sad news

I just got an email tonight,saying one of the 2009 air racers from team 31, has died an in airplane crash Wednesday in Minnesota. Irene was one of the sweetest girls, and the whole team was the nicest girls. Irene, you will be missed. Irene was so young looking,everyone thought she was like 18,or younger. I remember sitting behind her on the bus going to the Iowa aviation museum, and finding out she was married and she was at least 20, and she has a kid and I was like no,you don't look over the age of 18.
This is the second female pilot I have known to have crashed this year,and not survive. Chandy from Lincoln, Nebraska was the first, she was practicing for an airshow I was going to go to, and everyone kept trying to talk me into asking her to race,since she was one of top aerobatic performers, and I never got the chance to.

OSHGOSH

Have to say, 1 day is no where near enough. After driving all night,we made it to Oshgosh at 600 in the morning. So we decided we needed a short nap before going in. At 730, we decided to go in, and all I have to say is WOW!!! It was alittle disappointing in that most of the booths didn't open until 900 am and closed by 500pm, and I was happy to see Ford there, with the 2010 Milan(the car I really want) and Honda had the 2010 Fury(motorcycle I really want). They had the famous p-51's( my favorite airplane) even cooler yet, I reconized two of them,being from this area. I came home with four bags of free stuff/business cards/magazines, etc. I also bought two shirts, including one from GIRLSWITHWINGS.com. I met up with fellow racer and owner of girlswithwings.com. She said if I get sponsors, then she would be willing to be my partner,which is awesome. I also met up with two of my fellow plane-girls.
Oshgosh was awesome,and am excited to hopefully go back next year,and hopefully unlike this year, I won't be sick. I started getting sick Friday night before we left,and driving through the country just reeked havoc on my allergies. So by the time we got to Osh, I was ill. All the walking around, I did manage to wear the soles of my shoes that I bought a week before the ARC,completely down, if that gives a clue as to how much stuff there is to see at Osh.

update-since some of my preschool parents asked

So after the race,life is beginning to resume back to what it was before. Squeege and I are both back to work. I have decided I want to race again next year. I don't think Squeege is going to, so I'm back to finding another partner. So I will be going to nearby airports and hanging flyers. I am going to race for a cause again next year,which I am really excited about next year's race-starts in Fort Myers, FL. I have gotten permission to race for Make-A-Wish foundation which means that I had to fill out paperwork and such and get an approval, in which the Nebraska Chapter has okayed. So once I get a partner, I can start fundraising. I am going to donate 50% of what is earned to the Nebraska Chapter Make-A-Wish foundation. See, the Nebraska chapter used to have a Fly'n for Make-A-Wish but the last time they did that was when I competed in 2007.
Also I am trying to fundraise,to do the SKYFARI around New Zealand,that the New Zealand team from ARC mentioned. I have always wanted to go to NZ since I lived in Hawaii. I have people who are donated gift certificates so I can raffle them off,so I can go. See, I miss Island life very much,lol. Hanging with the New Zealand team taking them on a visit to the Strategic Air and Space Museum the day after the awards Banquet was a blast. So hopefully the officials get back to me,saying they found someone that needs another team member.
Other then that, getting ready to go to OSHGOSH. And NO, not the clothing factory, but the biggest airshow in America. Like I tell people, it's the only airshow where u can learn how to build an airplane, learn to fly it, and how to repair it in one week. Thanks to my brother, I along with my mom,and dad get to go because of his motorcycle accident, he needed someone to rent a car since he is not old enough. He originally planned on driving his bike there, but totaled his bike along with getting injured a week after the ARC ended. So now the whole family is going to load up the car on Friday and drive overnight,since I lov driving late night, and attend the airshow on Saturday,and leave back for Iowa that night.


Nicole

Grace Flight Addison Office

Here are BJ, Angie, Louie, Shireen & Squeege at the Addison office. Nikki & I collected a total of $4150 in sponsorships & winnings [did we mention we took 5th Place??] Of course sis Pauline & I flew the funds over; a whopping 42NM flight! We would like to thank the folks at Million Air for use of their ramp for the transaction. Thank you!

Sq

Back to Reality

Atlantic: Thank you for your generosity from touchdown! What a great town y'all have. Classic 17, now back to 1941M, rolled down 30 and turned southbound @ 0830. We stopped @ KOUN to wait out thunderstorms loitering along the Red River from the panhandle through north central Texas. Missed the nephews as they had class & a window opened up around 13:50 so off we went in race mode: VFR low to watch for anything disadventageous. None to be had as...the Red River came into view and clear under the overcast all the way to KLUD.

41M pushed back into her hangar after a top-off ready to go anytime I am. She deserves one last removal of ARC acquired bugs and there she is! Clean, fueled annual time approaching...

One of the best homecomings: our Crepe Myrtles are all in bloom. To enjoy: approach a bloom, look closely for bees, if none present exhale then put your nose right next to the bloom & inhale deeply. Fantastic! Plus a feast for your eyes.

The end-all homecoming is my littlest one Parker telling me all about the goings-on while I've been absent. She is quite the storyteller as you can see. Well, that's about it from this half. Again, I look forward to Nikki's pics.
Healthfully yours,

Sq

Nikki & I capture 5th Place over-all! We'd like to thank our sponsors for their support, fellow racers for their fierce but friendly competition, and the Air Race Classic for coordinating a race spanning nine states. Maybe this will sink in while Nikki sets up her classroom in the morning & I'm somewhere sitting left seat in 41M. Until then, I'll be flying high sans plane.

Earlier, a few of us took a ride over to the Iowa Aviation Museum in Greenfield. What a collection of aircraft, pilot supplies and memorabilia! Here, our senior-most racer Bea stands beside the first type plane she flew.

I know Nicole has many more pictures that she will be posting in the near future - as soon as she gets her computer back & has her homework done ;-) . I look forward to seeing them.

Thank you again everyone! Much health to you all,

Sq

Sunday June 28 2009 ARC

Today started with the All Racers' Breakfast, followed by the All Racers' Debriefing. Another good meeting with exchange of ideas & circumstance in a civil, gentler & kinder way. Here is Bad *ss Caroline sporting her new “Girls Fly” tattoo. Get outta her way! Now we’re getting set for the Iowa Aviation Museum Tour to be followed by the Awards Banquet & Conclusion. The tension builds…

Sq