News/Press Releases

The field is set for the 40th Air Race Classic (ARC), the annual all-women cross-country airplane race. Fifty-five teams, consisting of 130 women pilots from around the country, will take off Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Prescott, AZ, for a 2,716-mile sprint across the United States that ends Friday, June 24, 2016, in Daytona Beach, FL.

The oldest race of its kind in the nation, the ARC traces its roots to the 1929 Women's Air Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other daring female pilots raced from Santa Monica, CA, to Cleveland, OH. That contest, aka the Powder Puff Derby, marked the beginning of women's air racing in the United States. Today, the ARC is the epicenter of women's air racing, the ultimate test of piloting skill and aviation decision-making for female pilots of all ages and from all walks of life.

"The ARC Board of Directors and volunteers have been hard at work preparing for our 40th race," said Air Race Classic President Lara Gaerte. "We look forward to welcoming back veteran racers and meeting new competitors at this year's Start."

This year's course will take racers through 12 states, from Arizona's pine forests and high desert through America's Midwestern heartland to the sandy beaches of Florida. Aviation education programs are a particular highlight this year: Every stop is at or near a renowned college or university aviation program. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is hosting the Start and Terminus at its campuses in Prescott, AZ, and Daytona Beach, FL. Intermediate stops are Albuquerque, NM; Midland, TX; Waco, TX; Arkadelphia, AR; Warrensburg, MO; Champaign/Urbana, IL; Murfreesboro, TN, and Americus, GA. Nineteen of the race teams are representing a college or university.

Teams of two or three pilots will have four days to complete the course, flying normally aspirated, piston-powered airplanes in visual flight conditions during daylight hours. Pilots and copilots must have at least 100 hours as pilot-in-command in order to qualify for the race; one of them must have at least 500 hours as pilot-in-command or a current instrument rating. If they wish, the pilot and copilot may bring along a teammate, who must hold at least a student pilot certificate.

For some competitors, the Air Race Classic is a family affair. This year's field includes four multi-generational teams – grandmothers, mothers, daughters and granddaughters racing together.

The ARC will begin at 8 a.m. June 21 at Ernest A. Love Field in Prescott, with teams departing the runway one after another, 30 seconds apart. From there, the field will spread out as faster planes move to the head of the pack. At each stop, teams will execute high-speed flybys over a timing line as they race against the clock. Faster planes may cover the course in only two days; slower teams may not arrive at the Terminus, Daytona Beach International Airport, until moments before the arrival deadline at 5 p.m. on June 24.

Because each plane receives a unique handicap, teams are racing against their own best time, not against one another. This creates a level playing field, so slower planes can compete against faster aircraft on an equal basis. Teams strategize to play the elements, holding out for better weather or seeking more favorable winds, to beat their handicap by the greatest margin. Official standings aren't determined until after the last team has crossed the finish line – the last arrival at the Terminus may, in fact, be the winner!

Prizes for the ARC are valued at more than $16,500 and include medallions, trophies and cash awards.

ABOUT THE AIR RACE CLASSIC

Air Race Classic Inc. is an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization with a mission of encouraging and educating current and future female pilots, increasing public awareness of general aviation, demonstrating women's roles in aviation, and preserving and promoting the tradition of pioneering women in aviation. For more information, go to airraceclassic.org. Follow Air Race Classic on Facebook. On Twitter: @2016ARC