Pick your Ponies! Tracking Race Stats

Well by now the Purple Hearts have either piqued your interest or sent you packing looking for some REAL entertainment. For the stalwart few who remain, the Air Race Classic folks have generously provided each team with a 'SPOT' gps tracking device so when the data is superimposed over a map, ANYONE can follow the exact track of any or all teams any time! Yes that's right folks, if you're lucky you can wander out in the back yard and wave at your favorite Purple Heart as they pass right over your personal airspace. This map will become active on TUESDAY, JUNE 21st as the race starts. Simply scroll through the list and highlight the 'star' next to the team name and those named teams will show up as a moving map pin over the next four days!

FOLLOW #48 LIVE! - The Purple Hearts

The second live data tracking device on board is called a 'Bad Elf'. It is a 66 channel fast satellite acquisition, 3 ounce GPS about half the size of a cell phone which constantly records altitude, latitude, longitude,speed, heading etc. The amazing device can record about 100 flight hours of data on a mere 64mb of on-board memory. This tracker though constantly active is used by race officials ONLY to resolve discrepancies (if they occur) from questionable data obtained at the timing lines. The timing lines are positioned at each race leg and are manned by actual humans with actual stopwatches - now how unique is that?

The final tracking application offered by Air Race Classic this year is the 'Live ATC' broadcast button. When your favorite racer starts to approach an air traffic control point, you can click on the ATC LIVE button and you will be able to listen to the tower and sometime ground communications in real time. Turn up your volume because not all feeds are created equal, but this is a terrific way to feel like you are 'right there' at every timing line in the race! ENJOY!

LISTEN to #48 Purple Hearts LIVE FLY-BY!