handicap air racing

In Europe, a more economical form of racing has developed which allows pilots to use any aircraft capable of more than 100 mph. Like at Reno, the aircraft race together and it is not unusual to have several aircraft turning at very close quarters. Run by the Records, Racing and Rally Association in the UK competing pilots must show that they are capable of making deep turns without gaining or losing altitude.

Races are held at venues around Europe but mainly in the UK including Alderney in the Channel Isles. Racing culminates with the British Air Racing Champion and in an effort to make the sport more Europe-wide a European Air Racing Champion.

Generally, the races comprise four or five laps of a course of 25 miles centred on an airfield, with a staggered start on handicap, designed to produce a simultaneous finish. Spectators are therefore able to see both the start and the finish.

Races are occasionally held from point to point and from country to country. Racing pilots - men and women - come from all walks of life and localities. Recent examples battling for honours range from RAF pilots to airline captains, businessmen, writers, travel agents, policemen and many more.

The aircraft they fly are just as varied. In speed they range from 100 MPH to nearly 250 MPH encompassing trainers through to executive twins, single seat racers to classic tourers, homebuilts to war-birds. In the year 2005 the Schneider Trophy was won by John Village in a Vans RV6, the Kings Cup for a record 4th time by Roger Hayes, and the British Air Racing Championship by Craig Beevers in a Scottish Aviation Bulldog.

just stick on racing numbers and you are away!

for further information you can download the rules here