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The 49th Reno Air Races in Reno, Nevada are being held this week under its new name, TravelNevada.com National Championship Air Races and Air Show. Fair officials say the name change is the result of a one-time, $600,000 sponsorship necessary to keep the event alive in the face of soaring insurance premiums.

It has been one year since the tragic National Championship Air Races in Reno that left 11 dead, including the pilot, and injuring nearly 70 others, and the impact crater has been paved over with asphalt. Federal investigators blamed the accident on worn parts, coupled with unprecedented speeds of up to 530 mph. So, what has been done in the past year to ensure safety at this year’s races that began yesterday?

  • The course is now more than 1,000 feet from the grandstand, instead of 850
  • Fuel trucks are set away from the landing strip
  • The final turn of the race is less sharp
  • Training classes are in place to better prepare pilots for intense gravitational pull and wake turbulence
  • Mechanics are subjected to an new inspection process that requires follow-up confirmation of repairs performed

Despite the changes, the element of risk is still high; pilots will still be flying souped-up muscle planes, often times exceeding 500 mph. The weeklong event typically attracts 80,000 to 90,000 people from around the world.

I understand that the pilots may be fully aware of the risks they are taking when they get in the cockpit, but are these air shows really any safer for the public? Do you think the risks are too high?

Mark Bello has thirty-five years experience as a trial lawyer and thirteen years as an underwriter and situational analyst in the lawsuit funding industry. He is the owner and founder of Lawsuit Financial Corporation which helps provide legal finance cash flow solutions and consulting when necessities of life litigation funding is needed by a plaintiff involved in pending, personal injury, litigation. Bello is a Justice Pac member of the American Association for Justice, Sustaining and Justice Pac member of the Michigan Association for Justice, Member of Public Justice and Public Citizen, Business Associate of the Florida, Mississippi, Connecticut, Texas, and Tennessee Associations for Justice, and Consumers Attorneys of California, member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan and the Injury Board.

2 Comments

  1. Gravatar for David Soom
    David Soom

    You can see the changes from the air that are not noticable from the ground. Good job RNO

  2. Gravatar for Ron White
    Ron White

    The races at Reno are world famous and and something Reno needs, to have a world precesence.

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