Ohio State students compete for first time in all-women cross-country airplane race

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Lady Buckeyes, from left: Rebecca Vilcheck, Natalie Higdon, Josie Cotugno, Aly Bond and Yasmine Abu Arab.

Columbus, OH – Three Ohio State University aviation students will take to the skies from June 20 to 23, 2017, in the 41st Annual Air Race Classic (ARC), the oldest airplane race of its kind in the United States. The Lady Buckeyes will be among more than 120 women pilots from around the world competing in this year's race, which begins in Frederick, Maryland and ends in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“This year marks the 100th anniversary of the university’s aviation program. We’re honored to be the inaugural Ohio State women’s air racing team and to start a new tradition for our program,” said Team Captain Natalie Higdon. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the three of us flying in the race to put our skills to the test as well as our other team members who will be helping us on the ground from Columbus. The main goal of us participating is to create visibility for women pilots and to inspire the next generation of aviators.”

This historic contest traces its roots to the 1929 Women's Air Derby, also known as the Powder Puff Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other daring female pilots raced from Santa Monica, California to Cleveland, Ohio. That competition marked the beginning of women's air racing in the United States. Today, the ARC is the epicenter of women's air racing, the ultimate test of piloting skills and aviation decision-making for female pilots.

The Lady Buckeyes will compete against approximately 50 teams, covering a 2,648-mile course from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the far northern reaches of the continental U.S. to the high desert of New Mexico. Teams will depart on June 20 from Frederick Municipal Airport in 30-second intervals. From there, the field will spread out as faster planes move to the head of the pack. At each stop, teams will execute high-speed flybys over a timing line as they race against the clock. Faster planes may cover the course in only two days; slower teams may not arrive at the final destination until moments before the arrival deadline on June 23.

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Part of Ohio State’s Women in Aviation Chapter, the creation of an ARC team was spearheaded in October 2016. Along with Higdon, team members include Pilot Aly Bond, Co-pilot Josie Cotugno, Team Coordinator and aerospace engineering student Rebecca Vilcheck, and a weather team headed by engineering aviation student Yasmine Abu Arab.

“This race had been on our radar for a long time, but we were finally in a position where we could participate,” said Higdon. “We took the idea to the Center for Aviation studies and they loved it. We’ve been met with nothing but support from everyone we’ve told about the team and our goals.”

The ARC draws competitors of all ages, from teenagers to veteran pilots, and from all walks of life, including college students, professional airline pilots, military veterans and business professionals. For all involved, it’s a chance to engage in fierce competition while sharing a love of flying and encouraging the next generation of fearless women to take to the air.

Follow the Lady Buckeyes’ journey on their Facebook page: @waiosu, or on Instagram: @ladybuckeyes. The team is still accepting donations at their GoFundMe page: gofundme.com/ohio-state-air-race-classic-team.

About the Air Race Classic

Air Race Classic Inc. is an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization with a mission of encouraging and educating current and future female pilots, increasing public awareness of general aviation, demonstrating women's roles in aviation, and preserving and promoting the tradition of pioneering women in aviation. For more information or to volunteer, go to airraceclassic.org. 

Category: Students