Sunday, June 28, 2009

And the winner is...

Jessica and I got all dressed up for the banquet. We were nervous about the results. We joked about needing to look good for all the pictures of us holding the Collegiate Trophy and the First Place Prize. We were confident that we had raced as smart as we could, and we had no regrets. No matter where we placed, we were happy with our performance.

The Dean of the College of Technology, Tad Foster (our sponsor), had arrived earlier in the day to accompany us to the banquet. We had explained to him that we already knew we were in the top 12. The food was pretty good. The speaker was Linda Hemminger, a local who had just retired from the Air Force. As it turns out, she had given me and Jessica a ride from the airport to the hotel a few days prior. She was the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Surgeon General. She gave a very nice speech about the importance of women in aviation. After the dinner she gave both Jessica and I one of her personal coins, a tradition in the military. It's a great honor to receive a coin from military personnel.

The first prizes handed out were the leg prizes. The top four scoring teams for each leg won a cash prize and a small medallion. The teams in the Top 10 were not eligible for leg prizes. We were sure that we had some really good legs, so as long as we weren't called we would know we were in the Top 10. We waited nervously as they called the teams up. They were being called in the order of their Classic number. Being Classic 32, we had baited breath for a few moments...they skipped over our number! We looked at each other and grinned. We knew we'd made it to at least the Top 10.

Next was the Collegiate Trophy. This was crucial. It meant bragging rights for an entire year. The trophy travels to the winning school. Embry Riddle Daytona had won it last year and had to relinquish it for the banquet. Marilyn, the President of the Race committee, asked all of the collegiate teams to stand. All seven teams received a round of applause from the audience. She started with fourth place. "Fourth place goes to Purdue." Next was third. Jessica and I nervously made eye contact. "Third place goes to Embry Riddle Daytona." My heart started to beat faster. I glanced at Tad and he looked giddy. "Second place goes to...Embry Riddle Prescott." Now I felt like anyone looking at me would see my heart beating visibly in my chest. We won! "And first place goes to Indiana State University! Jessica Campbell and Victoria Dunbar!" We flashed huge grins at each other then quickly walked up to the stage to receive the trophy, all amid applause from the audience. How cool was this!?! I'm so proud of us! We flew an awesome race and it showed in the results. Go ISU! We had no problem smiling for the cameras.

Next came the Top 10 teams. We knew that we had done better than both of the Riddles, who were both in the Top 10. Once both of them had been called up, it could be anytime. "In tenth, Classic 23 - Embry Riddle Daytona." "In ninth, Classic 9. In eighth, Classic 20. In seventh, Classic 31." Classic 31 was a team from Minnesota. They were not a collegiate team, but the pilot was the 18 year old who had just graduated from high school. Way to go! "In sixth, Classic 43 - Embry Riddle Prescott." Jessica and I knew we could be called next. I looked at Tad. he had a huge grin on his face. "Top 5!" "In fifth, Classic 17." My heart started beating faster. "In fourth, Classic 12." "In third, Classic 2." Holy crap, we were either first or second! "In second, Classic 32" That's us! We got second place! How exciting. We walked up to the stage to receive our medallions amidst applause and flashing cameras. We both had perma-grins the rest of the night.

I'll blog more later but I need to get to bed because tomorrow we are flying home. I miss my boys!

Us with the Collegiate Trophy and our second place medallions.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

And we got the call!

We are at least in the top 12! We got the call late Friday night. We were super excited to find out. We won't know our final standing until the banquet on Sunday, but we can't be any lower than 12. We also know that both Embry Riddle schools got their plane inspected. So the top three collegiate teams are Indiana State, Embry Riddle Prescott, and Embry Riddle Daytona.

I thought it would be appropriate to thank some of the people that helped us be a part of the Air Race Classic. First, the College of Technology, specifically Dean Foster, who found the money to sponsor us. I'd also like to thank all of the aviation faculty for cheering us on during the last week. You can read more at http://www.indstate.edu/tech/

We would also like to thank John Layne and Dixie Chopper Air for reducing the rental rate for the Diamond DA-40 that we flew during the race. You can read more about Dixie Chopper at http://dixiechopperair.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1. If you are interested in Diamond aircraft you can read more at http://www.diamondaircraft.com/aircraft/da40.php

We appreciate Andy Bradley taking the time to come up with the coolest decals for our airplane. She's the sexiest plane on the line.

