The Air Race Classic Brings Together Competitive Pilots for Its 45th Year

Julie Boatman

Friday, March 11, 2022 at 12:22 PM ET

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Planes are lined up for a leg of a past Air Race Classic. [Credit: Air Race Classic]

Key Takeaways:

The 45th annual Air Race Classic (ARC) is scheduled for June 21-24, 2022, returning to its traditional long-distance format covering approximately 2,500 nm from Lakeland, Florida, to Terre Haute, Indiana.
Focused on pilot education and experience, the ARC secured a matching grant up to $25,000 from the Ray Foundation for its educational program.
Aircraft eligibility rules have been refined to include a broader range of piston aircraft, with experimental aircraft being evaluated for future inclusion.
The entry fee for teams is $1,298, with additional estimated expenses of $3,500 to $4,500 for fuel, travel, and accessories.

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A hangar full of teams gathers for the main weather briefing. It’s the morning of the first day of the Air Race Classic, and the focused tension in the building is palpable.

Competitors all—whether new to the game or not—whisper strategy amongst themselves as the chief meteorologist tasked with the briefing delivers the verdict: Good VFR conditions across the route. Light winds. A high pressure system creating no major weather concerns—except for the haze driven by summer humidity across the Midwest.