Rapid City Flying Aces

The Rapid City Flying Aces are a professional indoor football team. Like their predecessors, the Black Hills Red Dogs, they play their home games at the Don Barnett Arena in Rapid City, South Dakota. As of April 2007 The Flying Aces do not belong to any football league. The organization was affiliated with the Indoor Football League in 2000; with the National Indoor Football League from 2001 to 2004 and in 2006; and with United Indoor Football in 2005. The team is considering the possibility of rejoining the UIF in 2008.

The Flying Aces have seen success on the playing field, winning at least 10 out of 14 games three times in their seven seasons; however, organizational turmoil has threatened the existence of the franchise.

Team History 2000-2005

The team began play as the Black Hills Machine of the Indoor Football League in 2000. Despite a good inaugural year, they lost Round 1 to the Topeka Kings. When the IFL folded, the franchise moved to the newly-formed National Indoor Football League as a charter member and became the Rapid City Red Dogs. After one mostly successful 2001 season, they had poor follow-ups in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, the franchise did a minor name change and became the Black Hills Red Dogs. However, the name change didn't result in success. In 2005, the Red Dogs joined the UIF as a charter member. However, in their inaugural UIF season, they only won one game.

2006 Season

In 2006, the franchise moved back to the NIFL and became the Rapid City Flying Aces. In the 2006 season, they successfully started the season 8-0. However, new owner Howard Patterson, who is wanted by the FBI on several fraud counts, fled the city, leaving several bounced checks and unpaid bills.Fact|date=February 2007 It appeared the team was going to fold; however, several local investors helped pay the bills and save the team. The team went on to the Pacific Conference title game, losing to the Billings Outlaws.

Future of the Franchise

Recently the Flying Aces announced that they had left the NIFL. They are considering moving to United Indoor Football joining new converts such as the Billings Outlaws and River City Rage. If they do move to the UIF, they will share another thing in common with the Red Dogs, as the Red Dogs left the NIFL for UIF. However, finances are currently not in order right now, and unless they do come together by December 11, they will sit out the 2007 season. It is highly unlikely that indoor football will ever return to Rapid City if they fold; however, the Aces might come back for 2008 if they sit out 2007.

Season-By-Season

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colspan="6" align="center" | Black Hills Machine (IFL)
-
2000 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 2nd WC Northern || Lost Round 1 (Topeka)
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colspan="6" align="center" | Rapid City Red Dogs (NIFL)
-
2001 || 13 || 1 || 0 || 1st PC Central || Lost Round 1 (Sioux Falls)
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2002 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 4th PC Western || --
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2003 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 3rd PC Western || --
-
colspan="6" align="center" | Black Hills Red Dogs (NIFL)
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2004 || 3 || 11 || 0 || 4th PC Western || --
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colspan="6" align="center" | Black Hills Red Dogs (UIF)
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2005 || 1 || 14 || 0 || 4th North || --
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colspan="6" align="center" | Rapid City Flying Aces (NIFL)
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2006 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 1st Pacific West || Won Pacific Semi-Final (Katy)
Lost Pacific Championship (Billings)
-
2007 || colspan="5" align="center" | "Did Not Play"
-!Totals || 52 || 51 || 0
colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
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External links

* [http://www.oursportscentral.com/sports/?t_id=1830 Source for Flying Aces news and information]
* [http://www.niflfootball.com/ National Indoor Football League website]
* [http://www.unitedindoorfootball.com/ United Indoor Football website] Feel free to email: [e-mail] for more background on indoor football history
* [http://www.oursportscentral.com/ OurSports Central website]