We also had the support of our family and friends, which was awesome. Thanks for all the calls, emails, texts, and facebook posts. It's nice knowing that so many people at home are cheering us on.

Check out the blog on Sunday night to find out how we placed!

Final leg to Atlantic, Iowa

There were 22 teams that stayed in Racine. Two teams had made it to Iowa on Thursday, seven more had stayed in Jacksonville. We were all parked all over the field, so there was no way to actually take off in order. We all just fired up when we were ready and taxied out to the active. Jessica and I were about the 10th airplane to takeoff. There was a very slow moving thunderstorm just west of Atlantic. It seemed to die as it approached the Iowa border. We figured it wouldn't be a problem getting into Atlantic.

Look closely - our groundspeed was reading 159 knots for a short period!


The forecast winds were almost a direct tailwind at about 15 knots. Of course, that's not exactly what we were getting. It was more like a 4-5 knot tailwind and a 10 knot crosswind. We experimented with a few altitudes. We climbed as high as 3500feet, but eventually figured that 2700 was best for us. We passed a few of the slower aircraft. They were all over the place. Some were higher, some were lower. The closer we got to Iowa the more the winds shifted to the south, becoming more of a crosswind and less tailwind. We were just happy to finally have a leg with no headwind.




There was a bit of a bottleneck in Atlantic by the time we arrived. A few aircraft had landed, but there was one entering the pattern, one doing a fly-by, us, and about 2 more behind us. It was time to sit up and pay attention. Another issue was the lack of taxiways. Whoever landed would either have to hang out at the end of the runway and wait for oters to land, or those in the air would have to wait for them to taxiback. The fly-by was over runway 20. Jessica set her camera to film the fly-by. We were both excited and sad to do the last fly-by...but I think we were both ready to finish the race.

We intended on landing on 20 as well. The winds were calm, so the landing runway didn't matter. We realized that the pattern was becoming a Charlie-foxtrot, so we decided to land on runway 12. We would be out of the way of the fly-by traffic, and we wouldn't have to worry about doing a taxi-back because there was one taxiway that led off the departure end of runway 12 to the ramp. We announced our intentions and several other planes followed suit.

The ramp was only big enough for about 5 airplanes so they were parking us in the grass. Another first for Jessica. We followed a John Deere tractor to our parking spot and shut down for the last time of the race.

We made it! We finished on time, and we were happy with our decisions. No regrets here. Now it was out of our hands. The judges and timers would look at everyone's times. If we were lucky enough to be in the top 12 we would get a call Friday night...

We made it!








Leg #8 to Racine, Wisconsin

Originally the plan was to stay in Jacksonville. We were tired and hot after the 2nd leg of the day. But we are both very competitive and after realizing that the weather would be good in the morning from Racine to Atlantic, we sucked it up and got strapped back into the plane for the 3rd leg of the day.

As expected, we had a light headwind. We were anywhere from 2000 to 2500 MSL. It was odd, but the winds lower than 2000 were stronger, and then the winds at 3000 were stronger. Thus our altitude. We just skimmed the perimeter of Peoria's Class Charlie airspace. We were watching one of the other teams as we approached Peoria. They were well below us...the TCAS showed them at about 300 ft AGL...over the town of Peoria...I guess they thought the winds were worth it.

On this leg we did have a slight concern about some thunderstorm activity that was in Iowa and slowly heading towards Illinois. According to the radar, it was moving so slowly that we wouldn't have to worry too much. It's one of those things that could pick up speed at any time, however, so I wouldn't be comfortable until we were well out of the storm's path.

By the time we reached Chicago we knew we didn't have to worry about the weather anymore. We did have to speak to a Class D to get permission to fly through their airspace. We didn't want to climb to avoid it and we didn't want to deviate around it. There is always the risk that a controller could vector us, so we normally didn't speak to controllers unless we needed to. This controller must have spoken to several race aircraft already because he didn't ask any questions about the "Classic 32" call sign, he just granted us permission.
Five mile final to Racine

At this point Jessica was excited because we could see Lake Michigan now. She'd seen the lake years ago but didn't remember it too well, so it was like the first time for her. It was a hazy day, so we really couldn't make out water, more just where the land ended. As we got within 5 miles of Racine we could make out the lake really well. It is like looking out over the ocean, you can't see land on the other side. Very impressive. I took a few shots before the fly-by. We then intentionally extended our upwind so we could take some pictures of the lake. The sun was just starting to get lower in the horizon and the sun was blinding as it shimmered on the lake.


