Preparing a Jet for the Fastest Motorsport on Earth

When people watch an air race, they see the glamour, the jets lined up on the ramp and the roar as we accelerate down the course. What they don’t see is the countless hours of preparation that make that moment possible.

Getting an L-29 race-ready so close to the ground at full power is a process of detail, patience, and respect for the machine. Every bolt, every fuel line, every gauge has to be checked and double-checked. From routine inspections to fine-tuning performance, nothing is left to chance.

Before we ever roll onto the runway, the jet has gone through:

• System checks on hydraulics, avionics, and engine response.

• Fuel and oil inspections for any irregularities.

• Airframe inspections to ensure the aircraft is structurally perfect.

• Radio and avionic inspections to ensure the equipment is working perfectly.

  
  

Each step takes time, hours and hours of behind-the-scenes work, often late at night, or in the heat, often when no one is watching. It’s not just about performance; it’s about safety, for the pilots and for everyone else in the air and on the ground.

Racing at 400 mph, 50 feet off the ground, leaves no room for doubt. The confidence I carry into the cockpit is built on the trust I have in the preparation of the jet, the crew, and the process that gets us to the start line.

Because in air racing, the race doesn’t start in the sky. It starts months before, with the discipline to get the details right.