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Returning Champions, Flying and Ground Activities
The September U.S. Air Race events are getting closer and the competition is heating up. Returning Champions Shelby Bowles and Jim Reed will be flying Shelby’s Cessna 337 “Wild Thing” as they work to repeat their 2004 successes. Bowles is a former Marine turned accountant and Reed is a retired engineer by trade and talented pilot on the weekends. They finished first in the 2004 Marion Jayne Air Race Division C because of their performance on the last leg of the 2100-mile route. They went on to win the navigation challenge of the Cleveland 300 Race and when the scores were combined with the California 300 Race, they landed on top again and received the Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy Award. Clearly, the 2004 U.S. Air Race week was memorable for this great pair. See photo at www.us-airrace.org.
Beyond winning, these two are a class act as Bowles and Reed contribute to the sport of air racing with their expertise. Bowles is a past Board member of the Great Southern Air Race. Reed’s aircraft knowledge aided a competitor when a team needed it most. Perennially top placing race team of Denise Waters and Nancy Toon had a starter problem on the last leg of the Marion Jayne Air Race. Waters is an A&P and knew the plane could be hand-propped. Jim Reed stepped forward to help. He got them started so they could finish the race and then again for the Cleveland 300 Air Race so they could stay in the Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy competition. Thanks to their own talent and Reed’s assistance, they won the 2004 Marion Jayne Division A top award. Waters and Toon are currently working their schedules to compete again this year.
Warning: the next paragraphs are E-rated. Everyone will want to Enter and Enjoy.
So here’s what is in store for the 2005 race teams for flying and ground activities. The Cowhand and Carolinas 300 races are navigational challenges so the routes will remain a mystery but the Marion Jayne route allows the use of the whole panel. The 1800-mile Marion Jayne route starts in Mesquite, Texas (just east of Dallas) with hospitality Texas-style. The airport just won the FAA reliever airport of the year and airport manager Cynthia Godfrey has organized a great welcome. The first dinner will be at the Trail Dust Steak house, known for its beef, long slide and atmosphere of fun. A must see is the Mesquite Rodeo and it is on the schedule too.
Leaving Mesquite the teams will fly north past Lake Ray Hubbard, over the Red River Valley, up the stunning the Canadian River fed Eufaula Reservior, past the Arkansas River valley to the Route 66 town of Miami, Oklahoma. I fly close to this route and despite the dry reputation of Texas and Oklahoma, I rarely crack a chart as the rivers and lakes make navigation easy. Teams can choose to remain overnight in historic Miami or head southeast over the Ozarks and mighty Mississippi to the new airport in split-personality Tunica. Tunica is the third largest gaming city in the USA with 14,000 slot machines, 400 gaming tables, $45 a night rooms and has southern charm in the old downtown, Tunica River Park and Museum.
Teams may have fun in Tunica or fly the length of forest covered Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico town, Pascagoula. It will be easy to find, just hold the heading and if you are over the water, turn back, you’ve gone too far. Then the route turns northeast, flies parallel to Coosa river to the southern tip of the Appalachian Mountains to Gadsden, Alabama. On the next leg, teams will decipher the treed hills and valleys of Georgia to its southeast corner and the city of Waycross. Taking about a 30 degree heading and after crossing four big, beautiful rivers (Altamaha, Savannah, Congaree and Catawba), the teams will find that the city of Monroe is investing in its airport as well. Recently highlighted in AOPA magazine as a town ‘who gets it’ and supports its airport, Monroe and the Mott Family hosts the race terminus, the Carolinas 300 Race and the very special Aw Shucks Corn Maze. Yup, more fun at very low altitudes as prizes for the fastest team through the corn maze will be
given. The gracious and spacious home of the Arthur and Charlotte Mott family will be the site of the awards festivities.
