96 women pilots to compete in Annual Air Race Classic with stop in Gillette – County 17

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Ninety-six women pilots are set to take to the skies for the 48th annual Air Race Classic, a cross-country airplane race exclusively for women that includes a stop in Gillette.

Forty-three teams from across the United States will participate in the 2,426-mile competition, which kicks off Tuesday, June 17, in Fairhope, Alabama, and concludes Friday, June 20, in Spokane, Washington.

This year’s race marks the 96th anniversary of the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, also known as the Powder Puff Derby. That historic race saw Amelia Earhart and 19 other female pilots fly from Santa Monica, California, to Cleveland, Ohio, marking the beginning of women’s air racing in the United States. The ARC is now the premier event in women’s air racing, testing the piloting skills and decision-making abilities of women aviators of all ages and backgrounds.

“The ARC Board of Directors and volunteers have been hard at work preparing for our 48th race,” Air Race Classic President Donna Harris said. “We look forward to celebrating the 96th anniversary of the Women’s Air Derby as we welcome back veteran racers and meet new competitors at our Start in Fairhope, Alabama.”

The race route will take pilots through 10 states, starting on the Gulf Coast and continuing over Midwestern farmlands, across the Continental Divide, and finally to the Pacific Northwest. The finish line is at Felts Field in Spokane, Washington.

Teams will depart from H L Sonny Callahan Airport in Fairhope, Alabama, starting at 8 a.m. June 17, taking off 30 seconds apart.

The race includes eight intermediate stops: Starkville, Mississippi; Harrison, Arkansas; McPherson, Kansas; Sterling, Colorado; Gillette; Rock Springs; Jerome, Idaho; and La Grande, Oregon. At each stop, teams will fly over a timing line at high speed as they compete against the clock. While faster planes could complete the course in just two days, slower teams may arrive in Spokane just before the 5:30 p.m. deadline June 20.

Each team consists of two or three pilots who will fly normally aspirated, piston-powered airplanes during daylight hours under visual flight conditions. To qualify, pilots and co-pilots must hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate with a minimum of 100 hours of pilot-in-command time. One pilot per team must have at least 500 hours of pilot-in-command time or a current instrument rating. Teams can also include a teammate holding at least a student pilot certificate.

This year’s competition includes 18 teams from 12 colleges and universities in the Intercollegiate Class, including Auburn University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott, and the University of North Dakota. Individual racers from several universities are also participating in the Competition Class.

Pilots in this year’s race come from 29 states, and the event includes two teams with family members flying together.

To ensure fair competition, each aircraft receives a unique handicap. Teams race against their own best possible time, rather than directly against other teams. This system allows slower planes to compete equally with faster ones. Teams will need to strategically use weather conditions and winds to try and beat their handicap by the largest margin.

The official race standings will not be determined until all teams have crossed the finish line in Spokane. This means the last team to arrive could potentially be the winner.

Related