BY GLORIA J. KATCH Special to the VOICE
Niagara’s Amelia Earhart was Dorothy Rungeling, author of “The Flying Housewife,” and a pioneer of local aviation, particularly for women in the 1950s. Niagara Central airport, off Effingham Road at the southern reach of Pelham, recently changed its name in her honour. Rungeling, who died last year at 106, was a prolific nonfiction writer—primarily about her life in Pelham—was the first woman to serve on Pelham Town Council, in 1964, was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2003.
The 43RD Annual Air Race Classic (ARC), which is an international event, marks an unprecedented year for aviation enthusiasts, as it’s the first time the race finishes in Ontario— at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport.
Up to 55 teams of women pilots will test their flying knowledge and skills, travelling more than 2,400 miles. Starting June 18, the pilots will depart Jackson, Tennessee, veering south to Georgia, then westward to Arkansas, before heading north through Minnesota and crossing into Canada through Sault Ste. Marie, then landing at Rungeling Airport on June 21. The race team with the best handicapped time wins.
Registration for the event opened January 2, and the local 2019 Air Race Classic terminus committee is encouraging Canadian teams to compete. Entry is $590 USD, which covers terminus costs in Niagara.
Registration closes March 31, and interested persons are asked to visit www.centralairport.com for more information on being a participant. All racers must have at least 100 hours as a pilot in command, and either the pilot or the co-pilot must have at least 500 hours as a pilot-in command, or a current instrument rating. Sometimes there are three persons in a team. Many of the pilots are involved in aviation schools and courses, and there are several throughout Ontario.
ARC’s board of directors and volunteers are, “Thrilled to be celebrating 90 years of women's air racing,” said Lara Gaerte, President of the U.S.-based ARC.
“The women who fly the ARC are as bold and tenacious as the pioneering pilots, who competed in the original 1929 Women's Air Derby. We look forward to welcoming back veteran racers, and meeting new competitors at the 43rd Air Race Classic.”
The race will officially begin at the McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport on June 18, with teams departing 30 seconds apart, with the faster planes quickly leading the journey. At each of the nine en route stops, teams will execute high-speed flybys over a timing line, a means to monitor their race against the clock. Teams may also land to refresh or refuel.
Prior to the race, each plane, depending on its engine size, performance power and speed, is given a handicap, so pilots are racing and challenging their own best time. This also creates a level playing field, so slower planes can equally compete against faster aircraft. Teams have to strategize during the race, and consider the atmospheric and geographic elements in order to beat their handicap by the greatest margin.
Official standings aren't determined until after the last team has crossed the finish line, and the judging is completed.
“The last arrival at the terminus may, in fact, be the winner,” said Gaerte.
“Competing in a handicapped race is safe, because planes aren’t interfering with each other or zooming across the finish line,” said Peter Van Caulart, Co-Chair for 2019 Air Race Classic Terminus Committee.
“The race tests the quality of the teams’ skill level, and also gives them the air miles they need to pursue aviation careers, especially for the larger commercial airlines. Winning the Air Race Classic is definitely a feather in anyone’s cap,” he said.
On June 22, the public is invited to a posthumous plaque unveiling at the airport in honour of Dorothy Rungeling. The local chapter of The Ninety-Nines, an international organization of women pilots, is also making a dedication from its Compass Rose Project at this time. Demonstrations by Skydive Niagara, aviation career booths, a meet- and-greet with the racers, as well as other family-oriented and educational activities, will be held on the airport grounds. There will also be a Fly Market with local vendors, and businesses and organizations can rent a table.
On Sunday evening, there will be a special dinner and awards banquet. Prizes for the ARC 2019 include: medallions, trophies and cash awards of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 for the three best scores.
The next day, the pilots depart en mass to return home.
Historically, the air race classic dates back 90 years to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, which included renowned pilot Amelia Earhart, flying from Santa Monica, California to Cleveland, Ohio. The event was so successful it became a tradition.
Similarly, Dorothy Rungeling enjoyed and participated in long- distance races, particularly the All Women’s International Air Race, which began in Welland and ended in the Carribean in 1953, 1958 and 1963.
“[Dorothy] would be honoured, to see the Air Race Classic end in Welland,”said Cathy Boyko, Co-Chair of the local fundraising committee, known as the 2019 ARC terminus. Currently, women are still under-represented in many aviation jobs and careers, asserted Boyko, “and we look forward to promoting aviation to women and youth at the event through demonstrations and exhibits.”
The 2019 ARC terminus is supported by a fundraising committee of local volunteers. The local committee has to fundraise approximately $40,000 for hosting the event, and is looking for sponsors, contributors and volunteers.
The airport itself is funded by the municipalities of Welland, Pelham, Port Colborne and Wainfleet, and a board of municipal councillors make up the airport commission. Within the next few weeks, Van Caulart and Boyko’s goal is to address all four municipal councils to ask for funding to assist with the event. To date, and in tribute to the event, the Town of Pelham has declared June 19 to 24 Air Race Classic Week. Wainfleet council stated it will be doing the same in May.
The airport dates back to World War II, when thousands of airports were set up across Canada as a part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
