2001 Air Race Classic 'flight log'
by Jo-Elle Warner
June 28, 2001
BATAVIA, Ohio -- We have made it to Batavia, Ohio!
Due to bad weather along the rest of the race route, the race was "called" in Pratt, Kan. This means that the scores will be calculated along the first four of the original seven legs. The deadline to get to Batavia is still 5 p.m. on Friday, but race teams can take any route--preferrably north of the race route--and even fly in instrument meteorological conditions or at night [which is not permitted during the race].
We chose to go all the way to Batavia today (June 28). A 9 a.m. CDT departure from Pratt put us in Marion, Ill., around noon CDT. There we were met by Michelle's brother, Randy, and his family. We had lunch, refueled and then filed IFR to Batavia. Good thing, because visibilities were low and cumulus clouds were scattered all around us. At one point, we had to get vectored off course while the Blue Angels were either holding or performing for an Air Show!
We are very proud to have safely completed the race and are very thankful to all of you who have been keeping up with us. Also, much thanks to Thom Myers at WMU for providing very current reports and site links featuring the race on WMU's Web site. We should know scores sometime on Saturday and will celebrate as a group at a banquet here in Batavia Sunday evening. For that event, we look forward to being joined by some representatives from the WMU College of Aviation.
Glad to be back in the Eastern Time Zone!
Jo-Elle Warner is a flight instructor in College of Aviation and a graduate of the WMU aviation program. She and Michelle Homister, an April aviation graduate, are competing against more than 30 teams from around the nation in the 2001 Air Race Classic, June 26-30, beginning in San Diego and concluding four days and more than 2,200 miles later at Sporty's Airport in Batavia, Ohio.
Media contact: Cheryl Roland, 616 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu