Two Florida Tech women are taking to the skies in a more than 2,600-mile plane race.
- FIT women Chesapeake Gustin, Sherisse Pierre fly in Air Race Classic
- Participants fly from Maryland to New Mexico
- Race is dedicated to 1929 Women’s Air Derby
This year, 54 teams from 14 colleges in 35 states are flying from Maryland to New Mexico in what is called the Air Race Classic.
The race takes four days and includes several stops, with each team racing against their own best time calculating weather and winds.
The Florida Tech pair is student pilot Chesapeake Gustin, and co-pilot alumna Sherisse Pierre, who both are looking at aviation careers. Female pilots currently only make up 6 percent of pilots in the U.S.
Events like these help open women’s eyes to this being a career field. Dunbar herself is a three-time Air Race participant.
The race began Tuesday and wraps up Friday, and is dedicated to the 1929 Women's Air Derby Amelia Earhart flew in.