Foundation’s greater strategic initiative to elevate the presence of aviation, nurture opportunities within aviation communities, and create pathways towards careers.The four programs were: 1. School field trips a. Expectation – we expected to merely meet schools at the entrance and help guide them on tours, culminating in the Foundation/Heritage area. b. Result – we received word about 45 days before the Air Races that we’d be organizing all of the field trips from school recruitment to day of guidance. Field trip numbers increased from 385 students/chaperones in 2013 to 557 this year. 2. Student scavenger hunt a. Expectation – our plan was to recruit an additional 1,000 students from local schools to attend the Air Races at no cost. b. Result – we hit a roadblock with the WCSD, which was dealing with major personnel matters, preventing any formal endorsement and district-wide correspondence. 3. Educational extension a. Expectation – our expectations were low, given that it was a new idea for the Air Races. That said, we expected to introduce aviation organizations and leaders to hundreds, if not thousands, of Air Race patrons. b. Result – our pre-formatted schedule was revised into a more flexible format, enabling for presentations during high traffic and low noise periods. The numbers and reactions far exceeded all hopes and expectations. This was certainly a highlight of the Foundation tent. 4. Historical preservation a. Expectation – our quest was to increase National Aviation Heritage Invitational (NAHI) promotions, enhance the Heritage area visitor experience, and increase voting numbers. b. Result – we’re still awaiting the final voting tally, but are confident that there was a major increase. Including NAHI in the Foundation tent, through special presentations, personal visits, and placement of voting bins, provided for significant increases. The Foundation’s relationship with NAHI reached new and unexpected heights. The strategic initiative paid immediate dividends. The ROI from the vision-turned-success most definitely laid the foundation for extraordinary growth for the Foundation and its beneficiaries. 3
Detailed Daily Recaps A daily review of the Foundation’s Air Race plan provides evidence of the success and impact felt by many throughout the week. To start, a brief recap of the original plan. For the first time in National Championship Air Races history, a location on the Reno-Stead Airport campus would serve as an aviation educational hub. The Pathways to Aviation tent would feature aviation leaders, representing many organizations providing services and education in unique ways. Wednesday, September 10 Upon arrival to the Air Race “campus” (as we coined it), we were met by a number of leaders from aviation-related organizations. These leaders were invited, by us, to share their missions, visions, and engagement opportunities to all Air Race patrons. The idea of including these organizations stemmed from an experiment tested last year, where we included two of the organizations in the Foundation’s 10’x20’ tent. The arrivals of these leaders were met by great delight, when they saw the size of the tent and visualized their presence. Although the plan was mapped in advance of the Air Race week, seeing the tent propped, walled, and carpeted made created an overwhelming sense of reality and possibilities. The tent provided 2,400 square feet of education space featuring 80 seats, 20 tables, and an A/V system (featuring large speakers and two large tv screens). The interior perimeter of the educational space featured the following organizations. Challenger Learning Center – offers dynamic, hands-on exploration and discovery opportunities to students in northern Nevada. Perlan Project – an aeronautical exploration and atmospheric science research organization that utilizes sailplanes designed to fly at extremely high altitudes. Nevada Aviation Museum – a newly forming non-profit organization focused on the restoration and preservation of past and present aircraft. Shades of Blue – dedicated to mentoring, tutoring, counseling, and arranging internship and employment referrals for young people who desire to pursue STEM careers. Reno Aviation Museum – dedicated to aviation’s preservation, restoration, replication, archiving, and education. Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center – introduces children of all ages to space and planetary exploration.
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Civil Air Patrol – the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force maintaining three primary missions: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services. National Aviation Heritage Invitational (NAHI) – encourages the preservation of aviation through the restoration of vintage aircraft to original flying condition. 99s – women pilots who promote advancement of aviation through education, scholarships, and mutual support.
Set up of the tent was fairly simple to complete and well in advance of most of the day’s visitors, including one field trip. Carson Montessori brought a group of 25 students and teachers to the Air Race campus for a field trip. They were first and only studentfilled group on campus for the day. They were met by Pete, who introduced them to Betty Sherman and her team of volunteers from the National Air Racing Group, better known as “NAG.” These volunteers provided them with instructions prior to guiding them towards the pits, grandstands, and Heritage area. The group of 25 ended up in the Foundation tent, where they were met by the partner agencies and taken through various activities. The remaining hours of the day were spent welcoming Air Race patrons into the tent, inviting them to learn more about the various organizations and aviation-related programs.
