An Exciting First Leg: Dual Fly By

     The Air Race Classic uses the "fly by" method to start and stop the watches on each racer. The timer sits at a specific spot along the runway, and when the plane reaches that spot abeam their wing, the timer starts (or stops) the clock for that plane. The plane has to fly overhead at 200 feet above the ground, as the rules specify. Planes come in one after the other, so the timer has quite a task on her/his hands when they start arriving.    
     Dual fly bys occur rarely. The racers take off in sequence depending on their number, flagged to depart by the start chart on the ramp. Normally racers will arrive one behind the other at the end of the leg, but today Mary and I caught up to one of the racers in front of us. As we neared the airport four miles before the fly by, we spotted Classic #44 straight ahead. When #44 turned for final fly by, we turned to remain at their right, following proper procedure. As we crossed abeam the timer, our planes passed nose to nose. I think this means we beat them by a . . . propeller?

Racers depart Alliance Airport, fly out a couple of miles, and then return for the departure fly by before they turn their heading toward Great Bend, Kansas, the first leg of the race. 

The timer sits under the tent clocking the racers as they fly by at 200 feet above the runway.

A Classic Racer studies the weather on her Skypad.

Classic Racer #26 washes her plane before departing Alliance. 

Planes are ready for pre-flight.

Daisy and friend wait on a couch in the hangar for the race to begin.

Dodger came out to watch forty-six racers take off.

Kutch is Dodger's best friend.

Our first leg ended in Great Bend, Kansas, where corn surrounds the airport. Team Bessie wait to taxi. 

From cornfields of Kansas we flew to the native grasslands of the Texas Panhandle. 

We arrived in Borger with plenty of sunlight left in the day. 

A volunteer  who works as a locksmith gave us a ride in his truck. Mary rode in the back holding on while he drove us to Borger's terminal building. 

     Some of the faster aircraft have flown the third leg today and will overnight in Norman, Oklahoma.