"Team Midwest Bess" Blog

It's Official!!!

1/29/2022

Well, IT'S OFFICIAL!!! Susan and I submitted our application to compete in the air race this year, and (drum roll, please!), it was APPROVED!!! So, we are officially CLASSIC RACER #37 in the 2022 Women's Air Race Classic (ARC) - YAY!!!
Now, the hard-core preparation begins! She and I will meet in person for the 1st time in March at the Women in Aviation Convention in Nashville, TN. Then, in May, when I'm finished teaching kindergarten & 1st grade for the school year, I will fly to TN and spend a week planning, strategizing, and flying with Susan in our race plane, "Charlie", their Piper Dakota!!! I miss my Beechcraft Sundowner, "Joybird"; she was quite formidable in the 2011 ARC. However, I can hardly wait to get to know and fly "Charlie!" Stay tuned - we'll keep you posted as to the preparation and progress of our great air race adventure!!!

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Women's Air Racing is Back-Take 2

12/21/2021

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I'm excited to announce (again) that Susan Field and I, Joyce Parker, will be flying the 2022 Women's Air Race Classic!!! YAY!!! We are flying as "Team Midwest Bess" since both of us hail from the great Midwest of America: Algonquin, IL and Topeka, KS and Bessie Coleman lived in Oklahoma and spent many years in Chicago!!!
This will be Susan's 1st year racing, and my 4th 'attempt'. We met on the ARC Blogspot in 2020. Unfortunately, the 2020 air race was cancelled due to the pandemic. However, when we learned that the 2022 air race would go on, we reconnected, resurrected Team Midwest Bess, and here we are!!! Though we are currently residing 500 miles apart, we've already started our planning and "strategizing!" I will be bright and early online on January 3rd, 2022, when race registration officially opens, securing our spot in the competition as "Team MidWest Bess - Classic Racer 37"! We are looking forward to an amazing race in 2022 and I'm honored and thrilled to be racing with Susan in her beautiful Piper Dakota - "Charlie!"

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Day 10 - "Team Bessie" Shall Be Back!!!

6/26/2011

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     We just returned from the 2011 Air Race Classic awards banquet that was an absolute lovely affair!!! Female air racing pilots sure know how to 'get dolled up' when awards and money are being handed out :-).
     It was an exciting evening that commenced with recognition and appreciation to all of our ARC sponsors who make an event of this magnitude possible by their support and generosity. An introduction of all the air racing teams was made where we all received our certificates and plaques of participation which essentially is our "induction" into the exclusive sorority of 'female air racers;' I feel HONORED!!! :-)   A scrumptuous dinner was served followed by a slide presentation of this year's adventure, remembering our female Hall of Heroes: those ladies who have flown in 25 or more air races. Then came the part of the program that all the racers were eagerly anticipating.

"Joyce and Athina with our certificates and plaques for successful participation!"

The categories included: Mother-Daughter team winners; Collegiate Team winners; Last-Place winner; numerous leg prizes; and finally the Top-Ten Racing Team winners. Drum roll, please!!!! UNFORTUNATELY, Team Bessie fans and bloggers, Athina and I did not take home any awards -- bummer!!!

"Athina and I are not in this picture; bummer!!!" :-( There's next year, though! :-)

     But, no worries, sports fans! You'd still be as proud of us as we are of ourselves for competing in and completing this race!!! It was a  great race and especially since this was my first time along with "The Joybird."   I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT FLYING, AIR RACING, AND WHAT "The Joybird" CAN DO; SHE'S AN AWESOME AIRPLANE!!! Thank you, Lord, so much!!!! We finished well, with NO penalties and flying 3.4 kts above our handicap speed. In my estimation, that was great for a "first-time" racer!!!:-)
      But, just as significant was the fact that , we represented well as the 1st ever
all-African-American team to compete, and many, many of our fellow racers were
happy and thrilled to see that part of history being made.
     So, we'll come back strong next year with better strategy in aircraft loading and center of gravity considerations, "flying the winds" more precisely, and doing all that's necessary to eliminate as much drag on the aircraft. Next year, we WILL fly a better air race!!!
     The best part, though, was reaching out to so many African-American girls and
women who never met a black female pilot and who knew nothing about our team namesake, the historic Bessie Coleman. We raced to keep her legacy alive!!!

"Next year's Air Race Classic route!"

BTW: We came in 32nd out of 43 racing teams, so WE'RE MAD NOW!!! :-). Watch out Classic Racers; no messin' around next year!!! :-).
Good nite, Bessie Bloggers!!! Early morning wheels up to Topeka. Thank you all for your love and support! Many Blessings!!!...Joyce and Athina

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Day 9 - Great Tours and Girls Club Cheers!

6/25/2011

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Day Nine. Saturday: Yippee! I'm so happy for a day to finally do what I enjoy most....sleep in! Joyce on the other hand, had to be up early for the first-timers de-brief and the signing of the timing sheets. That's a great part of being plot-in- command (PIC), the lead responsibility. So you see, being co-pilot has its perks!
Another great part of the ARC, is the knowledge you gain from other aspects of the race. The organizers of the air race work diligently to incorporate special events and tours at the start and terminus cities. The tours are generally aviation-related some of which include: aviation museums, aircraft systems companies, avionics corporations etc... The terminus tour today was of the Continental Motors Plant. They build, remanufacture, and supply aircraft engines, fuels systems, and parts and supplies to several aircraft companies like Cessna and Cirrus as well as after-market vendors.

The highlight of the tours was of the USS Alabama Battleship & Air Museum. The museum sponsored The Racers & Youth Event for the girls of the local Boys & Girls Club. Each race team sponsored one or two girls. Joyce and I were so excited to meet our girls and we were quite impressed with their shirt designs that featured our race #37 and tail number N9246S.

The girls received awards for their participation in a six-month aerospace/aviation academy. Some of the awards included: communications radios, aviation books and educational materials, tote bags, and more. The girls especially enjoyed the flight simulator rides. Look-out girls!!!!--you're flying a fighter jet!!! Overall, today is exactly what "Team Bessie's" participation in the Air Race Classic 2011 was all about....sharing the Legacy of Queen Bess, while inspiring young girls to FLY!!!!...Athina

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We Did It!!!! "Team Bessie" Completes the 2011 Women's Air Race Classic!!!

6/24/2011

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     "Team Bessie" has arrived!!!! Joyce Parker and Athina Holmes executed a flawless fly-by and landing at 1:01 pm at Mobile Downtown Airport, Mobile, AL to secure their place in history as the 1st all African-American team to compete in and complete the long-standing Women's Air Race Classic!!!
     It has been a FANTASTIC!!! experience in so many ways and on so many levels, so I'm not finished telling the story...please stay tuned!!!
    Sunday evening is the ARC awards banquet and there, we will be informed as to how well we flew the race. We're nervous and excited!!! to find out where we placed and how well we did, so as soon as we find out, you'll be the first to know :-)...Joyce

"We made it!!! :-)

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<<Previous

It's Official!!!

Women's Air Racing is Back-Take 2

Day 10 - "Team Bessie" Shall Be Back!!!

Day 9 - Great Tours and Girls Club Cheers!

We Did It!!!! "Team Bessie" Completes the 2011 Women's Air Race Classic!!!

Pilot: Susan

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