Beyond the Powder: The Legacy of the First Women's Cross-Country Air Race

ANNOUNCER: SUPPORT FOR BEYOND THE POWDER WAS PROVIDED BY THE ILSA BABY FOUNDATION, AND CLEVELAND WHEELS AND BRAKES, A PRODUCT OF PARKER AEROSPACE.

TAKE OFF WITH CLEVELAND, LAND WITH CONFIDENCE.

PARKER AEROSPACE.. NARRATOR: IN THE 1920S THE ADVENTURE OF AVIATION EXCITED THE WORLD.

LESS THAN 20 YEARS AFTER THE INVENTION OF FLIGHT, BARNSTORMERS CRISSCROSSED THE UNITED STATES AND PIONEERS MADE FLIGHTS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE.

IT WAS AGAINST THIS BACKDROP THAT IN 1929 THE WORLD EXPERIENCED SOMETHING NEW.

THAT YEAR WAS THE FIRST TIME WOMEN PILOTS WOULD PARTICIPATE IN AN AIR RACE ACROSS AMERICA.

THOUGH EQUALLY SKILLED AS THE MALE PILOTS, WOMEN WERE NOT WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE IN MEN'S AIR RACING, UNTIL THERE WAS FINALLY A RACE TO CALL THEIR OWN.

NICKNAMED, "THE POWDER-PUFF DERBY," THE RACE RAN FOR DAYS ACROSS THE U.S.

ENDURING LACK OF SLEEP, NAVIGATIONAL CHALLENGES, SABOTAGE, AND EVEN DEATH, THESE BRAVE WOMEN SET THE STAGE FOR GREAT THINGS TO COME.

CONTINUING THE LEGACY OF THE POWDER-PUFF DERBY, TEAMS OF PILOTS HAVE ARRIVED FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AT A SMALL AIRPORT NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO TO COMPETE IN THE AIR RACE CLASSIC.

LIN CAYWOOD: THE AIR RACE CLASSIC IS A VERY UNIQUE ALL-WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY AIR RACE.

IN SOME FORM OR FASHION IT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE 1929, SO IT'S REALLY NEAT TO BE PARTICIPATING IN SOMETHING THAT'S ALL-WOMEN PILOTS RACING.

MARILYN WILSON: OUR MISSION IS TO UPHOLD THE LEGACY OF AIR RACING.

ALL WOMEN'S AIR RACING, BACK FROM THE POWDER-PUFF 1929, RIGHT UP THROUGH NOW.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE THE LONGEST RUNNING AIR RACE IN THE UNITED STATES.

ZIA SAFKO: AVIATION IS STILL MAKING HISTORY REGARDLESS ON THE TIME PERIOD.

WE ALREADY HAD PILOTS THAT HAVE FLOWN ACROSS THE WORLD AND RECORD SETTERS, BUT THIS IS STILL PART OF HISTORY THAT WE'RE MAKING.

WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT TO GENERAL AVIATION SO IT CAN STAY ALIVE AND KEEP THE SPARK.

NARRATOR: WHILE THE FEMALE PILOTS OF TODAY CAN BUILD ON THEIR OWN RICH HISTORY OF AIR RACING, THAT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.

IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, A WOMAN WANTING TO FLY CHALLENGED SOCIETY'S NOTION OF WHAT WOMEN COULD AND SHOULD ACHIEVE.

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1920S WAS AN EXCITING EXPANDING GIANT WITH TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY LEADING THE CHARGE.

THANKS TO A GROWING AIRLINE INDUSTRY AND DARING RECORD SETTERS, AMERICA WAS ENAMORED WITH THE AIRPLANE.

BARNSTORMERS AND WING-WALKERS TRAVELED AROUND THE COUNTRY BRINGING AVIATION TO RURAL LOCATIONS.

WHILE AIR SHOWS AND AIR DERBIES ATTRACTED HUGE CROWDS, HIGHLIGHTING TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN AIR TRANSPORT, AND THRILLING THE CROWD WITH AEROBATIC PERFORMANCES.

IT WAS A SWINGING PARTY THAT WOMEN, FOR THE MOST PART, WERE NOT INVITED TO.

FLYING REPRESENTED FREEDOM AND ADVENTURE.

NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS EXPECTED TO COME FROM WOMEN.

