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ELY Nevada Air Races are ON.

mikerkba

Well Known Member
With the FAA Waivers in place and the weather forecast approved for insurance purposes, the Ely Air Races are on, starting Wednesday of this week.

This is a first ever event in Nevada. Formula One Class Pylon Races at the highest elevation airport ever held.

With hundreds of volunteers committed and thousand of hours in preparation, the community encourages visitors of all types. Flying in is super, with new tiedowns set up, but note the airfield close hours by NOTAM. RV parking area is new and can be booked in advance. This is a remote area, just under 4 hours driving from Salt Lake City or Las Vegas, and about 6 hours from Reno.

Hotel rooms still available. No more rental cars available, but contact me for help with a vehicle.

Schedule of events here:
https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...22631/AIR_RACES_2018_13x19_poster_draft#3.pdf

Info Page with advance ticketing (lower prices than onsite) here:
https://www.elynevada.net/ely-air-races

AOPA article here:
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/may/31/sleek-little-planes-and-big-steam-trains

Flying Magazine article here:
https://www.flyingmag.com/inaugural-air-race-emerges-in-nevada

Come one, come all. Should be a great event.
 
Mike, great news:D

For those flying in from the west, how about a description of the corridor through the Fallon area?
 
Mike Starkey - you can thread your way along US 50 in the corridor you mention, but I have never done it due to altitude restrictions and a bit of confusion on the Western end transition S of Fallon NAS itself.

When I fly that route between KELY and Carson/Reno/points west, I head toward MINA VOR until I can proceed direct to the destination, which keeps me south of Fallon, the two restricted areas, and that Rt. 50 corridor. Along that more southern route, I call Fallon "Desert Control" 126.2 for flight following through the MOAs -- which is just a short stretch along the route from Dayton/Reno area to Ely.
 
Mike, great news:D

For those flying in from the west, how about a description of the corridor through the Fallon area?

The corridor is simple - eastbound, you enter right at the ?corner? on the west side, stay within a mile of 50 on the north side (I think they get missile lock if you are south of the centerline....), above 2,000 AGL, below 8500? msl (isn?t it great how they mix the two?! The AGL works out to about 6,000? msl). Stay in the corridor until you pop out the east side - autopilot in altitude hold and heading mode works great - just tweak heading as you cross.

Talking to Desert Control is the way to do it, but if you cross before about 0800, no one appears to be home when you call. You?re generally too low for OAK Center...so when we fly it early, we just keep a sharp eye out - which is tough becasue you?re flying directly into the sun!

Makes for 1:15 block time from Dayton to Ely - a quick trip across the state.

Louise is planning to be there early in the week, and I will probably be out on Saturday.
 
I will be out there. Got a call yesterday that the TFR will start at 0800 every day vice the previously planed 0900. The TFR will end after the last race plane is on deck.

If you are flying in, now you have the latest.
 
Axel: The hours of closure (like many other event plans here) have been a moving target since planning started, with 0900 originally set and a mid-day opening for transient arrival/departure. Then 0830. Then, just yesterday, I was told 0800 LCL, as you report.

But, I just checked the NOTAMs now published on the FAA site, I see that Wednesday closure starts at 0800 LCL/PDT, but Thursday is (for reasons I don't know) closing 0745 LCL/PDT. There is no NOTAM for Friday or Saturday yet. So, best to check the NOTAMs, as always, on the day of departure to see what is in place. Note: There is no mid-day open period for arrival or departure. As you report, the airport will open after the last race each day, around 2:30 or so.

Its going to be an unhappy situation for the pilots that as recently as this weekend were told incorrect information. Ouch.

Best to arrive with fuel reserves adequate for the 70 miles West to Eureka (05U) or 110 miles North to Wendover (KENV), etc. Expect high altitude strong sun, density altitudes of 9000 feet+ in the afternoons, and forecasted high winds on Friday and Saturday afternoons. FBO fuel is expensive here, $5.49, with no event discount. (Perhaps the highest non-towered airport fuel prices in Nevada.) Pilots from the S or SE might check out Lincoln County (1L1) which has a new self serve system at $4.25.
 
What Paul said. Easiest to just call Fallon and request permission to go through the restricted space if you want to go direct. I've done this many times. Or the corridor only adds about 2 minutes tot he entire trip and is just as scenic but lower.

Greg
 
Axel: The hours of closure (like many other event plans here) have been a moving target since planning started, with 0900 originally set and a mid-day opening for transient arrival/departure. Then 0830. Then, just yesterday, I was told 0800 LCL, as you report.

But, I just checked the NOTAMs now published on the FAA site, I see that Wednesday closure starts at 0800 LCL/PDT, but Thursday is (for reasons I don't know) closing 0745 LCL/PDT. There is no NOTAM for Friday or Saturday yet. So, best to check the NOTAMs, as always, on the day of departure to see what is in place. Note: There is no mid-day open period for arrival or departure. As you report, the airport will open after the last race each day, around 2:30 or so.

Its going to be an unhappy situation for the pilots that as recently as this weekend were told incorrect information. Ouch.

Best to arrive with fuel reserves adequate for the 70 miles West to Eureka (05U) or 110 miles North to Wendover (KENV), etc. Expect high altitude strong sun, density altitudes of 9000 feet+ in the afternoons, and forecasted high winds on Friday and Saturday afternoons. FBO fuel is expensive here, $5.49, with no event discount. (Perhaps the highest non-towered airport fuel prices in Nevada.) Pilots from the S or SE might check out Lincoln County (1L1) which has a new self serve system at $4.25.

Just add to the NOTAM confusion, I have ben communicating with the airport/event manager becasue we want to cover this for the magazine, and was told it would be closed 0800 until 1600 each day. When I checked the NOTAM for Wednesday first thing yesterday, it was listed as 0700 - so I called him and asked what was up. He was surprised, and said ?maybe they got the time zone wrong?.... he was goign to give ?them? a call (I think he meant the NOTAM system). Sure enough, next time I checked, it was listed as 0800 closure.

The odd time for Thursday is another curveball. I?m definitely not going to be happy if I arrive before the posted time and the field is closed!

Paul
 
PM sent to Paul and Greg. Axel, could not get it to you, your PMs are turned off. If you can PM or text me (775-two9three-2933), I'll forward it to you.
 
I’ve been told it is the normal transient ramp on the east side, south of the terminal. At least that’s where I’ll head if I decide to brave the winds and bumps tomorrow. It’s not a terribly big ramp - I wonder if there are many fly-in visitors?

Paul
 
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