by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
It was a victory lap and they didn’t even know it.
Two female pilots from Florida and their accomplished passenger competed in the 2,700-mile 2009 Air Race Classic June 23-26 to raise awareness for the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program and to raise funds for the WASP History Center in the “Wings of Dreams Aviation Museum” at Keystone Heights Airport.
The “Wings of Dreams Air Race Team,” pilot Christy Smith of Jacksonville, copilot Susan King of Gainesville and passenger Bernice “Bee” Falk Haydu, of Riveria Beach, Fla., who was a WASP pilot, boarded the four-seat Diamond Star DA40 XLS in Denver the morning of June 23. A week after they finished the race in Atlantic, Iowa, June 26, the team’s purpose was realized with the help of President Barack Obama’s pen.
“We did what we set out to do,” said Smith. “Promote awareness of WASP and to let girls know that they can do whatever they set their minds to.”
Smith and King are two of the many supporters that have been promoting the heritage the women of WASP created. It was founded in 1942 to train women to fly American military aircraft during World War II. Just over 2,000 women applied for the program, but about half of that group graduated. Those pilots were trained to ferry aircraft, test planes, instruct male pilots and tow targets for anti-aircraft artillery practice. The program never militarized and those who served in the program were classified as civil service employees.
The program was disbanded in 1944, but in its two years of existence its pilots flew about 60 million miles in non-combat operations in more than 78 types of aircraft and 38 WASP were killed in the line of duty.
“We have been working for 30 years to be recognized for our service in World War II,” said Haydu, 88, who met Smith and King at a “Wings of Dreams” air show in February at Keystone Heights Airport. “WASP pilots flew every aircraft that came off the line before the men did.”
Haydu was at Obama’s side when he signed bill S.614 July 1 in the Oval Office. The bill awarded Congressional Gold Medals to the pilots of WASP — of those who graduated from the program 300 are alive today. The award is the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow. Those pilots join the Wright Brothers and Charles Lindbergh on the list of honorees.
“I had a dream about visiting the Oval Office before I got the call about the bill signing,” said Haydu. “I was in the Oval Office and I looked around and said, ‘This room is so small.’”
Once the excitement from the race and the Oval Office ceremony subsided, Smith was able to relax and assess what she had been through.
“The race was totally time consuming and exhausting,” said Smith.
The Air Race Classic is the longest all-women air race in the world and 36 teams flew nine legs for a total of 2,700 miles. Teams started in Denver and stopped at checkpoints in Liberal, Kansas, Sweetwater and Lufkin, Texas, Russellville Ark., Grenada, Miss., Sparta, Tenn., Jacksonville, Ill., Racine, Wisc., and Atlantic, Iowa. Teams flew by visual flight rules, or VFR, so they only flew during daylight.
The Wings of Dreams Air Race Team was the first to the finish line in Atlantic, Iowa, but after times for each team were calculated for each leg, the team was ranked 18 of 36 teams. They finished in two-and-a-half days.
“It was a learning experience,” said Smith. “It was our first time and we will be better prepared next year. Just being the first team to Iowa was an accomplishment for us.”
But it wasn’t the only accomplishment. The team earned three medals for having the shortest time on three of the nine legs of the race. These honors didn’t come easy, though.
“We didn’t have a great advantage with the plane or the equipment,” said Smith. “I had about an hour-and-a-half to get familiar with it before taking off for Denver.”
With over 3,000 hours of flight time through 20 years of flying, Smith had plenty of experience to handle the new equipment and an expert aviator was impressed with her ability.
“She is an excellent pilot,” said Haydu.
For more information on the WASP History Center in the Wings of Dreams Aviation Museum at Keystone Airport go to www.wingsofdreams.org.
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