Fibrocartilaginous Embolism there is hope..

First off I want to say to the people reading this blog that I am not an expert in this field, please visit this site for all the specifics http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_fibrocartilaginous_embolism.html
I am just telling a story of an amazing dog.

 

"Mr Toby and his favorite toy"

One evening while we were watching TV my beagle "Toby" tried to jump into my lap which he does all the time, he is my lap buddy, well he missed and fell back on to his butt rather hard.  He started acting a little strange after that and started having trouble walking.  By the next day he was really having issues with his back two legs.  We took him to the vet to see what was wrong.  They did a check-up and said it could be a couple of things 1)  He could have blown a disc, 2) He could have had an Fibrocartilaginous Embolism,  treatment is steroids, muscle relaxer and a pain reliever.  So we had to find out what was wrong so we did an MRI (Yes an MRI, hey this is my bud and I will take care of him no matter what, actually both my dogs are in this category and her name is "Maggie")

"Miss Maggie"

  The MRI came back negative for the blown disc and the prognosis was Fibrocartilaginous Embolism.  So we bring Toby home and he can't walk or support his weight, very gut retching experience.  Toby never gave up and he was a trooper from day 1.  We took him out several times a day to do his business and we made the mistake of trying to help him to much.  On the second day he hadn't done anything and we are getting very concerned.  My lovely wife took him out and decided to back off a little and he finally did his business on his own, we just help with steadying him.  Anyway that evening he decided he was going to walk and that was it, away he went very wobbly but walking.  The vets were prepared to tell us it could be up to two weeks before he would get to this point.  He amazes me with his grit and determination to walk again.  I call him the miracle dog.  He continues to improve and get stronger each day and it has become a challenge to slow him down so he doesn't hurt himself.  And to give you a little more what this little guy is like, I was carrying him downs some stairs when I wrenched my ankle and fell back on my butt.  After we sat down to cuddle, he sat back and licked my face showing his concern for me.  So if your pet/buddy has suffered an Fibrocartilaginous Embolism, please don't give up hope, let them know you love them and be there for them.  The rewards are simply beyond words.  We are a week into the recovery process.  He is walking, a little wobbly, but thinks he can run a jump which he can't but he keeps trying anyway.  Exercise is very important to keep the joints working right.  We hope and pray for his total recovery.  I hope this will give you hope as you start on the road to recovery for your buddy.

Reno National Championship Air Races 2012 Re-Visited

First off I would like to give a little background on myself and my exposure to the Reno National Championship Air Races in Reno Nevada.

My name is Michael Jennings and I live in Billings Montana.  I first heard about the Reno Air Races while I worked at McCarran Int. Airport in Las Vegas for Hughes Aviation Services in 1973.  I was a lineman at the time when a P-51D Miss America landed for refueling on its way to Reno for the Air Races.  I visited with the pilot while I refueled the plane and he told me a little about the races.  Since then I always wanted to go to the Air Races but never really had the chance until I retired in 2009.

 My first trip to the races in 2009 was a thrill beyond words, there is so much to see and do that at the end of the day you were exhausted but happy.  My first attempts to get pictures really didn't work out for me, I didn't have a clue what I was doing so I decided to try and learn more about photography.   When I returned to Billings I immediately joined two camera clubs and started asking a lot of questions and then following up by doing research.  I also knew I had to upgrade my photography equipment to be more successful.   I bought two lenses, 70-200mm f2.8 IS II and the 17-40 ultra wide angle f.4 by Canon.   I also learned that a group called the media had special access to the ramp and pylons.  So I did some more research and applied for credentials through a local newspaper to cover two brothers Mark and Dave Standish from Billings crewing for a pilot from St Petersburg FL, Pete Zaccagnino.  My credentials were approved for 2010.

 

2010 was my first time as media was an eye opener, there is so much to cover and it is hard to be at the right place at the right time but you do the best  you can.  I met some photographers (3) who befriended me and mentored me and it is to their credit that I have improved each year.  This was my first time being able to get up close to the planes, pilots and out at the pylons.  There are techniques you need to learn and master.  You also have to learn the rules as an media person that involves your safety.  One rule they preach daily is if you are on the ramp and an aircraft starts its engine, you need to move two planes away, if more than one starts there engine, you must get behind the no prop turn line which is a solid black line with two yellow dash lines on each side running down the ramp.  Out at the pylons there are rules you must follow as well.  I took thousands of shots but only kept a fraction of them.  I hooked up with the Standish brothers and did an interview on a Friday morning.  Again the pace was staggering and at the end of the day you were exhausted.  2010 was a good year.