Thursday, September 10 The second day of the Air Races was quite similar to the first, marked by smaller crowds (as compared to the weekend), and a handful of students. As the afternoon came around, so did about 100 members of the Reed High School JROTC. The students sporadically filtered into the tent, where they visited the various organization reps, competed in the hands-on air racing game, and tried their hands at flying the simulator. Many students spent up to four hours in the tent, some of whom attended class-style presentations made by aviation experts.
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Friday, September 11 The day began with the much anticipated monthly UAS Collaborative Meeting, where leaders in aviation and unmanned aerial systems gathered for updates, news, and networking. Though 35 attendees formally RSVPd for the meeting, well over 70 experts and enthusiasts filled the Foundation tent. The meeting began with a National Championship Air Race update, provided by RARA board member Mary Beth Sewald. The meeting continued with presentations made by several experts, including Warren Rapp (Northern Nevada Range Coordinator, Bowhead) and Tom Wilczek (Industry Specialist – Aerospace & Defense, Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development). Post meeting conversations and networking continued for quite some time, allowing attendees to spend extra time discussing UAS activities and enjoying the Air Races.
A few hours passed before the onslaught of school children was expected. The third and final field trip day was the best attended by students and their chaperones. In fact, more students were registered to attend than the all students in 2013 (combined). Expected in attendance were 181 high schoolers, 100 middle schoolers, and 151 homeschoolers. The majority of students visited in the afternoon, given the long walk from Gate 1, where they were dropped off, to Gate 10, where the buses were scheduled to meet them.
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Much like students on Wednesday and Thursday, students visiting the tent participated in air racing races, the flight simulator, and listened to classroom-style presentations.
Saturday, September 12 This was the most highly anticipated day of the Air Race week. We had a full slate of classes scheduled, but no clear indication of how the day would unfold. We expected students to return with their families (which many did), as well as many new faces, who couldn’t make it out during the work week. Given the flow of traffic into the Heritage section, we revised our schedule to fit the flow and Air Race noise. Four of the groups exhibiting in the Foundation tent made presentations. In addition, Allan Lockheed visited the tent, on two occasions, to spend time telling stories of his father and various aviation exploits. During both visits, the number of visitors inflated to large groups occupying most of the chairs. Allan was an exceptional guest, who graciously answered many questions.
In addition to the presentations, the day was marked by high traffic to the tent, where visitors visited the Challenger Learning Center, participated in the air racing game, tested their skills on the flight simulator, and voted for their favorite vintage airplane as part of NAHI’s People’s Choice Award. Sunday, September 13 The final day of the Air Races turned out to be our most spectacular days. On a day which featured the championship races for the various Air Race categories, the Foundation tent sure had its collection of victories. As is typical, the final day of racing is highlighted the National Aviation Heritage Invitational Awards Ceremony. This year’s awards ranked as one of the finest. Eric Henry emceed the Awards, where honors were bestowed in several categories. The highest honor, the Neil A. Armstrong National Aviation Heritage Trophy, was present to Dave and Jeanne Allen for their 1934 Waco YKC. Special thanks to ISTAT Foundation, Perform Air, and Historic Flight Foundation for sponsoring the awards. The awards presentation was featured live on jumbo-trons throughout the Air Race campus and to thousands of online viewers. Click here to watch the five minute awards presentation. 7
Soon after the awards cleared out, the Foundation tent welcomed two exceptional and highly decorated aviators. Dick Rutan and Bud Anderson each spent over an hour to tell stories and talk about aviation to standing room only crowds in the Foundation tent. The two presentations marked the ideal way to end the National Championship Air Races for the Foundation tent. Hundreds of patrons visited the Foundation tent, just while these two had the microphone. Thousands had already visited the tent and Heritage section prior to and during the awards ceremony.
