The Power And The Speed…
People who haven’t been there ask what the Reno Air Races are like. The truth is, they’re not “like” anything else — but to compare, say, Oshkosh to Reno, you might think of the relationship between the Detroit Auto Show and the Indianapolis 500. The drama this year was heightened by the first public appearance of the Nemesis NXT, perennial Formula One winner Jon Sharp’s brainchild, a kitplane designed to race in the Sport Class. The Nemesis NXT, with its twin-turbo Lycoming 540, puts out a reported (and believable) 600 hp and posted a third-best (in class) 324 mph without really trying. But last week’s gear failure on landing means we’ll have to wait to see how fast it can go. The aircraft should be repaired and on its way home in about two weeks.
