Let's Fly Away...Fast

  Imagine flying at 230mph, taken up to 12g's (12 x's the force of gravity) on sharp turns, diving and dodging pylons that are up to thirty (30) feet high, over a four (4) mile racing course at 200 feet, and all this in under one minute and thirty seconds. Nope...this is not a ride at the amusement park. This is air racing. An international sporting event that draws thousands of spectators at each event. The pilots that fly these machines are aviators ranging from flying instructors to miltary jet jockeys. Although I have never attended these events in person I do follow them on television when they are available. I did, however, rub elbows with a couple of these professional pilots.

  I worked at a local airport in the Boston area for a few years to supplement my retirement pension and had the privilege to babysit these amazing sport airplanes. The airplanes, also known as Extra 300's, are a multimillion investment for the men and women that dare to fly these beauties. Constant flight training and aircraft maintenance keeps these flying machines in peak operating condition. If we have any flying enthusiast's among our NP family I hope you enjoy these photo's. If there are none amongst us I hope you enjoy the photo's anyways. You must admit the planes do have a nice paint job.