 

2011 I applied again for credentials and was approved.  This time I wanted to see the whole event so I arrived on Sunday and watched the qualifying part of the event learning all the ins and outs of this process.  I was just settling in for the long haul when on Friday September 16, 2011 a horrible tragedy struck.  Jimmy Leeward and his highly modified P-51D Mustang the Galloping Ghost crashed into a part of the box seat section killing 10 people on the ground and the pilot.  The cause was the mechanical failure of the elevator trim tab.  When I left the field that evening, they were still attending to the injured and I felt so overwhelmed and it was hard to believe such a devastating accident occurred.  That evening I met with my friends and we talked about what happened and the future of the races.  We all agreed that it would probably would not happen in 2012 and it might restart in 2013.  Well we were wrong because the Reno Air Races Association (RARA) who sponsor, coordinated and put on the races did the impossible.  They worked through the diversity, got key support from all the local and Federal agencies as well as monetary support from the local businesses.

2012 I applied again for credentials not knowing what to expect.  They were approved. Returning to the field on a early morning on September 12, 2012 was very emotional.  I could still see the emergency vehicles and shocked spectators milling around when I left last year in my mind.

 I had learned more techniques and had bought a new camera for this year.  Again the days were a blur and the tempo was fast.  The 49th Reno Championship  Air Races and Air Show was an incredible event.  The performers did an excellent job entertaining the spectators, the racers put on an awesome show as well.

 

 On Thursday September 13, 2012 they again acknowledged all the first responders who were there and came to the aid of all the injured, what  an incredible example of community service at its best.   On Sunday September 16, 2012 they had a ceremony remembering the victims followed by a missing man formation.

 The races closed with no injuries or fatalities.  The amount of dedication exhibited by the RARA staff to go forward with all the uncertainty and to achieve their level of excellence is commendable.    I can only imagine  what there 50th will be like, awesome I am sure. 

 

Reno Air Racing is back

Well the first full day of racing has come to and it wasa full day of exciting racing.  Tomorrow promises to be a great one as well.  I apologize for not posting pictures but my computer has developed issues.  My iPad isn't capable of processing raw files.  Will post some later.  Be sure to check out RARA's website for the latest racing results and there Facebook page.  I have to say RARA has done an exceptional job.

3 weeks till Reno Air Races and Air Show

It's only a little more than 3 weeks till the Reno Air Races and Air Show have there 49th annual event.  This year it will be an awesome display of performers both from the civilian and military side of the house and will have a very strong contingent of racers as well.  There is no place else that has the awesome display of WWII aircraft performing at their peek.  You will also see the military's new version of fighters, the U.S. Air Forces F-22 Raptor and the Navy's F-18 Hornet showing what they can do.  They will have great static displays from the military and civilian side.  The Heritage display has some great antique aircraft.  If your an returning fan, it will be a special year as we remember our fallen comrades from last year.  This will be the start of an new era.  New pilots and planes will continue to evolve this great event.  So please come and join us if you haven't already decided to do so.  Remember September 13-16 in Reno and Stead airfield north of town.  Till then race fans, good day.

Mike

The other half of the National Championshil Air Races and Air Show

So you now know what the National Championship Air Races are about, so what about the Air Show? What else is there to see and do?  Usually starting on Thursday, you will have aerobatic shows in between the races by at least two or three performers.  They usually perform once in the morning then one more time in the afternoon.  You also have a military demonstration team such as the F-22 Raptor or the F-18 Hornet that performs in the middle of the day. 

Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2011

Usually you will also have one of the premier flight demonstration teams such as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Navy Blue Angles or the Canadian Snowbirds.  They perform in the late afternoon. 

Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2010



Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2011

 Then you have static Military aircraft to walk through and ask questions.

Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2010

 If that isn't enough for you they also have the Heritage display of antique aircraft.  This is an awesome display.

 Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2010

 

Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2010

Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2010

 Copyright Michael C. Jennings 2010

Needless to say your day will be filled with things to do and if you decide to go to the pits, you usually see the pilot or one of the pit crew members that you can talk to and ask questions.  And of course the souvenirs that are available are mind boggling.  It is a great time and well planned out.  My first time I attended, I got a package deal from one of the casinos which included admission tickets, pit passes and shuttle from the hotel to the races and back.  There are several options that you can customize to meet your needs.  Hope to see you all there in September.   The dates again are September 13-16, 2012...  Have a great day a hope you come and enjoy a special event.

