Alex Small, a senior at Purdue University, performs a preflight fuel check for the aircraft her team used for the 2022 Air Race Classic. [Credit: John O’Malley/Purdue University]
Key Takeaways:
Registration is open for the 2026 Air Race Classic, a 2,400-mile cross-country event from June 23-26 for teams of at least two women pilots.
Participants must meet specific pilot qualifications (e.g., private pilot certificate, 100+ PIC hours) and fly stock aircraft, competing by trying to beat a personalized handicap.
The race route spans multiple states, beginning in East Alton, Illinois, and ending in Mount Vernon, Illinois, emphasizing camaraderie, personal growth, and friendly competition with support from "Mother Birds" for new teams.
Attention all women pilots: If you are looking for a way to stretch and grow your aviation skills, perhaps you should take part in the 2026 Air Race Classic.
Registration is now open for race teams consisting of at least two women pilots. In the past the team members have ranged in age from 17 to 95.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![Alex Small, a senior at Purdue University, performs a preflight fuel check for the aircraft her team used for the 2022 Air Race Classic. [Credit: John O’Malley/Purdue University]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1-Purdue-AirRaceClassicTeam-e1676658914252.jpg)
