Air Race Route

Above is the Air Race Classic 2009 route.

(This information has been taken from the ARC website-www.airraceclassic.org)

The race stops include:

Race Route for 2009Start:

Denver, CO (APA) hosted by the Colorado Chapter fo the Ninety-Nines
Liberal, KS (LBL)
Sweetwater, TX (SWW)
Lufkin, TX (LFK)
Russellville, AR (RUE)
Grenada, MS (GNF)
Sparta, TN (SRB)
Jacksonville, IL (IJX)
Racine, WI (RAC)
Finish: Atlantic, IA (AIO) hosted by Airworks, the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, Cass Atlantic Development Corporation and the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission.

Air Race Classic extends a warm welcome to the Judges for the 2009 race:
Jan Bell, Mary Build and Janet Yoder.

While I do not know each of these judges, I do know Janet Yoder. Janet was our “mama bird” the first year I competed in the ARC. She is such a wonderful mentor and friend. I am thrilled to see her judge this year!!!

Our Ladies will depart bright and early Tuesday morning. Their race number is 22 and therefore will be the 22nd plane to depart. The way the race morning goes is as follows:
1. WAKE UP EARLY-like 5:30 or something like that!
2. Eat breakfast with ARC competitors at mandatory breakfast
3. Arrive at airport-preflight, load up, etc
4. DEPARTURES start at 7:00 am SHARP central time! **8 AM COLORADO TIME**

I think the first day of the race is one of THE most exciting and memorable times of the entire race. There are around 30 (ish) airplanes loading up and preparing to depart (depending on the year-and number of entrants to the race). There are line-people or flaggers that go around and start the airplanes a few at a time, one after the other-so that once the first few are started, they have time for a quick run up, and then each plane will depart in race order. After the first few are doing run up, the next few will start, and so on, until all aircrafts have started and departed. This is important, because one would not want to start their aircraft and wait an hour to take off-so doing the start up, taxi, run up and departure in this way works well.
There are usually a good crowd of people at the airport taking pictures and cheering the competitors on as each team departs. It is truly an experience.

I CAN’T WAIT until tomorrow!