Reno Air Races 2004

[Tom K]

Hi all,

I've just uploaded a slideshow of the 2004 Reno Air Races to the Beechbrook Cottage website. I've been using PTE for several years but this is the first slideshow that I've released for public viewing. I didn't build it with a general audience in mind - there are shots of my friends and me in it - but it should give an idea of what the Reno Air Races are like.

There are airshows all around the country but Reno is unique. There is no other place where you will see every year (mid-September) a pack of heavily modified warbirds pushing the limits, the engines just that close to coming apart, rounding the pylons at speeds approaching 500mph. It's a sight (and sound!) that raises the hair on the back of my neck. They also race jets, biplanes, sport planes and WWII T-6 trainers.

In addition to the races there is always an assortment of aerobatic acts and military demonstrations (often including the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels) but it's the racing that makes it a unique experience. It's the world's fastest motorsport - no auto racing comes anywhere near 500mph!

Since this is my first upload I'd like for people to post feedback here. And for what it's worth I have also done shows for 2002 and 2003.

Thanks,

Tom

[d67]

Hello Tom

Wowwwwww !!! Very great rythm

Very good sound/slides transition synchronizations.

Mixing plane shots with public area ground shots gives us a good idea of what such a feete can be !

A very interesting introduction sequence and a relaxing end slide.

Beautiful aircrafts... but not only planes are sweet

I have 2 remarks :

- navigation bar is not useful and can be hidden without regret

- ... and by the way, the mouse cursor also !

A minor remark :

sometimes the rythm is so fast that for the spectators confort it could have been interesting to use small incrusted images instead to stay all the time with full screen slides

A regret :

Full afterburner and full rate propeller engine noises !!!!!

A Mustang or an Eagle at full speed over the runway must be a great experience

A question :

I know, I know, the music is very very well known... but I forgot the title.

What it is ?

Tom, BRAVO !

Sorry for my poor english

[Ken Cox]

Tom

finally a show that doesnt take control on my system

especially the pause button so i can study you angle of view and not have to get out my laser pointer to point out things

right on

ken

[Tom K]

Thank you for the comments Patrick. Your English is vastly superior to my French, which consists of, "Je suis desole'. Je ne parle pas Francais, parlez vous Anglais?" Still, my girl and I were able to get along quite nicely for a week in Paris with only that, thanks to the grace of your countrymen. (Our week in Paris is the subject of another slideshow, which I would like to upload once I get it to a managable size.)

First, the music is "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams. I actually selected it several weeks before we went to Reno, and was roughly composing the slideshow in my mind even while we were there.

I thought I had set the mouse cursor to hide itself after a few seconds, I don't know why that didn't work. Seems to work on my PC here. I put the navigation bar there because the show is so fast paced, people sometimes want to pause and go back to look at pictures that had just zipped by. Yes, not only the planes are sweet....

Your idea of using a series of smaller images during rapid sections intrigues me - I shall have to consider this in the future.

And yes, the sound of the aircraft is incredible. I truly believe a blind person could enjoy the experience of being at the Reno Air Races. Hmmm, mixing in the sound might be possible. I did tack on the sounds of Strega and Rare Bear (two top race planes) at the end of my 2003 show but I hadn't thought about adding to the overall soundtrack. Might be possible....

Thanks again Patrick.

[Alan Lyons]

Hi Tom,

I had a look at your show last night. My download is slow so I have to have spare time to visit beechbrook Only in Reno coudl they come up with plane racing at that level. Here in Europe the Health and Safety boys would be in orbit.

Your images are superb and you catch the mood of the day with the music. I would suggest as Patrick has to include some sound from the event, but I would also take a look at the second paragraph of your post this would form the basis of a spoken introduction over the music start. Then light the afterburners and hold on tight!

i will have to visit the Salthill Airshow again after seeing your effort. We hold this in Galway on the weekend of the 4th July. Apperently there is some small island off the coast of Galway that celebrates its independence on that day

Congradulations on a fine show,

Alan