FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2017
Contact:
Lin Caywood
301-471-9103
Lin.caywood@gmail.com
LOCAL WOMAN PILOT TO COMPETE IN ANNUAL ALL-WOMEN CROSS-COUNTRY
AIRPLANE RACE
Lin Caywood flying for 7th time in Air Race Classic, oldest air race of its kind
Frederick, MD – Lin Caywood, a well-known local
pilot, will take to the skies from June 20 to 23, 2017, in the 41st
Air Race Classic (ARC), the oldest airplane race of its kind in the United
States. She will be one of more than 112 women pilots from around the country and
the world competing in this year's race, which begins in Frederick, MD, and
ends in Santa Fe, NM. This is the sixth
year that Ms. Caywood has piloted her “Team 12 – Freakin Awesome” plane in the
race and her seventh race overall.
This
historic contest traces its roots to the 1929 Women's Air Derby, aka the Powder
Puff Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other daring female pilots raced
from Santa Monica, CA, to Cleveland, OH. 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 skill and aviation decision-making for female pilots of all ages
and from all walks of life.
“The Air Race Classic provides different challenges
to me every year. I get to see parts of the country that I wouldn’t ordinarily
see and I get to stretch my abilities related to mountain flying, windy conditions,
weather planning and fuel planning. Best of all, it’s a chance to meet other
amazing women pilots,” said Caywood, who hopes to beat her best performance in
2015 when she placed third overall.
Ms. Caywood, a mortgage banker by trade, bases her 2007
Cessna 182T at Frederick Municipal Airport. She has over 1,600 hours logged
since she received her pilot certificate in 2003. She gives back to the flying and local
communities as an organizer or many award- winning women and children aviation
awareness events held at the Airport and as the membership chair of the
Sugarloaf Chapter of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women
Pilots. She also volunteers to fly patients to medical treatments with Patient
Airlift Services. Caywood and the ARC was featured in a
2015 PBS Documentary titled “Beyond The Powder, The Legacy of the First Women’s
Cross-Country Air Race” that compares the modern day race to the first women’s
air race held in the US in 1929. You can also follow her adventures at www.99lin.shutterfly.com.
She
and her race partner, Janet Davidson,
will compete against approximately 52 teams, covering a 2,648-mile course from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains
to the far northern reaches of the Continental United States to the high desert
of New Mexico. The racers will have four days to fly from Frederick to Santa
Fe, stopping in between at Coshocton, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Decorah, IA;
Bemidji, MN; Spencer, IA; Abilene, KS; Ardmore, OK; and Plainview, TX.
The
race will begin at 8 a.m. June 20 at Frederick Municipal Airport, with teams taking
off one right
after
another, 30 seconds apart. 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
Terminus, Santa Fe Municipal Airport, until moments before the arrival deadline
at 5 p.m. on June 23.
Several
events are planned to welcome the racers to Frederick and are open to the
public starting on Thursday June 15; many are free to attend. Details can be
found at www.Sugarloaf99s.org.
Because
each plane receives a unique handicap, teams are racing against their own best
time, not against one
another.
This creates a level playing field, so slower planes can compete against faster
aircraft on an equal
basis.
Teams strategize to play the elements, holding out for better weather or
seeking more favorable winds, to beat their handicap by the greatest margin.
Official standings aren't determined until after the last team has crossed the
finish line – the last arrival at the Terminus may, in fact, be the winner!
The ARC draws competitors of all ages,
from teenagers to veteran pilots in their 80s, and from all walks of life, from
college students to professional airline pilots to military veterans to
teachers, writers, doctors and businesswomen. For some teams, the ARC is a family
affair, with multiple generations competing together every year. For others,
the ARC presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience parts of the
country far from home. For all, it is a chance to engage in fierce competition
while sharing their love of flying, expanding their knowledge and skill as
pilots, and encouraging the next generation of fearless women to take to the air.
Prizes for the ARC are valued at more
than $16,500 and include medallions, trophies and cash awards.
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.
Follow Air Race Classic on Facebook. On Twitter: @2017ARC
ABOUT
THE SUGARLOAF 99s
The Sugarloaf Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, Inc. is a 501(c)3
organization based at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, MD (KFDK). The
Ninety-Nines is an international organization of approximately 5,000 licensed
pilots from 35 countries. Our mission is to Promote world fellowship through
flight, Provide networking and scholarship opportunities for women and aviation
education in the community, and Preserve the unique history of women in
aviation. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm either at
Frederick Airport or in a nearby location for a business meeting and meet
informally throughout the month to participate in various flying activities.
Certificated women pilots, their spouses, partners, or guests, and any woman
interested in exploring aviation opportunities are welcome to join us. For more
information, go to sugarloaf99s.org. Follow the Sugarloaf99s on Facebook and on
Twitter@Sugarloaf99s