Air Race Week Highlights It’s important to open the “highlight” section with a big thank you to the E.L. Cord Foundation. Without their contribution, the activities, connections, learning, displays, or unexpected visits would not have taken place. The effect of their donation enabled hundreds of students to participate in special field trips, perhaps another thousand to become inspired about aviation, seven non-profit organizations visited by thousands of potential donors and volunteers, and the creation of exciting new opportunities. For these benefits and more, we are truly grateful. Foundation highlights during Air Race week include: Field trips In all, 557 students and chaperones visited the National Championship Air Races through scheduled field trips. These individuals represented from 10 middle schools, high schools, and home school programs in Nevada and California. While not every student made it to the Foundation tent as part of their visit, many students participated in educational workshops, expert presentations, air race competitions, and flight simulations. In addition, these students learned how non-profit organizations were working together to supplement STEM education through aviation-related principles. As the predominant reason for the expanded tent and programming, the field trip program proved extremely beneficial at this year’s Air Races. Agency presentations and exhibits Seven non-profit aviation-supporting organizations played an active role in the Foundation tent and another four had a small presence. These eleven entities joined together to display a unified front to invite, engage, and inspire current and future aviation enthusiasts. Representatives of these groups interacted with thousands of Air Race patrons who
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visited the Foundation tent to learn, participate in activities, and vote for their favorite vintage aircraft. Checkered Flag The Reno Air Racing Foundation’s relationship with the Reno Air Racing Association has been strong, but no stronger than during the Air Races. The Foundation was asked to support the needs of the Checkered Flag tent, particularly to present its daily lunch speakers. Foundation board chair, Eric Henry, filled the role as emcee for three lunches and one evening gathering of Checkered Flag members. He was fortunate to meet and introduce aviation leaders, such as Allan Lockheed, Captain Lief Steinbaugh (Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station Fallon), Mary and Rex Pemberton (award winning aerobatic team), and Ardyth Williams (Authorization Manager for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, FAA Air Traffic Organization). North Valleys JROTC volunteers Thanks to Lieutenant Colonel George Fleck, USAF (ret.), who coordinates the North Valleys High School JROTC, 27 cadets volunteered in the Foundation tent on Saturday and Sunday. These young men and women learned about the organizations exhibiting in the tent, as a way of properly welcoming patrons into the Heritage area and inviting them to the Foundation tent. Allan Lockheed If there was a pleasant surprise of the week, it was Allan Lockheed. We had speakers lined up throughout the week, but Allan came to us offering to speak and meet with Air Race patrons. On Air Race Saturday, Allan visited the tent on two separate occasions to spend no less than one hour (apiece) with guests, sharing stories, ideas, and visions for the future. His comments about aviation careers certainly inspired the young people witnessing his presentations. A brief bio – Allan Jr. inherited a family tradition of innovation, productivity and interest in new horizons. Among numerous Loughead achievements, his father, Allan Sr. founded Lockheed Aircraft Co., Uncle Malcolm invented 4 wheel hydraulic brakes / created the Lockheed Hydraulic Brake Co., and Uncle Victor Lougheed patented a process to make machine tool alloys containing integral synthetic diamonds (which was purchased by deBeers). His firm, Allan Lockheed & Associates, owns and operates income property, and also provides software and technical consulting to high performance engine developers. Allan is personally active in several aviation organizations, providing young people with personal experience of flight, properly building airplanes, and relating these activities to the achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen and earlier pioneers of the previous Golden Age of Flight. UAS Collaborative meeting Having formed roughly six months ago as a means of assembling the brainpower, vision, information, and trends of aviation and UAS leaders, the UAS Collaborative Group’s September meeting was held in the Foundation tent. It was the best attended meeting to date and certainly 9
established the Foundation as an important force within the aviation community. Given that Nevada is an unmanned aerial systems test site, the meeting set the standard by which all future UAS Collaborative assemblies would be compared. AACT Service Learning The Foundation was contacted by three AACT students, who wanted to produce promotional videos for the Foundation. We accepted, but encouraged them to tape three-minute spots for the seven organizations exhibiting in the tent. Soon after completing the interviews, the students stayed to videotape most of the special presentations made by Dick Rutan and Bud Anderson. Though the students continue to work on their service learning project, we eagerly anticipate the final productions, which will be used to promote organizations which the Foundation supports. NAHI Awards The annual National Aviation Heritage Invitational Awards were incredibly successful. Even before the success, the Foundation forged an official relationship to serve as NAHI’s funding agent to enhance their vision and set the tone for a sustained presence at future Air Races. The Foundation and NAHI worked together to draw more patrons to the Heritage area. This included working with their funding partners, LiveAirShowTV, and social media to generate greater awareness through promotions. The result was a jam-packed awards ceremony with a new and incredible backdrop. Perhaps even better were the positive comments shared by award sponsors, presenters, and recipients. Dick Rutan We invited NAHI leaders to recommend aviation leaders to speak in the Foundation tent during Air Race week. They immediately suggested Dick Rutan and Bud Anderson. Earning his pilot’s license on his 16th birthday, Dick Rutan embarked on an amazing aviation adventure that continues today. When asked how he defined success he told a crowd of students, “Success for me is when I can stand underneath the airplane at the National Air and Space Museum and say ‘I built this and flew it around the world.’ That, to me, is my real success.” Continuing, he said, “You have to find your own pathway, even if it involves taking risks, and don’t accept limitations.” As an Air Force pilot he flew 325 combat missions in the Vietnam War with 105 of them with the top-secret MISTY group. Chief test pilot for the Rutan Aircraft Factory in Mojave, 10
California and set numerous world speed and distance records in the Rutan Long-EZ. Made the first nonstop, non-refueling around the world flight in the Voyager aircraft in nine days in December 1986. CLICK HERE for an extended biography. Bud Anderson As a fighter pilot with over 7,500 hours logged in over 130 types of aircraft, Bud Anderson once named his top three aircraft. The P-51, he said, because, “it’s a beautiful aircraft, flies like it looks, and the Merlin engine has an incredible sound.” He considers the F-86 “the fighter pilot’s fighter.” And the F-15, “Well, it has all the latest bells and whistles.” But when comparing the aircraft of the 1940s to today technical marvels, he exclaimed, “My what I would have given for a GPS during World War II!” Anderson served two combat tours in Europe, flying 116 missions the P-51 Mustang and was a triple ace. During Vietnam, he commanded the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, flying F-105s on bombing strikes against enemy supply lines. Anderson was decorated 26 times for his military service. CLICK HERE for an extended biography.