Racine is an uncontrolled field, but somone on the field was directing Air Race traffic over the frequency as if it were a controlled field. It was a very well organized stop. We were greeted by rampers who parked us, and the FBO Manager. We were told what hotel everyone was staying at, and that transportation to the hotel was ready to take us as soon as we were ready. Very nice. It was one of our longest flying days, but we were actually at the hotel earlier than most of the previous days. We had time to get dinner, do some blogging, and get to bed at a descent hour. 5 AM would be here quick.


Lake Michigan on the downwind at Racine, Wisconsin



Friday, June 26, 2009

Leg #7 to Jacksonville, Illinois

Finally, some countryside we recognize! On the way to Jacksonville we flew over a lot of airports that I've been into with students. It was a comfortable feeling to fly in familiar teritory. The 315 nautical mile flight took us through the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky, just south of Evansville, and then finally Jacksonville, just west of Springfield. It was hot a bumpy. We were flying lower than several of the slower aircraft that we passed. It seemed that that's where we were getting the best groundspeed.


There was only one thing to worry about on this flight...the prison 3 miles south of Jacksonville. It was directly in our flight path. We were briefed that the guards would actually shoot at low flying aircraft, and that we should either avoid flying directly over the prison or be at least 2000 feet. Well, we didn't want to climb 500 feet right before descending for our flyby, but we also didn't want to deviate. We concluded that it was ridiculous for a prison on a 3 miles final to an airport to be too concerned with planes buzzing overhead. We made a miniscule heading deviation to just skim the corner of the prison yard. No bullet holes please!


The fly-by went great. We landed and taxied up to the pump. A couple of the locals helped pull us into a tie-down spot and we went inside for some air conditioning, lunch, and lots of water. We had expected to stay the night here but after a check of the weather we decided to fly another leg to Racine, Wisconsin. It looked like we'd have really good tailwinds the following morning to Atlantic, Iowa, our final leg.
On final approach into Jacksonville, Illinois

Leg #6 to Sparta, Tennessee

We decided to stay overnight in Grenada because it looked like we'd have a pretty good tailwind leaving the next morning. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. It wasn't a bad headwind, but a headwind none the less. And like always, the higher we got the stronger the winds. It was another flight down low. At least it wasn't blazing hot...yet. Pretty much everywhere we went the temps were in the upper 90's. The diamond has a canopy with great visibility, but there is nothing to block the sun. Both Jessica and I have what we call our "diamond tan lines."



Sparta is in the vicinity of Nashville. Lots of hills with tall radio towers on them that we had to keep a look out for. This leg was 248 nautical miles. We took off from Grenada at about 6:45, making it to Sparta by 9 AM. We were slightly concerned about the weather forecast for Jacksonville. The forecast had thunderstorms in the vicinity by early afternoon. We knew we couldn't spend much time on the ground in Sparta. We got our fuel, grabbed a few bottles of water, then headed off for Jacksonville, Illinois.

Parked on the ramp at Sparta


Legs 4 and 5

I'm combining legs 4 and 5 because we never landed at the fourth airport. I'll explain. From Lufkin to the fourth timing line, Russellville, Arkansas, it was a distance of 255 nautical miles. With the very slight headwind we were getting, it took us just shy of 2 hours to get there. The next leg to Grenada, Misissippi was our shortest leg at 184 nautical miles. With the expected headwind, that leg would only be about 1.5 hours.


At Lufkin, we topped of on fuel. We hadn't decided for sure if we were going to land at Russellville or not, but we wanted the option of flying the timing line there and then immediately proceeding to Grenada. Turns out that's exactly what we decided to do.


Lufkin was a short stop, just long enough to get fuel and check weather. The weather showed that we would have headwinds at all altitudes, but the lower the better. It also showed that there was no benefit to waiting. The winds were either not going to change or potentially get worse. That told us is was time to get going.


It was heating up. We knew we were in for another hot flight. I was sitting in the right seat and the sun was beating down on me as we flew north to Russellville. By the end of the day I had tan lines from my shirt and a hairband I had on my wrist.