Unlimited racing class background

Last but definitely not least the Unlimited Class.  This class is by far the most popular.  It has been around since the beginning of the National Championship Air Races at Stead Airport north of Reno.  The requirements for this class are" Empty weight of 4500 pounds or more".  All I have seen since I have been attending are either vintage World War II(WWII) fighters and trainers or highly modified WWII fighter and trainer aircraft.  It is an awesome experience to watch these aircraft in action.  There are four divisions.  Going from lowest to highest, Medallion is run only on Thursday to allow the winner to advance to Bronze.  Bronze is run Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The winner advances to Silver.  Silver is also run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The winner advances to the Gold and yes it also runs Friday Saturday and Sunday.  Now if a plane breaks and does not finish he drops down to the next division and will have to work his way back up.  So there is a lot of strategy being done on how hard you want to push your plane in the beginning and during qualifying because if you qualify for either Gold or Silver you don't race until Friday afternoon giving your crew more time to prepare.  This goes for all 6 classes of planes.

Some of the aircraft you will see are:

·         P-51 Mustangs

#30 "Grim Reaper" P-51D

#16 "Lou IV" P-51D

·         F-8F-2 Bearcats

#77 "Rare Bear"

·         F-7F Tigercats

#3 "Here Kitty Kitty"

#3 "Here Kitty Kitty"

#1 "La Patrona"

·         FW-190

#145 "What Da Fockewulf"

· Yak 3

#0 "Rossiya Suka

·         Hawker Seafurys

#71 "Sawbones"

#8 "Dreadnaught"

· FM-2 Wildcat

#2 "Air Biscuit"

·         P-40 Curtiss Warhawks

#17 "Parrothead

#18 "Sneak Attack"

·         F-4U Corsair

#24 "Corsair"

These planes fly low, fast and turn left and are very exciting to watch.  So come on out and join the fun this year as they have their 49th annual National Championship Air Races in Reno this September starting the 13th on Thursday with the finale on 16th on Sunday.

Jet racing background Reno National Championship Air Races

OK worlds fastest motor sport race fans, I have covered Formula One, Biplanes, T-6, and Sport.  We have two more classes to cover.  So I will cover the Jets Class.  

 Jet races were tried in 1973 at the California Air Classic (later known as the California National Air Races) at Mojave and ran till 1975.  The background of jet racing indicates the daunting challenges of real jet racing. In Cleveland it was demonstrated that it could be done but on a larger course by government operated/maintained aircraft. The risks were high. Airframes were old and very close to failure and pilots were near/at their limit.   This lead to the Air Force's decision to halt jet racing in 1949. Mojave's experience reinforced the lessons learned in Cleveland. On a similar but  slightly smaller and still a large course, the stresses were still an problem when the jet aircraft were pushed in competition.

Reno Air Racing Association wanted to boost their annual attendance so they thought that bringing in jets would appeal to the younger crowd.  So in 2000 they set up an experimental race after the Gold Unlimited race had finished.  So late on Sunday, three MiG-17s (one flown by Jimmy Leeward), an L-39 flown by Rick Vandam, and a T-33 came roaring down the same starting line as the Unlimited.  The FAA gave explicit instructions to the pilots, no afterburners but you can't hold a competitive pilot like  Jimmy Leeward back as he was trailing the race and hit the burners, so soon others followed suit.  After the race the crowd went wild so was born the Jet Class. The requirement for Jet class are no afterburner and less than 15 degrees of wing sweep.  In 2001 the races were cancelled due to 9/11 so there first official race was 2002. There are several types of jet aircraft that compete at Reno.  The popular ones are L-39 Albatros, L-29 Delfin, TS-11 Iskra, and the DeHavilland Vampire.  The most popular one is the L-39 Albatros.  The paint jobs on these aircraft are really something to see, they are beautiful.  So come on out and watch these fast and fun aircraft battle for the gold.  Remember those dates are September 12-16 2012.

L-29 Delfin

L-39 Albatros

TS-11 Iskra

DeHavilland Vampire

Sport class Reno National Championship Air Races

The Sport classification was added to the Reno National Championship Air Races in 1998.  This particular classification is comprised of Experimental Homebuilt aircraft powered by a reciprocating engine of 650 cubic inches or less.  There are several types that are popular at Reno.  This classification seems to bring in all types of designs and is really exciting to watch.

 Some of the different types just to mention a few:

        

Lancair Legacy (numerous variants)

Glasair  (numerous variants)

Thunder Mustang

Questair Venture

      F-1

RV-6

NXT

   Radial Rocket (upper rt hand corner)