IN 1929, THERE WERE ROUGHLY 9,000 LICENSED PILOTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

OF THAT NUMBER, LESS THAN 120 WERE WOMEN.

DENISE NEIL-BINION: IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL FOR WOMEN TO BE FLYING.

WOMEN WEREN'T EXPECTED TO FLY, THERE WERE VERY FEW WOMEN THAT HAD HAD THEIR PILOT'S LICENSE AT THAT TIME, EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST WOMAN RECEIVED HER PILOT'S LICENSE IN THE U.S.

IN 1911.

IT WAS STILL A VERY, VERY SMALL GROUP.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT 1929, WOMEN HADN'T EVEN HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR VERY LONG.

NARRATOR: WHILE THE PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE PILOTS WAS LOW, THEIR TALENT AND ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT WAS EQUAL IN EVERY WAY.

DENISE NEIL-BINION: THE IDEA THAT A WOMAN WOULD TAKE OFF AND BE ADVENTUROUS ENOUGH TO MAKE A FLIGHT IS TELLING IN ITSELF OF THE TYPE OF WOMEN THAT THESE WERE.

THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE STUCK DOING WHAT WAS TRADITIONALLY THOUGHT THAT WOMEN SHOULD DO.

AND THEY HAD IDEAS ABOVE AND BEYOND OF WHAT WOMEN COULD ACCOMPLISH.

NARRATOR: THEY WERE SLOWLY INFILTRATING THE WORLD OF AVIATION BUT THERE WAS ONE EVENT THAT FORBID WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE: AIR RACING.

THERE WERE AIR RACES OF MANY TYPES FROM SHORT RACE-TRACK STYLE COMPETITIONS TO TRANSCONTINENTAL SPEED RACES, WITH DARING PILOTS PUSHING THEIR MACHINES TO THE LIMIT FROM COAST TO COAST.

AFTER YEARS OF BEING EXCLUDED, A MEN'S ORGANIZATION CALLED THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUB PRESENTED THE LADY PILOTS WITH A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : THE WOMEN WANTED TO HAVE THEIR OWN AIR RACE FROM CALIFORNIA UP TO CLEVELAND BECAUSE THE MEN HAD A RACE, THEY HAD SEVERAL RACES, BUT THE WOMEN DIDN'T.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : THEY SAID, "WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE DOING ANYTHING AS ENORMOUS AS WE WERE DOING.

WE KNEW THESE OPPORTUNITIES WERE COMING AND WE WANTED IN."

I MEAN, THE WOMEN'S AIR DERBY, THEY WANTED IN.

THEY WANTED TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT WOMEN COULD DO, HOW WOMEN COULD FLY.

BECAUSE THERE'S NO MISTAKING, THEY WERE JUST AS GOOD AS THE MEN.

SO, WHY BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY?

DENISE NEIL-BINION: THE PERSONALITIES THAT WERE INVOLVED, THEY WERE WILLING TO DO WHAT THEY HAD TO DO TO FLY AND TO FLY IN THIS RACE.

MANY OF THE WOMEN HAD HOPED THERE WOULD BE THIS KIND OF RACE FOR A WHILE AND IT JUST HADN'T BEEN POSSIBLE.

NARRATOR: ON AUGUST 18, 1929, A WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY AIR DERBY WAS SCHEDULED TO START AT CLOVER FIELD IN SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA.

THE RACERS WOULD THEN FOLLOW A 2,800 MILE COURSE WITH 27 STOPS FOR REFUELING AND RESTING ALONG THE WAY.

THE FINISH LINE WOULD BE AT THE BIGGEST AVIATION EVENT OF THE TIME: THE NATIONAL AIR RACES IN CLEVELAND, OHIO WHERE THEY WERE SOON TO MAKE HISTORY.

BILL MEIXNER: CLEVELAND WAS THE AIR RACE CAPITOL OF THE COUNTRY.

WE HAD A PARADE DOWN EUCLID AVENUE THAT WAS FIVE MILES LONG AND HAD OVER 100 FLOATS.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND, CLEVELAND WAS THE FOCUS OF THE WORLD.

