Lucky13
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When did they first start? Who took part? Where did they take place etc., etc.?
International air races....
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FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
From Wiki...
"The first heavier-than-air air race was held on May 23, 1909 - the Prix de Lagatinerie, at the Port-Aviation airport south of Paris, France. Four pilots entered the race, two started and nobody completed the full race distance though this was not unexpected as the rules specified that whoever travelled furthest would be the winner if no-one completed the race. Léon Delagrange who covered slightly more than half of the ten 1.2-kilometre laps was declared the winner.[1]
Some other minor events were held before the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne in August 22–29, 1909 at Reims, France. This was the first major international flying event, drawing the most important aircraft makers and pilots of the era, as well as celebrities and royalty. The premier event — the first Gordon Bennett Trophy competition — was won by Glenn Curtiss, who beat second place finisher Louis Blériot by five seconds. Curtiss was named "Champion Air Racer of the World".
In the years before the First World War popular interest in aviation led to a large number of air races in Europe, including the 1911 Circuit of Europe race, the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air Race and the Aerial Derby.
In 1913 the first Schneider Trophy seaplane race was held. When the competition was resumed after the war it was significant in advancing aeroplane design, particularly in the fields of aerodynamics and engine design, and would show its results in the best fighters of World War II."
"The first heavier-than-air air race was held on May 23, 1909 - the Prix de Lagatinerie, at the Port-Aviation airport south of Paris, France. Four pilots entered the race, two started and nobody completed the full race distance though this was not unexpected as the rules specified that whoever travelled furthest would be the winner if no-one completed the race. Léon Delagrange who covered slightly more than half of the ten 1.2-kilometre laps was declared the winner.[1]
Some other minor events were held before the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne in August 22–29, 1909 at Reims, France. This was the first major international flying event, drawing the most important aircraft makers and pilots of the era, as well as celebrities and royalty. The premier event — the first Gordon Bennett Trophy competition — was won by Glenn Curtiss, who beat second place finisher Louis Blériot by five seconds. Curtiss was named "Champion Air Racer of the World".
In the years before the First World War popular interest in aviation led to a large number of air races in Europe, including the 1911 Circuit of Europe race, the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air Race and the Aerial Derby.
In 1913 the first Schneider Trophy seaplane race was held. When the competition was resumed after the war it was significant in advancing aeroplane design, particularly in the fields of aerodynamics and engine design, and would show its results in the best fighters of World War II."
N4521U
Colonel
Regular question box, ain't he?
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Lucky13
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Need to keep your grays busy......otherwise I'll be just up to some mischief! 
Now, what form might that take, dare I ask?!
Just a wee note about air races, a hundred years ago this year, from January to June 1914, The French L'Union pour la Sécurité en Aéroplane organisation held the first Concours de La Sécurité en Aéroplanes at Buc, which was a saftey in aeroplane design competition. Entries were encouraged to make the decidedly dicey aircraft of the time a bit more user friendly. Prize money was high and entries focussed on stability, as in 'total stability types', aircraft with exaggerated dihedral to establish a condition of automatic longitudinal stability and other innovations, like a starter motor, a split rudder air brake and an entirely new means of controlling an aeroplane longitudinally in the only British entry, Scotsman Preston Watson's rocking wing machine. By far the most innovative entry was Lawrence Sperry and his gyro stabilised autopilot, which won first prize. Here's a link to a bit more info, if I may:
The Concours de La Securite en Aeroplanes Competition