Enroute, we talked about whether to land at Russellville or not. We rechecked the weather and could see that it would be beneficial to just fly-by. We both felt that we could handle a 3 hour and 30 minute flight if it would help our chances. So we did it.


The fly-by at Russellville was our one and only chance to do what they call a "fly-by to continue". Usually we do a fly-by to land. Which means after we do the fly-by we enter the pattern and land. This time, we did our high-speed, low altitude fly-by, then climbed back up to our cruising altitude enroute to Grenada.


I would have liked to have seen the folks at Russellville, but it was best for our race to continue. When we landed at Grenada we heard that they were serving Ruby Tuesday back at Russellville! Dang it - that would have been the best food so far! Oh, well. The race goes on.


The Grenada airport is just south of a huge, man-made lake. We later found out that the corp of engineers uses it for flood control, but that the town of Grenada loved it for its recreational uses. They even have some profesional fishing competitions every year.


Our plan was to continue to Sparta after refueling at Grenada. Upon a closer review of the weather, it looked like we could possibly have a much desired tailwind the next morning. But what would the winds be to Jacksonville? And what about that cold front that was supposed to move through our path tomorrow? We looked at all the variables and decided that we would stay the night at Grenada. It turned out to be a popular decision. We had about 12 planes stay the night.


It was dinnertime by the time we got to the hotel. We walked to a nearby local restaurant and had our first real meal of the day. By the time we got back to the hotel room all we wanted to do was sleep. It had been a long hot day that started at 5 AM, Tomorrow morning would be another 5 AM start. That's ok. I'm helping Jessica train for the airline life.
Lake Grenada with the morning sun glint off the surface.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Leg #3 to Lufkin, Texas

It was lucky that we stayed in Sweetwater last night. We were able to get some early morning tailwinds for the 300 miles leg to Lufkin. First time since we left Indiana that we had a tailwind. It was a crisp, cool morning with great visibility. This shot shows the Sweetwater airport with the Windmill farms in the background. They have one of the largest arrays of windmills in the country. The drive to the airport was in the dark and the red lights on the windmills all blinked in unison.


This leg was the first time we had a faster aircraft behind us over-take us. A Cessna 182 was flying about 500 feet below us and slightly offset to the right. At 1000 feet AGL we were getting a slight tailwind. One of the 182 pilots told me at Lufkin that they were getting a 10 knot tailwind at their altitude. Oh, well. Guess you can't pick the right altitude each leg. We were happy with the 4 knot tailwind and not hitting any towers.
Entering the pattern at Lufkin



Dunbar's Comment:

AIR RACE: As Prussian General Helmuth Von Moltke said, "No battle plan survives its first contact with the enemy." Thus is the benefit of the planning process and the experience of planning, not necessarily the resultant plan. Translation, Victoria and Jessica are staying in TX tonight. Headwinds and a minor electrical issue (quickly resolved) are making them lay up earlier than planned. Hoping for calmer winds manana.

Leg #2 to Sweetwater, Texas

Each leg of the race starts with a low pass, high speed fly by of the timing line. At Liberal, we take off and enter a large pattern. The goal is to gain some altitude, get lined up with the timing line, then dive bomb down to 200 feet above the ground to get some speed before crossing the timing line. It's a rush to be flying 170 knots that close to the ground.



It was a hot and muggy day in Liberal, and it just got hotter as we headed down to Sweetwater. We had headwinds the whole way, so we had to stay pretty low to find the best groundspeed. Unfortunately, that meant suffering the heat. The OAT gauge was showing a temp of 95 degrees. Like most small aircraft, we do not have air conditioning.

Our TCAS helped us look for traffic. We were keeping track of each Classic aircraft we passed. Most of them were Cessna 172s and Warriors. We noticed a target that was 1500 feet below us, coming fast from behind. We joked abut it being a fast moving truck, since the target was coming from ground level. (We were 1500 feet above the ground). It was moving fast, coming from behind on the left. Jessica cranes around, looking behind us. "It's and F-16!" Sure enough, an F-16 was tree-top-flying, entering the MOA we were skimming the border of. "And there's another one!" We joked that the only thing fast enough to pass us was an F-16...and that was alright with us!