NARRATOR: WHILE THE WOMEN PILOTS WERE READY TO JUMP ON THEIR OPPORTUNITY, THE AVIATION INDUSTRY WAS READY TO CAPITALIZE ON THE PUBLICITY AS WELL.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THIS, A LITTLE SPECIAL ATTRACTION TO OPEN UP THE CLEVELAND AIR RACES THAT YEAR.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : SO THEY SAID, "LET'S ADD A LITTLE TWIST TO THIS THIS YEAR, AND WE'LL HAVE THIS LITTLE EVENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LET THESE LADIES COME AND FLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HAVE THIS FIRST WOMEN'S AIR RACE."

DENISE NEIL-BINION: THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WOMEN PILOTS WERE PRETTY GREAT.

THE STANDARD WAS HIGH FOR HOW WELL THEY COULD FLY THE PLANES AND WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTED TO DO IN THE PROMOTION OF AVIATION BECAUSE OF THE RACE.

DENISE NEIL-BINION: PART OF THE AVIATION PUSH WAS TO GET MORE PEOPLE FLYING IN GENERAL, AND SO THEY THOUGHT, WELL IF WOMEN ARE ABLE TO FLY, ANYBODY CAN FLY.

AND THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT WOULD KIND OF ADD TO AVIATION ENTHUSIASM AT LARGE, AND I THINK THAT IT WORKED PRETTY WELL AS A MARKETING TOOL FOR AVIATION.

NARRATOR: THE NEWSPAPERS HELPED WITH THIS PROMOTION, BY ADOPTING THE FAMOUS NICKNAME, "THE POWDER-PUFF DERBY" AFTER FAMED COMEDIAN WILL ROGERS JOKINGLY OBSERVED THE GALS ON THE FIELD, FURTHER CONTRASTING THEM FROM THEIR MALE COUNTER-PARTS.

GENE NORA JESSEN: WILL ROGERS WAS FUNNY AND WHENEVER THEY'D HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NEWSPAPER, THEY'D POWDER THEIR NOSE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THEY HAD THEIR PICTURE TAKEN.

AND HE SAID, "LOOKS LIKE A POWDER-PUFF DERBY TO ME."

SO THAT'S HOW IT GOT ITS NAME, POWDER-PUFF DERBY.

NARRATOR: WITH ALL THE ATTENTION ATTRACTED BY THESE FEMALE AVIATORS, NOT ALL OF THE MEDIA RESPONSE WAS POSITIVE.

BILL MEIXNER: THE EDITORS OF THE NEWSPAPERS REALLY GOT ON THESE LADIES, AND SAYING YOU KNOW, "THESE LADIES SHOULD BE HOME IN THE KITCHEN PREPARING DINNER FOR YOUR FAMILY INSTEAD OF SITTING IN AN AIRPLANE."

NARRATOR: IN SPITE OF WINNING A CHANCE TO SHOW THEIR TALENTS, THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY PRODUCED ADDED CHALLENGES FOR THESE PILOTS.

DENISE NEIL-BINION: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WHEN THEY WERE DECIDING THE RULES ON THE RACE, THE RACE OFFICIALS HAD SAID, "YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO TRAVEL WITH A MECHANIC."

AND THE WOMEN WERE VERY ADAMANT THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO, THEY WANTED TO PROVE THEMSELVES AS PILOTS.

THEY DIDN'T WANT ANY WOMEN TO ENTER THE RACE AND HAVE A MALE MECHANIC THAT WOULD ACTUALLY FLY THE PLANE OR ANYTHING, THEY WANTED TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN.

SO NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE TO BE THE PILOTS, BUT THEY SERVED AS THEIR OWN MECHANICS AS WELL.

THEY WERE IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DESTINY AT THAT POINT.

NARRATOR: OVER 85 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST RACE, THE TRADITION OF THE ORIGINAL POWDER-PUFF DERBY CARRIES ON TODAY AS THE AIR RACE CLASSIC.

WOMEN PILOTS ARE STILL MOTIVATED TO COME TOGETHER AND SHARE THEIR COMMON LOVE OF FLIGHT, AND TO HONE THEIR AVIATOR SKILLS ALONG THE WAY.

THE RACE ROUTE CHANGES EVERY YEAR AND HAS COVERED NEARLY ALL OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, GIVING THE RACERS A NEW CHALLENGE EVERY RACE.

THIS YEAR'S COURSE CUTS THROUGH SEVERAL STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ENDING IN NEW CUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

MARILYN WILSON: RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT 48 TEAMS GOING.

