Robin Hadfield, left and Lin Caywood departed the Frederick Municipal Airport June 19. The women piloted Caywood's plane and finished in third place in the 39th Annual Air Race Classic, a 2,529 mile airplane race.
After 2,530 miles and stops in almost every state east of the Mississippi River, a Frederick woman took home third place in the 39th annual Air Race Classic.
Lin Caywood flew her plane across the finish line just before noon on June 24, only 2 1/2 days into the four-day race.
“We think we made some good decisions,” Caywood said of her team, reflecting on their journey.
Caywood and co-pilot Robin Hadfield, of Canada, were worried that bad weather would cause trouble during the race, but it was all smooth sailing despite a tornado warning after they landed in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
After long stretches of flying in a stifling aircraft, the team was most impressed by the enthusiastic and supportive hospitality from the people at every stop they made.
“They really went over the top to make us welcome,” said Caywood, a member or the Sugarloaf Chapter of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots.
In Hickory, North Carolina, they were greeted by cheering crowds and mascots from local sport teams, and Union City, Tennessee, won the prize for best stop during the race as they offered manicures and pedicures, shirts and flip-flops, and barbecue for the teams. Caywood and her co-pilot decided not to linger at this stop and flew to the next, which was a good decision considering the bad weather that plagued some of the teams behind them.
Although Hadfield started flying planes in 1979, this was her first time in the Air Race Classic. She said she has wanted to do it for years.
“It's the type of thing where you really have to go with your knowledge,” Hadfield said of flying in the race. “Try not to second-guess yourself and be confident in your own decision-making.”
Hadfield said she enjoyed the race and the camaraderie among the women competing from different chapters of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots.
“You learn a lot from it,” Hadfield said. “There's a lot of young girls bonding with older women, 18-year-olds and 70-year-olds. It's a lot of fun.”
Hadfield said she plans to recruit more women for the race when she lands back in Canada.
Source: http://www.fredericknewspost.com
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