All the good news and the entry kit are at www.us-airrace.org which is now managed by Web Editor, Dianna Mullet. Dianna finds time to fly while sandwiching in a job, volunteer work and being Mom to 1 and 3/4 children. Oh, she has wife-stuff in there also. Baby girl Mullet is growing as this is written and her ETA coincides with the race events so teams may or may not meet this whirlwind of energy and web talent in September.
We look forward to seeing many of you in next month. Here is a reprise of key information. "Cattle country to the Carolinas" is the theme for the 2005 U.S. Air Races. The teams in the exciting cross country 1800-mile Marion Jayne Air Race will fly from Texas to North Carolina. The Cowhand 300-mile Air Race will be in Texas and the Carolinas 300-mile Air Race will be in the Carolinas. These fabulous flying events will be held from September 23 to September 30, 2005. The free entry kit is available at www.us-airrace.org.
These events are truly air racing for everyone. As long as your plane is FAA Airworthy with a current annual and insurance of $1,000,000, you can race with us and win trophies, cash, prizes and the all-important bragging rights. You get to have a great excuse to go flying, help promote a positive view of general aviation, see new parts of the country and make great flying friends.
You are welcome to race or cruise. Some folks don't realize that we also offer an Air Cruise on the same dates and route as the race. This Air Cruise option is a fabulous chance to fly where the ground arrangements and team gatherings are handled by the U.S. Air Race and the flying is up to you at whatever power setting you normally use. Join the fun at your speed, make new friends and enjoy great hangar flying!
As in 2004, teams may compete in cruise, speed and collegiate divisions in the 1800-mile Marion Jayne Air Race. Custom divisions (such as, turbo or all Tigers) are possible for five or more teams. The events are open to all qualified pilots and planes. Flying is done under Federal Aviation Regulations in daylight, VFR conditions of 1000’ and 3 miles or better. Race planes are individually handicapped. Our goals are to promote the sport of General Aviation and the events’ proceeds will benefit youth and collegiate aviation endeavors. Participants will receive custom trophies, completion plaques and prizes.
The renaissance-style 300-mile races are where pilotage and precise flying reign supreme as teams compete with only a compass and sectional charts for navigational aids across a mystery route. The Marion Jayne Air Race is where the full panel is used with weather and aircraft knowledge being added to the competitive equation. After 3 days and 1800 miles of cross country flying, teams will be honored with awards. The results of the three national races will be combined to determine the winner of the stunning Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy.
Our ‘Safe, Fair and Fun’ catch phrase was coined at our 1995 inaugural event and characterizes how we work together as organizers and participants to have successful flights. Our teams have flown over 468,965 miles (approximately) with a perfect safety record. For first- time participants a special briefing is held and new teams are given an experienced event buddy to make their rookie experience goes smoothly. Come join us for the fun flying, the camaraderie, the cruising and/or the competition. You’ll have hangar flying stories for years to come! All race teams are eligible for the prestigious Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy.
The U.S. Air Race, Inc. was founded by famed race pilot Marion Jayne. Jayne is the only U.S. pilot to have raced twice around the world. She placed second in the 1992 race and won the FAI Gold Medal in 1994. Marion has been honored as one of the century's 100 Aviation Heroes along with the Wrights, John Glenn, Eileen Collins and others at the Centennial Celebration. Her personal success, her two races around the world, her life before flying were cited as well as her entrepreneurial spirit in founding 4 air races - three of which are still run annually. The 2005 National Air Races honor her memory and contributions. Last year we gave six learn-to-fly scholarships.
The U.S. Air Race is a charitable enterprise dedicated to the sport of cross country flying and provides scholarships to young people interested in aviation. Contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law. Come join the flying fun, volunteer or make a contribution. More details are at www.us-airrace.org.
Wishing you Blue Skies and Tailwinds,
Patricia Jayne (Pat) Keefer
President, U.S. Air Race, Inc.
National Air Races and Air Cruise
P.S. If you would prefer not to receive information about the U.S. Air Race events, please let me know.
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