IT'S ABOUT 110 FLIERS BECAUSE MANY OF THE TEAMS HAVE A TEAMMATE THAT'S IN THE BACKSEAT, EITHER FEEDING THEM, GIVING THEM WATER, HANDING THEM APPLES, OR TAKING PICTURES.

AND WE GO FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND JUST HAVE A BALL.

NARRATOR: STARTING IN CONCORD, CALIFORNIA, THE 2014 AIR RACE TEAMS GATHER TO COMPETE.

AND EACH ONE HOPES TO END UP IN THE WINNER'S CIRCLE.

LIN CAYWOOD: WE HAVE EVERYTHING FROM STUDENT PILOTS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PROFESSIONAL ATP RATED PILOTS FOR THE MAJOR AIRLINES.

FOR THE MOST PART THOUGH, IT'S PRIVATE PILOTS AND A LOT OF LADIES THAT HAVE THEIR CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RATING.

A LOT OF THE TEAMS ARE MIXED BETWEEN SOMEONE WITH NOT AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AND SOMEONE WITH A LITTLE MORE FLYING EXPERIENCE.

AND THAT JUST HELPS TO NURTURE ALONG AND BRING IN NEW RACERS AS WELL.

SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE DICHOTOMY OF SKILLSET THAT COMES OUT FOR THIS RACE.

NARRATOR: MANY TEAMS, LIKE RACE TEAM 12, ARE SEASONED RACERS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE RACES UNDER THEIR BELT.

GOING BY THE MONIKER, "TEAM FREAKIN' AWESOME," SUSAN AND LIN ARE PREPARING TO ONE-UP LAST YEAR'S STANDING.

LIN CAYWOOD: WE'RE ALL VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OUR OWN PERSONAL LIVES AND THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS US TO FLY OUR PLANES AND RACE.

AND IT'S NOT JUST CHECKING THE BOX, BUT IT'S REALLY MAKING THAT PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN AVIATION.

NOT REALLY FOR THE GLORY TO BECOME FAMOUS OR ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE EARLY AIR RACERS WERE MOVIE STARS OR THEY HAD LOTS OF BIG SPONSORS AND WERE TRYING TO MAKE A NAME IN THEMSELVES TO BE THAT ADVENTURER.

FOR US, I THINK IT'S MORE OF PERSONAL GOALS IN AVIATION THAN JUST PROVING THAT WE CAN DO IT.

SUSAN BEALL: THE FIRST TIME I DID THE RACE, MY RACE PARTNER AND I LEARNED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT.

SO YOU'RE NOT TOLD WHAT TO DO, BUT YOU GET THAT EXPERIENCE.

AND YOU SAY, "OH YEAH, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF WE DID THIS, OR DID THAT."

BUT IT'S SUCH AN EXCITING FEELING, THEN YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN.

I CAN DO BETTER.

NARRATOR: THE AIR RACE CLASSIC CREATES FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN THE PILOTS THROUGHOUT THE RACE.

THE ORGANIZATION MATCHES NEW-COMERS WITH EXPERIENCED RACERS TO HELP GUIDE THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY.

LIN CAYWOOD: THE MAMA BIRD PROGRAM WE SET UP, FOR ANY TEAM THAT IS FIRST TIME RACERS, THEY'LL GET ASSIGNED A VETERAN RACE TEAM.

SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE A COLLEGE TEAM ASSIGNED TO US, AND IT'S REALLY GREAT TO INTERACT WITH THE FIRST TIME RACERS AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

FIRST TIME YOU'RE OUT THERE IT'S JUST LIKE DRINKING THROUGH THE FIRE HOSE.

YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHAT FORMS YOU FILL OUT, WHEN DO YOU SHOW UP.

IT'S REALLY A GREAT THING, NOT ONLY FOR THAT BONDING AND NETWORKING ASPECT, BUT SOMETIMES FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE WE CAN GIVE THEM SOME INSIGHT AS TO WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THEY'RE ON THE RACE TRAIL.

ELIZABETH HOWERTON: OUR MOTHER BIRDS HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT.

THEY'VE BEEN WELCOMING, WARM, AND KIND.

HAVING MET SOME OF THE OTHER RACERS, YOU DON'T GET THAT SAME WARMTH I GUESS TOWARDS YOUR TEAM.

