Local pilots to compete in Annual Air Race Classic

||| FROM BETHANY CARTER |||

On June 23, 2026, Elizabeth Menozzi and Bethany Carter will take off from East Alton, Illinois to kick off the start of the 49th Annual Air Race Classic. They will compete as Team 8 in a field of 46 teams, flying a 2,743-statute mile route around the Eastern United States, starting in East Alton, IL and returning to Mount Vernon, IL.

The Air Race Classic is a historic all women’s cross county flying competition, featuring precision flying, navigation, weather analysis, and strategic decision-making. This historic contest traces its roots to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, aka the Powder Puff Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other daring female pilots raced from Santa Monica, CA, to Cleveland, OH.

Elizabeth and Bethany named their team the OrcaHawks. Elizabeth explained the name is, “a combination of the name of our island and our flying club, and inspired the invention of our mascot, the OrcaHawk, featured in our team logo.”

Elizabeth is a commercial pilot and flight instructor with Airhawks Flying Club. She competed in the Air Race for the first time last year, and her team finished in eighth place.

“Participating in the ARC introduced me to so many inspiring women who represent a broad example of what’s possible in aviation,” Elizabeth said. “Talking with them and flying alongside them gave me the encouragement I needed to pursue flying professionally, despite this being a midlife career change for me.”

Her teammate, Bethany Carter, is a junior at Arizona State University. Bethany has been flying with the Airhawks since 2021, earning her pilot’s certificate at 17 years old and completing her instrument rating last summer. She looks forward to returning to Orcas each summer to continue developing her skills as a pilot.

“As a first-time racer, I am looking forward to flying with Elizabeth. I enjoy her adventurous spirit. I believe Elizabeth’s prior race experience and the training we both received from instructor Tony Simpson has prepared us well for the race,” Carter said. “We have a good shot at the podium.”

Success in the race often depends as much on strategy as speed. Teams must carefully consider weather conditions, wind patterns and timing decisions in an effort to exceed their handicap by the greatest margin. As a result, official standings are not determined until the final aircraft crosses the finish line, meaning the last team to arrive at the Terminus could ultimately be declared the winner.

Elizabeth and Bethany invite you to follow the OrcaHawks along their race. You can track them on the race’s official map: airraceclassic2026.maprogress.com/?bib=8.

The OrcaHawks are supported this year by the Airhawks Flying Club. If you would also like to support this team on their adventure, a donation can be made to the Airhawks Flying Club at PO Box 1024, Eastsound, WA 98245. More information about the race and its historic roots can be found on the Air Race Classic webpage.