Parked on the ramp in Sweetwater


Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Leg #1 Liberal, Kansas

About 20 minutes into the flight I realized how cool it was that we were so much faster than a lot of the other planes. When we raced two years ago in a C-172 we rarely passed anyone. Now that we had 10-15 knots on a lot of the planes, we really had to keep a look-out for traffic we were overtaking. Not a bad problem to have. The TCAS (taffic alert) system really helped out.



The terrain from Denver to Lufkin was mostly uninhabited. There were a few ranches and farmers, but they were few and far between. We didn't see much civilization until we got closer to Liberal. It was really starting to heat up and we wer happy to be nearing our destination. It was time to get ready for the first fly-by!

For the fly-by, we were instruted to fly 200 feet above the ground over the taxiway parallel to runway 17. It's pretty cool flying that low at full power, with a groundspeed of 145 knots! Upon crossing the timing line, we climbed to pattern altitude, extended our upwind, and pulled the power back to let the engine cool a bit after working so hard for us. We had a smooth landing and taxied to the ramp.


We were greeted by some friendly linemen and some of the local 99's with cold bottled water and a goody bag. When we walked into the FBO we were happy to be offered pizza, cookies, apples, and other treats. It was a very nice FBO with very friendly workers and volunteers. We spent about an hour on the ground, eating, checking weather, and getting our plane ready for another leg.

As nice as the hospitality was, it was time to proceed to Sweetwater, Texas. This was a longer leg of 276 nautical miles. The plan was to get fuel at Sweetwater, then head on the Lufkin, Texas (another 300 nm leg) for the overnight. If we were going to make it to Lufin we needed to be on our way. Little did we know that our plans were not going to go quite as planned...

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity...Let's Go Racing Girls!


It's Monday morning and we are ready to take the green flag in the 80th annual Air Race Classic! The first leg of the race is to Liberal, Kansas, a distance of 238 nautical miles. We all stand around our planes in excited anticipation of starting the race. Many of the pilots take the time to do some last minute detailing of their aircraft, just waiting for the timers to tell them to start their engines.


And then it is time. We are parked at Signature, one of the 3 FBO's on the field. With our number of 32, we get to see the first wave take-off before getting into out planes. We are using runway 10. Wind are light and variable. Even at 8:30 in the morning the density altitude is almost 8000 feet. We are cleared for takeoff. We do a rolling takeoff, having set our mixture properly during the runup. Even so, we easily used about 3000 feet before lifting off.


On to Liberal!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

And Our Race Handicap Is....

Ok, so as a new airplane never having been entered in a race before, we had no idea what our handicap would be. Every airplane is given a handicap based on expected performance. For example, when Amy and I raced in 2007 our handicap was 108 knots in a Cessna 172R model. At race power we were usually getting about 120 knots. So that gave us a 12 point buffer to work with.

One the way out the Denver we were seeing a true airspeed of about 140 knots. Our indicated airspeed was around 130 knots. With the headwinds, our groundspeed was only about 125 knots. We were also flying at higher elevations than we normally do (normal being 3000 ft, this flight we had to climb to 7000 ft just to be at pattern altitude). It was also in the upper 90's, so the density altitude was very high. With all these numbers, it was hard for us to figure what would be a good handicap. The not knowing was killing us!

To determine the handicap for the Diamond, it had to have a test flight. Jessica and I got up early Sunday morning to head out to the airport with an Air Race Official and do the 30 minutes flight. It was described to us as flying a really big pattern. They would take into account density altitude, winds, true airspeed, and we were to be in race configuration. Only one of us could go for the test flight. I was trying to get over a bit of a head cold so Jessica was the test pilot. The flight was uneventful. Jessica was even able to take some nice shots of the Denver mountains. Upon landing, we were told that we would have to wait until that evening to find out our handicap.
That evening we had the takeoff banquet. It was a nice dinner. We sat with the team from Kansas State, who was excited to find that I knew their Aviation Department Chair, Dr. Barnhardt. We also sat with the team from Minnesota. The pilot had just graduated high school and already had enough flight time to get her commercial. Pretty impressive.

The dinner included recognizing of all the volunteers, and then each team came up for an introduction. It was nice to meet and talk to some really interesting females in aviation.

But finally we got to what we'd been waiting to hear ever since we knew we were entering the Diamond - our handicap. Our handicap is 123.59 knots.



Me and Jessica at the banquet.


