High Velocity Events will present the first International Air Meet – Championship Cross Country Air Races May 23-26, 2014, at Durant, Oklahoma.
Pilots will head for America’s heartland where the State of Oklahoma, the Choctaw Nation and Durant Municipal Airport-Eaker Field will welcome pilots to their own “Big Show.”
More than a century has passed since the first International Air Meet in the United States took place at Los Angeles in 1910. It is now time for the sport to present an annual meet for all, according to organizers.
Cross country air racing is for everyone and provides a proving ground for our aircraft while challenging the pilot’s skills, organizers note.
Pilots fly a prescribed cross country course with the aim of covering that course in the fastest time. All flying is done in strict adherence in all FARs. Any pilot with a fixed wing propeller aircraft may compete.
The planes line up in classed competition and are individually timed on a cross country course. There is a class for everyone from a homebuilder’s pride and joy to the family Bonanza and the mighty P51 Mustang and even the company King Air, according to organizers.
The first race of the meet is a Sport Air Racing League Championship Point sanctioned event. The league has grown since its inception in 2007 and those pilots who have taken part in the league events give cross country racing a very enthusiastic thumbs up, organizers said.
Durant Municipal Airport-Eaker Field will be “race central.” All flying competitions start and finish here. Taxiways and runways are available to accommodate any aircraft and KDUA is a full service airport.
Adjacent to the airport is the Choctaw Resort Casino. Pilots will be able to bed down there and when not racing, enjoy all the amenities of a world class resort casino.
Engine start will be signaled for the first event on May 24, 2014 at 10 am. The 150nm Sport League sanctioned Championship Point event will fly a round robin multi-turn course over the Red River Valley of Oklahoma and Texas. The flying is VFR and there is a “short course” for aircraft with limited range and/or a top speed of less than 100 mph.
The gala awards ceremony will be held the evening of the 24th.
When the green flag is raised on May 25, the race window will be open for the 600 nm Championship Cup event. The three leg course must be VFR and pilots will launch at their discretion to return before the race deadline that evening. The two course turns are designated no penalty stops for fuel or to accommodate race strategy.
Pilots will be competing in expanded classes and there will be no League points awarded for this event.
The League classes will be used as well as Challenge Classes and the ultimate prize, the Championship Cup Competition. The League classes are based on engine power and landing gear configuration and are divided into three categories: Experimental, Factory and Heavy Metal.
The Challenge Classes are for the same make and model of aircraft. The Championship Cups will be awarded in major categories and will recognize the fastest ships and establish the records to be pursued in the future.
The final awards ceremony will be held May 26, 2014.
“If you are a seasoned racer, this is your showcase. If you want to be a racer, this is the place to start,” organizers conclude.
Entries open Feb. 1, 2014. Entry deadline is April 11, 2014.
For more information: InternationalAirMeet.com
On top of page: “Relentless” the special build NXT Racer carries Kevin Eldredge around the pylons and over the long distance open courses. Photo by Jo Hunter