Embry-Riddle to Host 2016 Start, Terminus of Historic Women’s Air Race Classic

In addition to hosting the start and terminus, the university’s residential campuses will field four teams of female student and instructor pilots as part of this year’s race, the ARC’s 40th, which features a special theme, “Collegiate Cross-Country,” honoring aviation programs at universities and colleges across the country. This year also marks 20 years since a similar route was run between the two campuses in 1996.

Tracing its roots to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other groundbreaking female pilots raced from Santa Monica, Calif., to Cleveland, Ohio, the ARC today is the epicenter of women’s air racing, testing piloting skill and aviation decision-making for female pilots of all ages and from all walks of life.

“The Air Race Classic is thrilled that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will be hosting the start and terminus this year,” said ARC President Lara Gaerte. “Embry-Riddle has a long, proud history of promoting women in aviation and has been a huge supporter of the Air Race Classic for many years. Many great teams representing the university have competed in the ARC, and we look forward to a terrific race!”

The 2016 ARC will cover a course that includes stops at airports at or near institutions of higher education that train and educate future pilots. One such stop is Albuquerque, N.M., where Embry-Riddle Worldwide offers courses at Kirtland Air Force Base. For details on this year’s route, go to airraceclassic.org.

Embry-Riddle pilots scheduled to participate include four from the Daytona Beach Campus (Sarah Wendt, Sojung An, Emmy Dillon and Abbie Pasmore) and four from the Prescott Campus (Hannah Rooney, Rachel Hutzell, Hannah Burright and Shelby King). Wendt, Pasmore, Dillon and King have all competed in previous races.

The women were selected for this prestigious competition by Embry-Riddle College of Aviation administrators from each campus on the basis of their piloting skills, their competitive spirit and their knowledge of aviation, safety, navigation, meteorology and crew resource management. All Embry-Riddle teams will fly Cessna 172 aircraft from the university’s fleet.

Embry-Riddle racers have delivered impressive performances in the Air Race Classic over the years. A Daytona Beach team has participated every year since 2007, finishing four times as the No. 1 team in the collegiate division, and has finished as high as No. 2 in the overall competition twice. Prescott has taken part every year since 2009, ranking as high as No. 2 in the collegiate division and No. 4 last year in the overall competition.

“Embry-Riddle is excited to host the start and terminus – not only because it marks the 20th anniversary of the previous run between our campuses, but because we are always proud to celebrate women aviators,” said Embry-Riddle Interim President Dr. John R. Watret. “Growing female enrollment and providing opportunities for our students to participate in events such as this exemplify Embry-Riddle’s commitment to shaping the diversity of the aviation and aerospace workforce.”

More than 100 female pilots every year compete in the Air Race Classic, the oldest race of its kind in the United States. This year’s course will cover 2,716 miles and consist of 55 teams of two or three pilots. For the first time, LiveATC.net will beam live audio of the racers’ communications with air traffic control, the timers on the ground and one another to a global audience of pilots, aviation enthusiasts, family and friends.

Registration for the Air Race Classic is open until April 1.

Those interested in volunteering at the start in Prescott or the terminus in Daytona Beach can email uaevents@erau.edu. For information on volunteering at any of the stops in between, go to airraceclassic.org/how-to-volunteer.htm

Read "Get to Know Embry-Riddle’s Air Race Classic Racers."