Monday, June 22, 2009

Inspection Time


Saturday and Sunday were full of inspections...inspections of the aircraft, inspections of the pilot credentials...we are fully checked out and ready to start this race!


The aircraft inspection was Saturday. We taxied over to the designated spot on the airfield. A mechanic did a static runup and checked the gauges. When they were satisfied with that, we shut down and they took off the cowl to take a closer look at the engine. They check for general maintenance problems, but also to make sure that there are no modifications that weren't reported in our previous paperwork. (What that tells me is that in previous years they must have had a problem with that!)


Since the Diamond DA40 had never been raced before, we had to send in a lot of extra paperwork before the race even started. I was happy to have the help of Vern Connley, an IA and volunteer with the Air Race. He spent quite a while going over the documents we needed and he quickly replied to all my emails and phone calls. Together with the help of Denise Waters, we were able to get the Diamond approved for entry. I was happy to see him at the inspection since I knew he was familiar with our plane. It was obvious that not all of the inspectors were as familiar with the Diamond aircraft. Jessica and I hid our grins when one of the inspectors asked us where the beacon light was...it doesn't have one.


Even though we passed the inspection fine, we still didn't know what our handicap would be for the race. We would be told that Sunday after the test flight...

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Denver or Bust

Since we didn't have much flight time in the Diamond we were happy to have the flight out to Denver to become more proficient with the glass cockpit G1000...and our first leg gave us plenty of time to do just that. By the time we landed in St. Joseph, Missouri, we'd been in the plane for 3.5 hours. Good thing it's a comfortable cockpit!



The flight was uneventful. We kept an eye on the weather because we knew there were storms north of us all along the route. We could see the build-ups in the distance but we were never close enough to be concerned. Even though we were VFR and could see the storms, it sure was nice having the Nexrad weather display on the MFD.

While eating lunch at the airport restaurant, we met another Air Race team. The two nice ladies were from Iowa. That'll be convenient for them when the race is over (which finishes in Atlantic, Iowa).

After a check of the weather, we headed out for our next fuel stop, PhillipsburgMunicipal Airport in Kansas. We could have made it all the way to Denver with another 3.5 hour flight but we didn't want to do that to ourselves again. After a quick top-off, we were on our way to Denver.

It was 255 nautical miles to Denver from Phillipsburgh. The winds aloft were finally dying down, going from a 25 knot headwind to a more friendly number of 10-15 knots, with a zero headwind the last 30 miles or so. We were seeing ground speeds of 146 knots. Not too shabby!

Jessica and I haven't flown in this part of the country much, so we kept expecting to see mountains any time. Instead, we experienced a very gradual climb of the terrain. Phillipsburg's elevation is about 2000 ft MSL. Centennial Airport in Denver almost 6000 ft MSL. In those 255 nautical miles, there were no large increases in the terrain, it just slowly rose beneath us. We started our flight at 4500 feet and ended up climbing to 7000 feet by the time we reached Denver. It was a bit hazy, so we coldn't make out any mountain peaks until we were about 30 miles out. The terrain here is beautiful. It was a nice sight to behold before landing after a long day of flying.

Leaving Terre Haute

Friday was a long day for me and Jessica...it started at 6 AM in Terre Haute and ended at 7:30 PM in Denver when we landed at Centennial Airport. It was a relatively smooth flight, but strong headwinds caused our day to be a lot longer than planned.

My husband was nice enough to get up early with us so he could drop us off at the airport. We packed the baby in the car and met Jessica at 7:30 AM, then headed over to Greencastle Airport to pick up the plane. The manager of Dixie Chopper, John Layne, was there to send us off with some last minute advice and well wishes.




At this point our airplane was relatively naked - it didn't have the mandatory race number applied to it, nor did it have any ISU stickers. To remedy the situation, our first stop was in Bloomington, Indiana to meet Andy Bradley. Andy is a graduate of the Aviation program at ISU. He also happens to be a race car driver that owns a decal maker. In less than an hour our plane went from the standard flight school look to Classic 32. I told Jessica than we would have the best looking stickers of all the planes entered. Now that I'm here and have compared, I can say that I was right. The Diamond aircraft is the sexiest plane in the race. Thanks Andy!



















Friday, June 19, 2009

We're off!!

