Air Race Classic to Continue Century of Women in Flight

Teams of pilots are invited to join the 2,400-mile cross-country challenge.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, February 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

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:

The 2026 Air Race Classic is a 2,400-mile cross-country aviation event for women pilots, scheduled for June 23-26, requiring teams of at least two women with specific pilot and aircraft qualifications.
The race follows a defined route across multiple states, starting in East Alton, Illinois, and concluding in Mount Vernon, Illinois.
Teams compete against their aircraft's specific handicap, aiming to beat it by the largest margin, with an emphasis on camaraderie, skill development, and friendly competition, supported by experienced "Mother Bird" mentors for first-time racers.

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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.

To participate in the June 23-26 event, racers must hold at least a private pilot certificate and a current medical certificate or BasicMed and have a current flight review and at least 100 hours logged as PIC. Racers fly stock aircraft manufactured according to FAR Part 23 and/or Part 3 of the Civil Air Regulations (CAR), and are certified with a Standard Airworthiness Certificate in the Normal or Utility category.

The entry fee is $690 per person.

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Safety is key. The aircraft are inspected for airworthiness and must fly VFR during daylight hours only and are given four days to make flybys at each en route timing point and then land at the terminus. The race route changes every year but remains approximately 2,400 miles long with eight or nine timing points.

The Route

The race begins at St. Louis Regional Airport (KALN) in East Alton, Illinois, then proceeds to east to Capitol City Airport (KFFT) in Frankfort, Kentucky, then to Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport/Simpson Field (KSPA) in South Carolina, then Douglas Municipal Airport (KDQH) in Georgia, then north to Pryor Field Regional Airport (KDCU) in Decatur, Alabama, then to McComb-Pike County Airport in Mississippi (KMCB), then to Russellville Regional Airport (KRUE) in Arkansas, north to Amelia Earhart Airport (K59) in Atchison, Kansas, then to Rosecrans Memorial Airport (KSTJ) in St. Joseph, Missouri, north to Prairie du Chien Municipal Airport (KPDC) in Wisconsin, with the terminus at Mount Vernon Outland Airport (KMVN) in Illinois.

Registration is open, routing is finalized, and teams are forming for the annual 2,400- mile Air Race Classic. [Credit: Air Race Classic]

The teams in the Competition/Intercollegiate classes fly a handicap flight and receive a unique time adjustment for their airplane. Teams are racing against themselves and trying to beat their handicap by the best margin.

Each team crosses a timing line at the start and finish of each leg of the race, and their speed for each leg is calculated based on those times. At the conclusion of the race the team’s overall speed is calculated based on each leg time and compared to their handicap. The team that beats its handicap by the largest number wins.

According to Donna Harris, president of Air Race Classic, there is a limit of 60 teams of which 55 can race competitively, while the other five fly in a noncompetition class for fun.

First-time teams have the option to be paired with a “Mother Bird,” an experienced racer who can answer questions and guide the new racers.

“This is the ultimate girl trip,” Harris said. “It is something out of the ordinary. The racers are part of the legacy that started almost 100 years ago [the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, also known as the Powder Puff Derby]. It’s fun and you get to meet some amazing women from various backgrounds, various ages and stages in their flying lives that all come together for camaraderie and friendly competition across 2,400 miles, while learning more about themselves, their planes, and the weather. This is learning, teaching, growing, and stretching beyond your perceived limits.”

The teams often put in many hours of preparation before the big event. Some of them come from collegiate flying teams, while others just love to be in the air. They decide in advance who will be PIC during each leg.

Volunteers Make It Happen

According to Harris, the Air Race Classic has 11 directors and 16 assistant directors, who put in thousands of hours each year to stage the race. They are matched by dozens more volunteers at the race stops who assist with the high-speed arrivals and departures of the teams.

“Some of these stops will only see the racers on the ground for a few hours,” Harris said. “Some stops end up hosting teams for a couple of days if the weather isn’t cooperative. We couldn’t do all of this without any of [the volunteers]. We are so grateful for everyone’s help.”

More details on the Air Race Classic and registration can be found here.