Viewing page 3 of 11

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

General Rules and Regulations Governing all Closed Circuit Events 1948 National Air Races

A --- GENERAL
 1. Complete authority over all events at the 1948 National Air Races is vested in the National Air Races Contest Committee, hereinafter referred to as "Race Contest Committee." This Committee will consist of the following:
  Referee
  Technical Committee Chief
  Program Chief
  Chief of Operations
  Chief Starter
  Chief Judge
  Chief of Field Service
  Chief Timer
  Entry Chief
  Representative --- Professional Race Pilots Ass'n
  N. A. A. Contest Board Representative
 2. Included in the authority of the Race Contest Committee is the right to interpret all rules and regulations and make changes in the rules and regulations when, in their opinion, changes are necessary.
 3. Six members at any meeting shall constitute a quorum.
 4. Four Contest Directors shall act for the Contest Committee when it is not in session (Pilots may appeal from the decision of the Contest Directors to the Race Contest Committee).
 5. The four Contest Directors will consist of the following:
  Referee
  Chief of Operations
  Technical Committee Chief
  N. A. A. Contest Board Representative
 6. In all cases these directors will act in consultation with the Civil Aeronautics Administration Supervisor for the races.

B --- AIRPLANE ELIGIBILITY --- General
 1. Airplanes with any type Civil Aeronautics Administration certificate shall be eligible for entry, provided they have been issued a race number by the National Aeronautic Association. The number may be obtained from the Contest Board, National Aeronautic Association, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C.
 2. Aircraft other than those manufactured in the United States must be certificated from an aircraft airworthiness point of view by their representative governments. Race numbers will be assigned to these aircraft by N. A. A. following their arrival at Cleveland.
 3. Airworthiness certificate cards or authorizations must be prominently displayed in all airplanes in order to be eligible to start in any race.
 4. Aircraft entered in the Bendix Trophy Race will not be allowed to enter any closed circuit events. This does not apply to pilots.
 5. Aircraft or engines shall not be altered structurally, except for such minor repairs or alterations as obviously do not impair the airworthiness of the airplane, after their arrival at Cleveland, without the approval of the Race Technical Committee.
 6. The following maneuvers must be performed by all United States aircraft and pilots entered in the closed circuit races before they will be allowed to participate, unless of course, such maneuvers have been accomplished previously and no modifications to the aircraft have been made since that time.
  (a) Take off at full throttle without veering more than thirty feet to either side of a straight line marked on the ground directly into the wind.
  (b) Pull up from straight and level flight (shallow starting dive permitted) to a minimum of 6-G acceleration. Pullups to be done at 5,000 feet altitude and at 175 m. p. h. for Goodyear and Kendall Trophy Race entries, and at 350 m. p. h. for Thompson and Sohio Handicap Trophy Race entries or the maximum speed of the aircraft, whichever is lower.
  (c) Make dive at 1.3 maximum speed of ship in level flight.
  (d) Make at least three tight turns of at least 120 degrees at 5,000 feet and at full speed, without any appreciable loss of altitude.
  (e) Make three laps of the established race course at normal racing altitude, making the turns at full speed as in a race.
 7. A general pilots meeting will be held near or in the AAF Hangar at the Cleveland Municipal Airport before each day's races. Any and all pilots who do not attend these meetings will be fined $25.00, which, if not paid will act as a bar to his or her participation in any race.
 8. The Race Contest Committee reserves the right to reject any entrant in a closed circuit race, whose airplane in the opinion of the Race Technical Committee, is not capable of taking off and flying with safety, with the amount of gasoline necessary to fly the entire distance which the race is scheduled to run.
 9. Aircraft entered in all closed circuit races must be approved by the National Air Races Technical Committee.
 10. All race courses will be established and pylons erected and marked at least three (3) days in advance of August 31, 1948 in order that interested and inexperienced race pilots can make their required familiarization and practice runs.

C --- QUALIFYING AND ELIMINATION SPEED TRIALS
 1. Qualifying trials will be held on Tuesday, August 31; Wednesday, September 1 and Thursday, September 2, 1948. Entries in all closed circuit races, with the possible exception of those who entered in the Tinnerman International Trophy Race and Kendall Trophy Race (ten (10) entries are allowed in Tinnerman International Trophy Race and eight (8) in Kendall) must compete in qualifying trials in order to establish eligibility and starting position for the respective events.
 2. The time of initial arrival of entries at the Cleveland Municipal Airport will determine the order in which qualifying trials will be scheduled. If any pilot does not desire to qualify in this order, he will automatically be placed at the bottom of the established list at the time he indicates a willingness to qualify.