Page 48 - Volume 16 Number 4

EN ROUTE

Race officials for the 2012 EAA AirVenture Cup race have finalized the race course for this year’s cross-country race, scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 22, 2012 in advance of the EAA AirVenture fly-in in Oshkosh, WI.
This year’s race will commence in Mitchell, SD (KMHE) and end in West Bend, WI (KETB), with checkpoints in Sheldon, IA (KSHL) and Pocahontas, IA (KPOH), totaling 450 miles. The race will have 11 classes of homebuilt aircraft, some of which reach speeds of 400 mph. The competition is a timed race, meaning that each aircraft will take-off individually and fly in pursuit of the best time. The times are used to determine final race results.
Cross country air racing has a long history in the U.S., starting in the early 1920s, and has been credited with many advances in aviation technology, speed and reliability of engines. The organization’s goal is to combine aviation history with innovation, new technologies and individual craftsmanship into
one high-octane, fun-filled race that participants and spectators alike will enjoy.
“This is truly a grass-roots aviation event,” said Eric Whyte, the race’s chairman. “The event keeps cross- country air racing alive and lets younger generations experience a piece of aviation history.”
Upon completion of the July 22 race in West Bend, the aircraft will depart for Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, where they are scheduled for a mass arrival that afternoon. The awards banquet will be held later that evening when the winners will be announced. The race aircraft will be on display for the remainder of the week in the homebuilt parking area just north of the new International Aerobatic Club building on the AirVenture grounds.
The race is supported through corporate sponsorships and EAA. There are several sponsorships opportunities still available and interested parties should contact Kandi Spangler at kspangler@verticalmarketsllc.com or by visiting the EAA AirVenture Cup website at www.airventurecuprace.com. All donations are tax deductible.
Founded in 1997, the EAA AirVenture Cup is dedicated to aviation advocacy and preserving the rich heritage of cross-country air racing in the United States. The race is held annually in advance of EAA AirVenture, and provides pilots and builders with a platform to safely compete against each other and new technologies. For more information on the race, including sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.airventurecuprace.com. T&T
APRIL 2012
Volunteer Pilots Needed
Volunteers flying for the environment since 1979.
Phone: 307-332-3242 www.lighthawk.org
46 TWIN & TURBINE