![]() ![]() So I help out with that, just kind of little things that take the workload off the pilot and co-pilot so they can focus on the safety of the plane,” said Mitchell. “I'm able to see traffic a lot better than they are in the front. She also provides additional eyes for the pilots in what might at times be congested air space. She handles communication with air traffic control and makes sure the flight stays on the right heading and altitude. UND navigator Tracy Mitchell from Billings, Mont., sits in the back seat. So theoretically, the last plane to cross the finish line could win the race. During the race, flight time is calculated against the handicap to determine race standings. The handicap is determined by a pre-race flight. The flying is all done under Visual Flight Rules, which means no flying at night or in limited visibility conditions.Įach plane in the race has a handicap based on its top speed. The racers have to be sure they follow all FAA rules, as well as the race requirements. “What are we as a team comfortable with, so that we are able to discuss it on the ground before we have to make a split second decision in the air,” said Blace. The team has discussed what each member’s comfort level is for flying in different weather conditions, establishing a set of minimums to guide decisions during the race. “They're experienced forecasters that are able to say, ‘you're going to have a few cells pop up, you're going to want to go this way, you're going to want to wait a little bit’, because it's all in the strategy,” she said.ĭan Gunderson | MPR News Vital communication UND Co-pilot Sadie Blace, from Mankato, Minn., will help monitor weather conditions with assistance from a team of meteorology students at the university. “We don't want a headwind, a tail wind’s great, but just no headwind.” “Like, the winds are better if we go up 1,000 feet, oh, the winds are a lot better if we drop down 2000 feet, there's a lot of that,” said Heron. Heron will make the final call on in flight decisions, but the team will constantly communicate, especially about changing weather conditions. Pilot Grace Heron from Tampa, Fla., leads the UND team. A team from Minnesota State University Mankato is competing as is a team from the University of North Dakota. There are seasoned commercial pilots and more than a dozen teams from universities across the country. Veterans and studentsĪmong the competitors there is a pilot in her 90s. So we've been doing this almost 100 years,” said Gaerte, who has seven top 10 finishes in this race over the years.įor the first time, the race starts in Grand Forks tracking more than 2,500 miles southeast to end in Homestead, Fla. “Prior to that it was the all-women’s Transcontinental Air Race, which got nicknamed the Powder Puff Derby. ![]()
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