US Air Race

The most prestigious cross country air race, the 1800-mile Marion Jayne Air Race will be run by U.S. Air Race, Inc. as one of the three National Air Races. The theme for 2006 is "Air Racing: Where it’s all about the Pilots". Yes, there are gorgeous airplanes too and fabulous scenery but with individually handicapped aircraft, this is the most practical of all the forms of air racing. The goal is to get from one point to another in the shortest possible time and this is done under conditions comparable to everyday flying. Cross country speed racing is the sport of flying. It is real world of flying and requires the use of all flight skills to win the competition. Truly, it is all about the pilots.

2006 offers one week of unmatched camaraderie and competition with three racing events that culminate on the doorstep of EAA’s AirVenture. Teams can fly one or all three of the aces: the exciting cross country 1800-mile Marion Jayne Air Race from Hutchinson, Kansas to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the Hutchinson 300-mile Air Race in Kansas or the Stevens Point 300 Air Race in Wisconsin. These fabulous flying events will be held July 16-23, 2006. Participants will receive custom trophies, cash, completion plaques, prizes and priceless bragging rights. Those entering all events will compete for the Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy. Flying either 300-mile race is where the teams are able to prove their all around ability in cross country flying as navigation in this event is by pilotage only.

Hutchinson, Kansas is the first of seven locations to be visited during the week. The city of Hutchinson and the Hutchinson Municipal Airport are rolling out the red carpet for the pilots. This central Kansas city sits on the banks of the Arkansas River and features the Smithsonian quality Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Museum which holds a SR-71, the Apollo 13 command module and an IMAX theater. The welcoming warm cookies at Wells Aircraft FBO add to the hospitality. “Learn to Fly” scholarships will be awarded by raffle drawing in Hutchinson and Stevens Point. Details are at www.us-airrace.org.

The exciting 1800-mile route with 300-mile legs abounds in scenic splendor and begins in Hutchinson located in the middle of Kansas on the Arkansas River. Teams will launch together and then make their own decisions when to fly during the three days allotted to make the finish deadline at Stevens Point. Five mandatory fueling stops are located along the route. Teams will follow the river valley towards the eastern plains of Colorado and then fly north in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains to the scenic Badlands and the edge of the Black Hills in where teams may remain overnight and see the fabulous evening Mt Rushmore presentation. Then it is off to Montana and the Missouri River. Turning east, flights will follow the grandeur of Missouri River a bit until it is joined by the Yellowstone River to create beautiful Lake Sakakawea. Still heading east the route is across North Dakota and Minnesota just south of the pristine wilderness of the boundary waters and then turns southeast and flies just over the tip of Lake Superior and finishes at Stevens, Point in mid-Wisconsin. Flying is daylight VFR and FAR compliant.

The events are timed to join the GTO™ (Gateway to Oshkosh) convention run by Jones Publishing who produces the monthly Cessna Owners organization and Piper Owners Society magazines. They will be running seminars, ground schools and providing coach tour buses to and from EAA’s AirVenture venue at Oshkosh. This is definitely Oshkosh made easy.

The U.S. Air Race, Inc. enters its eleventh year of producing Safe, Fair and Fun cross country speed races. Since 1994, twenty race events have been flown covering 480,145 safe miles with 3,180 happy landings and a perfect safety record. 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 won the FAI Gold Medal in 1994 longest race in history and has been honored as one of the century's 100 Aviation Heroes along with the Wrights, John Glenn, Eileen Collins and others at the 2003 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.

Free entry kits and more information are available at www.us-airrace.org.

For media questions U.S. Air Race contact point: Pat Purcell 904-564-9410 ppurcellk@aol.com

January 24, 2006

The items below are a representative sample of the press the U.S. Air Race, Inc receives.

January, 2006 Piper Owners Society Annual Source Guide Issue Feature article and back cover Ad (pages in PDF format):

January, 2006 Cessna Owners organization Annual Source Guide Issue Feature article and back cover Ad (pages in PDF format):

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December, 2005

Click here to read article

September 9, 2005

Pat Keefer and Cynthia Godfrey, Mesquite Airport Director, were interviewed by Dr. James Griffen on KEOM-FM radio regarding the upcoming U.S. Air Race events and the Learn to Fly scholarships. The recorded interview will be broadcast multiple times during the next two weeks. Notes are shown in the link below.

KEOM Interview Notes (Word Doc, 36.0 KB)

September 9, 2005
U.S. Air Race, Inc. Announces Amended Route for the 2005 1800 Mile Marion Jayne Air Race
The U.S. Air Race, Inc. has changed “Official Stop #3” on the 2005 1800 Mile Marion Jayne Air Race. Air racers will be missing out on the sights and seafood of the Gulf Coast this year. Stop #3, Pascagoula, Mississippi has been hard hit by Hurricane Katrina and will not be able to host the racers.
Official Stop #3 is now Glasgow, Kentucky with the balance of the route unchanged. Pilots from all across the United States will start from Mesquite, Texas on September 26, 2005. Teams have three days to fly the challenging course first heading North to Miami, Oklahoma and then turning Southeast to Tunica, Mississippi. Changing course again and heading Northeast they fly to Glasgow, Kentucky. Racers may over night at any official stop and the questions will be when to continue on to Gadsden, Alabama and Waycross, Georgia. The arrival deadline for the finish at Monroe, North Carolina is 5:00 p.m. EDT on September 28, 2005.
When the flag drops for the start of the Marion Jayne Air Race the first leg of the competition for the Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy will be in the history books. The Cowhand 300 runs on Sunday, September 25, 2005 at Mesquite, Texas. Will the winners of that event be feeling the pressure as they embark across the United States? The early lead is no assurance of an overall win. In 2004, Race #41, Shelby Bowles, Maryland and Jim Reed, Maryland flew “Wild Thing”, a Cessna Skymaster to the overall victory. They came from next to last on the first event, the California 300 and “smoked the field” at Cleveland. Race #41 returns in 2005 to try to make it two in a row. Past winners from Texas, Dennis and Jeanette Hackler flying their #7 “Magic Carpet” a Piper Arrow and from North Carolina and Virginia, Arthur Mott and John Dawson flying #29 “Cumulous Bound” a Beechcraft Baron plan on the “home field advantage” being the edge they need to win it all.
The U.S. Air Race, Inc. is a Texas, non profit corporation with all proceeds going to support youth aviation endeavors. Entries are open for the 2005 National Air Races until close of registration on September 24, 2005 at Mesquite, Texas. www.us-airrace.org, 903-564-9410, ppurcellk@aol.com

September 14, 2005
From the "Pilot Journal" Magazine. A Roundup of the Most Important Aviation Events Throughout the World.
Article (PDF, 628 Kbytes)

September 15, 2005
From the" Women in Aviation International" Magazine. Calendar of key industry events.
Article (PDF, 837 KBytes)
2003
2003 Centennial races