the purple tails
Taking on America, One City at a Time
What is the Air Race Classic? The Air Race Classic is the epicenter of women’s air racing. Pilots range in age from 17 to 90+ years old. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds including students, teachers, doctors, airline pilots, business owners, professionals and air traffic controllers. Race Teams, consisting of at least two women pilots, must fly VFR during daylight hours only, and are given four days to make flybys at each enroute timing point and then land at the terminus. The race route changes each year, approximately 2,400 statute miles in length with 8 or 9 timing points.
Introducing the MSU 2025 Women’s Air Race Classic Team: Left to right
Ground Coordinator: Sophie Fuchs
Navigator: Anjie Guzik
Captain: Arianna Moore
Co-Pilot: Marlee Walker
Ground Coordinator: Lou Kritzeck
2025 Air Race classic team
Our 2025 Air Race Classic Team took on 9 total stops including:
Fairhope, AL – Starkville, MS – Harrison, AR – McPherson, KS – Sterling, CO – Gillette, WY – Rock Springs, WY – Jermone, ID – La Grande, OR – Spokane, WA
#6 – The Purple Tails Team; Captain: Arianna Moore, Co-Pilot: Marlee Walker, Navigator: Anjie Guzik, Ground Coordinators: Sophie Fuchs, Lou Kritzeck, Weather Team: Rachel Skjeveland, Joanscott Hunter
This team was made up of 5 women at various stages of their training, all with the same goal: To represent MSU and women in aviation across the country in the race.
2024 Air Race classic team
Our 2024 Air Race Classic Team took on 10 total stops including:
Carbondale, IL – La Porte, IN – Cadillac, MI – Newark, OH – Monee, IL – Owatonna, MN – Moberly, MO – Bartlesville, OK – Dodge City, KS – Loveland, CO
#34 – The Purple Tails Team; Captain: Olivia Hudoba, Co-Pilot: Jess Stelton, Navigator: Laura Beinecke, Ground Coordinator: Ariana Moore
This team was made up of 4 women at various stages of their training, all with the same goal: To represent MSU and women in aviation across the country in the race.
2023 Air race classic team
Our 2023 Air Race Classic Team took on 11 total stops including:
Grand Forks, ND – Mankato, MN – Ottumwa, IA – Hastings, NE – Herington, KS – Ponca City, OK – Sulphur Springs, TX – Jonesboro, AR – Pell City, AL – Cross City, FL – Homestead, FL
#15 – The Purple Tails Team; Madi Luebke, Sami Naples, Grace Ackerman, and Ella Jones
This team consisted of 4 women all with commercial pilot certificates, and the same goal: to represent MSU and women in aviation across the country in the race.
2016 Air race classic team
Our 2016 Air Race Classic Team took on 11 total stops including:
Prescott, AZ – Daytona Beach, FL – Albuquerque, NM – Midland, TX – Waco, TX – Arkadelphia, AR – Warrensburg, MO – Champaign/Urbana, IL – Murfreesboro, TN – Americus, GA
#49 – The Wright Women: Jessica Adams, Amy Dahlheimer
This team, made up of 2 women who represented MSU and women in aviation across the country in the race.
WHAT IS AIR RACING ALL ABOUT?
Their favorite destinations
1. rocksprings, wy
Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport in Southwest Wyoming sits at 6,750′ atop mesa overlooking the beautiful high desert of Streetwater County. This destination was often frequented by Amelia Earhart in various aircraft.
2. Sterling, co
Sterling Municipal – located on the high plains of northeastern Colorado, sitting at an elevation of 4,037′. This field is also known as Crosson field and honors Joe and Marvel Crosson. Marvel Crosson was the first female pilot in Alaska.
3. spokane, wa
Felts Fields, located on Spokane River – one of the nations oldest airports.
MSU AIR RACE CLASSIC TEAMS
