South Georgia Technical College Aviation faculty and students volunteer with Air Race Classic

South Georgia Technical College Aviation Maintenance faculty and students volunteered to assist with the Air Race Classic (ARC) that was hosted by Souther Field Aviation in Americus and featured over 100 women pilots, ranging in age from 17 to 90 years old. The Air Race Classic is an annual VFR all women cross-country event flown during daylight hours.       Teams of at least two women pilots had four days to fly the daylight only VFR cross country route, encompassing approximately 2,400 miles in length. Multiple control stops along the way allow for flyby time points, refueling, and planned overnight stops for the race teams. This was the first time in the history of the classic that Americus had been considered as a stop. Albany, Athens, Gainesville, Jekyll Island, Rome and Waycross have been featured in the past. This is the first time in six years that a Georgia site has been included.       This is the 40th anniversary of the Air Race Classic and each year the route changes. Airplanes must have at least 100 horsepower and not more than 600 horsepower and can compete in one of two classes: competition or non-competition.         “South Georgia Technical College is honored that our aviation maintenance faculty and students had the opportunity to volunteer to assist with this event,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford. “This may be a once in a life-time opportunity for these students to be able to assist with this kind of air race. It is a great learning experience for our students and it is an honor for South Georgia Tech to be associated with other great aviation colleges like Embry-Riddle, Midland College, Texas State Technical College, Henderson State University, the University of Central Missouri, Institute of Aviation at Parkland College, Middle Tennessee State University Department of Aerospace, and others.”       The Air Race began in Prescott, Arizona and continued through Albuquerque, New Mexico; Midland, TX; Waco, TX; Arkadelphia, AR; Warrensburg, MO; Champaign/Urbana, IL/Tuscola, IL; Murfreesboro, TN; Americus, GA; and ended at Daytona Beach, FL at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach campus.       This year’s race stops were all chosen because they are near to or affiliated with schools with an aviation program. South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) in Americus, is Georgia’s oldest aviation school and its rich history makes it one of the oldest training facilities in the United States. Prior to being used as a college, the land on which SGTC now stands, was an Aviation Training Base during WWI and WWII known as Souther Field.   Souther Field was renamed in 2009 and the airport is now known as the Jimmy Carter Regional Airport.         South Georgia Technical College offers Aviation Maintenance Technology, Avionics Technology, and Aircraft Structural Technology programs. The programs last from four to six semesters. South Georgia Technical College is also a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved training and testing site. All SGTC aviation students have the opportunity to take the FAA Airframe and Powerplant license exams upon graduation.       For more information about the aviation maintenance, aircraft structural, or avionics programs at South Georgia Technical College contact the admissions office at 229-931-2394 or contact Instructors Victoria Herron at vherron@southgatech.edu; Charles Christmas at cchristmas@southgatech.edu or Stephen Griffin at sgriffin@southgatech.edu. Registration for Fall Semester will be held on July 14th and August 11th. Classes start August 15th.