Women Fly

The country's longest running women's air race takes off on June 21st to 24th from the Purdue University Airport in West Lafayette, Indiana. The 2005 Air Race Classic will start and finish at KLAF, with the winners being announced on June 26th.

"This year's Air Race Classic is more than a race," said Keri Wiznerowicz to Purdue News. She is a graduate student in aviation technology who is overseeing the organization of the race. "It is a chance for the next generation of aviation leaders - today's students - to pay tribute to the generation of pilots who paved the way for them. If these women had not fought for the great accomplishments they made, none of us would be where we are today. We owe them a tremendous 'thank you.'"

The Air Race Classic began in 1929 as the All Women's Transcontinental Air Race and has involved such pioneers as Amelia Earhart, Bobbie Trout and Ruth Elder. More than 80 female pilots are expected to take place in the event. Activities honoring the first generation of female pilots and the up and coming women pilots will also take place.

The 2,455 nautical mile race includes stops in Winona, MN; Beatrice, NE; Bartlesville, OK; Shreveport, LA; Walnut Ridge, AR; Tullahoma, TN; Ohio University in Athens, OH; and Frankfort, IN.

"When the race began, there was a debate about how much horsepower women pilots should even be allowed to have when they flew," Wiznerowicz said. "In 1929 women had never before been allowed to take part in an air race. Today, women still account for a small minority of the people in aviation, but without the women who flew in the first race and other women who pushed the boundaries, we would not have the opportunities we have today."

Thomas Q. Carney, professor and head of Purdue's Department of Aviation Technology, told Purdue News that events like the Air Race Classic help encourage more girls and women to consider aviation as a career choice.

"This race helps connect earlier generations of pilots with young people who are making choices and planning careers," said Carney. "It helps expose young people to role models they can look to as examples of what they can accomplish in aviation. These women are not just role models for girls and women, but, in a larger sense, for all of us who pursue excellence as aviators."

"Throughout the nearly 102-year history of powered flight, Purdue alumni, faculty and staff have played an integral role in essentially every step in the growth of aviation," he said. "Serving as host to the Air Race Classic will bring Purdue yet another connection to the history and evolution of aviation."

Teams win based on the efficiency and accuracy they exhibit in every aspect of the race. They are rated based on their performance and their airplane's handicap. Because of the nature of the scoring, it is impossible to gauge a team's performance in relation to other teams until the competition is over.

FMI: www.airraceclassic2005.org