Summary Goal statement before the Air Races… The Foundation’s goal for the 2014 National Championship Air Races is to enhance patron experience through education and greater interactivity. Through active personal involvement through race week, patrons will become more informed, engaged, emotionally invested, and inspired. Whether inspiration feeds their love of learning or history, we designed our programs to be the catalytic force. We expect to see increases in future air race attendance, career pursuits, donors and volunteers, and overall aviation enthusiasts. Result… We may never truly be able to measure the success of the 2014 National Championship Air Races. With thousands of Air Race patrons visiting the Foundation tent via field trips, activities and workshops, the NAHI Awards, the UAS Collaborative meeting, our seven exhibiting organizations, and regular social media messaging, the effects could last lifetimes. For now, we’ll live with the following: 2,400 – square feet of space dedicated to aviation history and education 7 – organizations exhibiting in the Foundation tent 4 – other organizations with a presence in the tent 557 – students and chaperones representing 10 middle schools, high schools, and homeschool programs 11
28 – vintage aircraft featured via NAHI in the Heritage area 70 – plus attendees to the UAS Collaborative Group meeting 125 – plus attendees to both presentations made by Dick Rutan and Bud Anderson
We weren’t able to calculate the number of patrons visiting the Foundation tent, but it’s in the thousands. We hope to receive a tally of votes for NAHI’s People’s Choice Award, which we expect to far exceed last year’s figures.
Relationships… Similar to some of the figures, we’re finding it difficult to measure the impact of the relationships developed as a result of the Air Races. These include: NAHI – creating an official relationship was just the beginning of a great partnership. LiveAirShowTV – we already began a relationship with this group, but it clearly reached a new level. This relationship is poised to flourish. ISTAT Foundation – introduced to us by our NAHI and LiveAirShowTV connections, we quickly recognized a valuable synergy with ISTAT and look forward to exciting partnership possibilities. ROPA – we were fortunate to make their acquaintance during the Air Races and are now excited about future possibilities with this new funding partner. Centigrade & Artifact – several meetings before and during the Air Races have all the makings of an exciting opportunity for the Foundation, its beneficiaries, and next year’s Air Races. Perform Air – introduced through its role as a NAHI sponsor, this company may become a partner in inspiring careers for young men and women. There were others, as this represents a short list of relationships developed or strengthened during Air Race week.
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Bright skies ahead… The Reno Air Racing Foundation has been in existence for 10 years. Though some of the Foundation’s board and staff have only been involved with the organization for a few years, it’s safe to say that the Foundation’s image, performance, partnerships, and value are at an all-time high. Its future, quite honestly, is extremely bright. Case in point, the E.L. Cord Foundation’s contribution to enable the expansion of the Foundation tent and the implementation of the education plan, propelled the relationship with the Washoe County School District to a new height. As of today, the Foundation is developing a plan to infuse aviation into STEM curriculum in elementary schools. This would not have been made possible without the ability to welcome additional schools and an increased number of students to the Air Races this year. Strong partnerships, increased funding, fresh ideas, educational impact, extraordinary leadership, and historical preservation will be the Foundation’s identifying tokens. Pathways to Aviation is on a path of true success. Join the Crew will continue as our “call to action” as we seek fresh leadership, new support, and inspiring vision. Many thanks to those who’ve supported this incredible organization, beginning with our friends at the E.L. Cord Foundation. Their endorsement of our mission and investment in our vision have set the foundation from which the organization’s growth and impact will be felt both immediately and well into the future.
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