A pretty good turnout this year showed up at Bill Riegel Model Airpark at the Salem Airport to do speed battle. Saturday morning weather was a total surprise with heavy overcast and cool temps, which made for a slow start of the contest. The cold stuff burned off about noon and then it was warm and windy. Sunday started off warm and windy, and then proceeded to get warmer and windier yet. A check with the airport weather station showed 2 PM conditions to be 86 degrees with steady 15 mph wind and gusts to 23. It did get stronger later on.
The winds kept some of the small birds on the ground, especially on Sunday. But as Scott Newkirk noted, what we experienced would be considered fairly normal in different parts of the country. Guess we should be thankful for the more normally calm conditions when we have them.
Miscellaneous notes in no particular order or importance:
Again, we had a good turnout of fliers, as we even had two or three usual suspects missing. The entire Beers Brigade from Montana made the trek, although Danilla and Jenessa opted to sit out the windy conditions.
On the sidelines, kitbitzers Bill Husted and Tom Knoppi each added their own brand of color commentary and comedy during the proceedings. There were also several spectators dropping by during the action.
The action started off with the Broadway Bod Busters speed division getting right into the F2D Proto event. Don McKay immediately set a new NW record, then teammate Ken Burdick used all his flights trying to catch him.
Ted Gritzmacher showed up with his new Formula 40 ship. Put in one very good test flight but then had to hang it up for the weekend due to a stressed-out wing. He will get that fixed and have it for next time.
The team of Ken Kortness and Scott Newkirk put in plenty of flights in the A, B and D classes. The late Ron Salo's long-standing D record finally went away not once but twice during the meet.
"Dangerous" Dick Salter burnt his hand starting his Ironsides jet, and then managed to start a grass fire in the pit area. Guess we all better closely watch that accumulated fuel in the tailpipe after a flight, eh?
Laura Beers got in some good flight time around the pylon. She would have had the NASS NW 21 Proto record had her plane not developed some kind of fuel feed problem.
Ron Bennett's F2A bird flew fast, with Scott Newkirk doing a good job of proxy pilot.
The contest director got lazy and left all his planes in the truck. Good thing I usually get to pilot a couple of the entries.
There were plenty of test flights during the weekend, and lots of discussion and enthusiasm about that "next project" and the next event.
Northwest Standings Points in parentheses
1/2-A PROTO
(3 entries)
1. Don McKay, Redmond, Wash, 77.92 mph (3)
2. Ron Bennett, Monmouth, Ore., 50.37 (2)
F2D PROTO (2 entries)
1. Don McKay, 103.94 mph (2) (Northwest record, eclisping Ken Burdick's
97.41 mph of May 25, 2008)
2. Ken Burdick, Kent, Wash., 96.34 (1)
A SPEED (1 entry)
1. Kortness-Newkirk Team, Kent, Wash.,, 137.85 mph (1) (Northwest record,
eclipsing Scott Newkirk record of 136.72 mph of May 24, 2008)
FAI SPEED (1 entry)
1. Ron Bennett, 170.24 mph (1)
.21 SPORT SPEED (4 entries)
1. Loren Howard, Ariel, Wash., 151.64 mph (4)
2. Laura Beers, Great Falls, Mont., 129.82 (3)
3. Bill Allen, Lake Stevens, Wash., 100.12 (2)
4. Greg Beers, Great Falls, Mont., attempt (1)
.21 PROTO SPEED (1 entry)
1. Laura Beers, attempt (1)
B SPEED, (3 entries)
1. Kortness-Newkirk, 144.29 mph (3)
2. Greg Beers, 132.0 (2)
3. Ted Gritzmacher, Battle Ground, Wash., 114.9 (1)
D SPEED (2 entries)
1. Kortness-Newkirk, 174.01 mph (2) (Northwest record, eclipsing Ron
Salo record of 171.85 mph of May 27, 2000.)
2. Ted Gritzmacher, 171.61 (1)
NORTHWEST SPORT JET SPEED (3 entries)
1. Dick Salter, Tenino, Wash., 141.11 mph (3)
2. Loren Howard, 140.11 (2)
3. Ted Gritzmacher, 122.89 12)
AMA JET SPEED (1 entry)
1. Dick Salter, 170.06 mph (1)
This page was upated Sept. 9, 2008