Air Races

A week of fast flying in pictures of an awesome showcase gives a glimpse into the airmanship and sportsmanship on display.

The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) has released the competitor lineups for the 2021 Stihl National Championship Air Races planned for September 15 to 19 in Reno, Nevada. Qualifying heats begin ahead of the action on September 13. A total of 155 pilots plan to test their mettle, each flying one of the 145 aircraft […]

While much of the aviation industry is increasingly returning to normal as the pandemic subsides, there are lingering signs that COVID-19 is restricting aviation activities. The Air Race Classic, an air race for female aviators with roots going back as far as 1929, was set to take place last week, but the organizers chose a […]

Based in Kenai, Alaska, a coastal city southwest of Anchorage on the mouth of the Kenai River, Robert Taylor, owner/operator/builder of a four-place kit-built Bearhawk has access to shorelines, waterways, and often-frozen tundra throughout the year. To make full use of his “triphibious” Bearhawk, Taylor has demonstrated his airplane’s performance operating from turf, water, and snow in […]

The Air Race Classic last held an actual race event in 2019, when it celebrated its 44th year. With pandemic restrictions in place last June—the month the event is normally held—and projected to still curb large gatherings early this summer, the ARC organization searched for a solution that would be better than cancelling the historic women’s air […]

The 2020 STIHL National Championship Air Races near Reno, Nevada, was set to officially open its doors to spectators on September 16. However, as with all major air-show events planned after March of this year, the coronavirus pandemic put a lid on the excitement for this week. The annual event, in which racers of various […]

The Reno Air Racing Association has cancelled the 2020 Stihl National Championship Races, normally to take place in Reno, Nevada, on September 16 to 20. The association cites the long-term viability of the event, along with concerns for participants’ health and safety in light of the continued COVID-19 pandemic. “This decision was not made lightly. It’s difficult […]

Austin, Texas-based Bearhawk Aircraft, a company known for creating STOL kit airplanes, earlier this week announced two company milestones. In one, a Bearhawk Patrol became the first of the company’s airplanes completed in Brazil to take flight, launching from Lontras, Santa Catarina, Brazil. In another, a New Zealand man for the second time took top […]

Norway’s Equator Aircraft has announced its intention to compete in the Air Race E, touted as the world’s first consisting of only electric aircraft. The inaugural Air Race E will be held in 2021, and it now lists 10 teams making their plans to participate. Equator Aircraft’s team will be led by founder, CEO, and […]

If you’ve ever attended the Stihl National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport west of Reno, Nevada, you know the event brands itself as “the fastest motorsport on earth,” with the slogan “fly low, fly fast, turn left.” Low and slow has never factored into the equation since the races began decades ago. But […]