147.4 MPH is the speed standard to beat

The team received official notice today that their handicap run  had been approved and recorded at 147.4 Miles Per hour or approximately 127 knots for the race. This will be the number that team '38' will be racing to EXCEED as best as they can throughout every one of the nine legs of the race.

Remember, unlike a typical auto race where the cars' horsepower are all classed alike and face essentially the exact same road and weather conditions, aircraft in the Air Race Classic are ALL different. Each plane has the option to plan what time of day to race, what route to pass over, weather to avoid or push through and of course what altitude to fly.

All of these variables have a direct effect on the ground speed of the aircraft. If the team can catch a favorable tailwind or navigate precisely between fly-bys then their recorded speed for that particular leg of the race will almost certainly  exceed the speed standard for their plane. If the 'Hearts' meet a weather front and suffer head-winds or have to keep the engine cooler in hot weather by running less RPM's then their recorded time will likely be slower than the standard time. The goal is for EACH plane to beat their own number by as large of margin as possible without penalties from failure to follow proper transmission and timing line protocols.

-ed