Preserve Women's Air Racing!  

Help us preserve the legacy of pioneering women in aviation by encouraging and educating current and future women pilots, increasing public awareness of general aviation, demonstrating women's roles in aviation, and promoting the tradition of women's air racing!

HISTORY OF WOMEN'S AIR RACING

Have you raced with us? Have you volunteered at one of the hundreds of stops we have been to? Do you know any women pilots?

Women's air racing started in 1929 with the First Women's Air Derby. Twenty pilots raced from Santa Monica, CA to Cleaveland, OH, site of the National Air Races. Racing continued through the '30's and was renewed again after WWII when the All Women's Transcontinental Air Race (AWTAR), better known as the Powder Puff Derby, came into being.  The AWTAR held its 30th, final and commemorative flight in 1977.  When the AWTAR was discontinued, the Air Race Classic, Ltd., (ARC) stepped in to continue the tradtion of transcontinental speed competition for women pilots and staged its premier race.  The Air Race Classic was reincorporated in 2002 into the Air Race Classic, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

Since that first race, over 1,000 women representing 26 countries have flown over 200,000 miles, visiting 44 states and Canada; and 38 colleges have sent teams to represent their school! In 2019, we had 50 teams made up of 109 racers. The race route started in Jackson, TN and ended in Welland, Ontario!

The current race routes are approximately 2,400 statute miles in length, and the contestants are usually given four days, flying VFR in daylight hours, to reach the terminus. Each plane is assigned a handicap speed - and the goal is to have the actual ground speed be as far over the handicap speed as possible. The pilots are thus given the leeway to play the elements, holding out for better weather, winds, etc. The objective is to fly the "perfect" cross-country. In this type of race, the official standings cannot be determined until the final entrant has crossed the finish line.

Help us preserve the legacy of pioneering women in aviation by encouraging and educating current and future women pilots, increasing public awareness of general aviation, demonstrating women's roles in aviation, and promoting the tradition of women's air racing! For more information, visit us at www.airraceclassic.org. 

The Air Race Classic wants to raise $50,000 this year. Money raised will go toward education, training videos, webinars, and operating funds. We need your help!

The goal of this campaign is to continue the legacy started 90 years ago by such women as Amelia Earhart, Pancho Barnes and Louise Thaden! You can make a difference by donating by December 31. Click on this link today! https://www.airraceclassic.org/make-a-donation.htm

Air Race Classic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are deductible as allowed by law.

Next week - Why I Fly

Continue the Tradition

Support The Air Race Classic and Make 2020 The Best Race Ever!

June 23-26, 2020