Jessica Campbell and Victoria Dunbar, two female Indiana State University pilots will take to the skies Tuesday, competing in the 80th Annual Air Race Classic.

This transcontinental air race is open only to women, and Indiana State will have two of their finest behind the controls competing against 34 other teams in this year’s cross country adventure, which will takeoff June 23 from Centennial Airport near Denver.

The 2,359-nautical-mile course tours the nation’s mid-section with stops in Kansas, two in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, and Wisconsin, finally ending in Atlantic, Iowa, on or before June 26.

The Indiana State Team, sponsored by the College of Technology and Dixie Chopper Air, features Jessica Campbell, a senior aviation major from Grandview, flying alongside Victoria Dunbar, a faculty member in Indiana State’s department of aviation technology who has prior race experience.

Looking for more speed and better performance, the Indiana State team will be flying a Diamond DA40 owned by Dixie Chopper Air, based at the Putnam County Airport. The 2009 Air Race Classic marks the DA40’s debut in cross country air racing.

Manufactured in Canada, the Diamond is built from composite materials, making the airplane both lighter and stronger. It is powered by a Textron Lycoming IO-360-M1A engine capable of producing high speeds from the surface up to 16,400 feet, giving the Indiana State pilots a wide range of altitudes to choose from throughout the race.

“Neither of us had flown a Diamond aircraft before so we received a check-out flight from the chief pilot at Dixie Chopper, John Layne,” Dunbar said. “The aircraft has the newer technology glass cockpit, equipped with Nexrad weather updates so that should give us an edge over some of the competition.”

The skill of the two pilots impressed their coach.

“The skills and training of those two is easily apparent by just how quickly they have taken to this new aircraft, I’m excited about their chances,” Layne said.

Race routes are approximately 2,400 statute miles in length. Teams are given four days, flying visual flight rules (VFR) in daylight hours, to reach the stopping-point. Each plane is assigned a handicap speed – and the goal is to have the actual ground speed be as far over the handicap speed as possible.

The pilots are thus given the leeway to play the elements, holding out for better weather, winds, etc. The objective is to fly the “perfect” cross-country flight. In this type of race, the official standings cannot be released until the final entrant has crossed the finish line.

“It depends a lot on strategy, the last arrival could actually be the winner,” Dunbar said.

According to Campbell, weather will be by far the largest challenge during the race.

“Since the course is mostly focused in the plain states -- the heart of tornado alley -- there will be several pop-up and severe thunderstorms to contend with throughout the race,” Campbell said. “It will take a lot of planning and strategy to avoid these storms and pick out the best times to takeoff and how many legs to fly in one day.”

Finishing on time is also a concern, Dunbar added.

“Since it is a competition there is a lot of pressure to finish on time,” she said. “You have to make sure that your decision-making process is safe, and not fueled by the desire to win. It is not uncommon in this race for many teams to be disqualified for not finishing on time. When I raced in 2007 there were about 15 teams of 47 that didn't cross the finish line in time.”

For Campbell, participating in the race is an important hands-on learning experience.

“This is a once in a lifetime experience made possible by the College of Technology,” Campbell said. “The competition will allow me to cumulatively use all of the knowledge and experience I have gained in the classroom as well as presenting several new challenges.”

Gaining experience flying a glass cockpit aircraft and mountain flying are advantageous to the young aviator.

“I believe this experience will vastly expand my knowledge and hopefully I will be able to relay this to my flight students after returning from the event,” Campbell, who serves as captain of the ISU Flight Team, said. “I think the competition aspect will really help me feel more comfortable under pressure. Hopefully, this will transfer to other members of the team.”

In addition to gaining experience in flying, both pilots will connect with other women in the industry.

“The ladies that race in this event include airline pilots, flight school managers, aircraft sales managers, WASPS (female pilots from WWII), CEO's of aviation corporations, military pilots, and more,” Dunbar said. “I still keep in touch with several of the ladies I met two summers ago.”

For more information about the Air Race Classic, go to http://www.airraceclassic.org/ .

Indiana State's aviation technology program has been designated as Programs of Regional Distinction as part of the university's Distinctive Programs Initiative. Funded in part by a gift from the Lilly Endowment, the initiative is intended to strengthen programs with national or regional reputations for quality, and build programs that have the potential to achieve that status. For more information about the program or the College of Technology, go to http://www.indstate.edu/tech/ .