THEY'VE HAD NOTHING BUT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT WHICH IS REALLY POSITIVE AND GOOD TO HEAR.

SARA KARSTEN: KIND OF FEELS LIKE NUMBER 12 AND NUMBER 50 ARE ACTUALLY A TEAM TOGETHER WHICH IS KIND OF COOL.

SO IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT.

I'M GLAD WE'RE WITH THEM.

NARRATOR: WOMEN OF ALL AGES COMPETE IN THE AIR RACE.

AMONG THE YOUNGEST ARE THE COLLEGE TEAMS THAT ARE INVITED TO THE EVENT.

THE COMPETITION HAS A SEPARATE COLLEGIATE DIVISION, GIVING IT THE FEEL OF A SCHOOL SPORT.

LIN CAYWOOD: EVERY YEAR WE HAVE ANYWHERE FROM NINE TO 15 COLLEGE TEAMS COMPETING AND THERE'S A SPECIAL COLLEGIATE TROPHY THAT GETS AWARDED SO THERE'S RACE INSIDE A RACE.

WHICH MAKES IT REALLY KIND OF COOL BECAUSE THE YOUNG LADIES ARE COMPETING FOR BRAGGING RIGHTS AT THEIR SCHOOL AS WELL AS TRYING TO WIN THE AIR RACE ITSELF.

MARILYN WILSON: THIS YEAR I THINK WE HAVE 13 COLLEGIATE TEAMS THAT ARE FLYING.

HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE.

WE INTRODUCE THESE YOUNG WOMEN, THESE YOUNG PILOTS TO RACING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RACE LATER IN LIFE TOO, AND KEEP THE RACE GOING.

NARRATOR: THE NAME, "POWDER-PUFF DERBY" MAY SUGGEST THAT THESE WOMEN WERE ONLY FEMININE GIRLY-GIRLS, BUT THEY WERE SO MUCH MORE.

RECORD SETTERS, PROFESSIONAL PILOTS, AND THE FAMED AVIATOR AMELIA EARHART FILLED THE ROSTER.

THE LADIES RANGED FROM QUIET AND RESERVED TO BOISTEROUS ATTENTION-GETTERS.

BUT THEY ALL HAD ONE THING IN COMMON: THERE WEREN'T GOING TO LET ANYONE KEEP THEM ON THE GROUND.

GENE NORA JESSEN: THEY'RE PRETTY STRONG PEOPLE.

PRETTY MUCH LIKE THE WOMEN WHO RACE TODAY, BUT THEY WERE VERY MUCH PIONEERS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY TELLING THEM HOW TO DO IT.

I JUST ADMIRE ALL OF THEM.

THEY WERE ALL VERY DIFFERENT.

AND YOU'VE GOT PANCHO BARNES WHO WAS JUST THE WORLD'S GREATEST CHARACTER.

YOU'VE GOT LOUISE THADEN WHO WON THE RACE, QUIET, GENUINE.

SHE'S NOT ONE OF THE WILD ONES.

SO THEY ALL HAD THEIR OWN PERSONALITY, AND THEY'RE ALL INTERESTING.

I KNEW SEVERAL OF THEM AND THEY WERE REALLY CHARACTERS, IN A GOOD SENSE.

NARRATOR: THE 1929 RACERS WERE STRONG, SMART, AND HAD THE SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE.

THAT ATTITUDE CONTINUES TO FLOW THROUGH THE VEINS OF TODAY'S PILOTS.

GENE NORA JESSEN: YOU SEE IT TODAY.

THERE ARE SOME OUT THERE WHO SEEM PRETTY QUIET, BUT THEY GET IN THAT AIRPLANE AND FLY OVER SOME TOUGH TERRAIN, AND THEY'RE PRETTY STRONG.

A LOT OF LEADERS, NOT TOO MANY FOLLOWERS.

THEY'RE STRONG PERSONALITIES, THEY'RE ADVENTURESOME.

A LOT OF THESE RACERS ARE NOT PROFESSIONAL PILOTS.

THEY FLY FOR FUN.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT VOCATIONS, BUT THIS COMMON LOVE OF AVIATION AND FLYING.

MARILYN WILSON: I THINK ANY WOMAN THAT'S PILOTED A PLANE IN THE AIR HAS THE SAME TRAIT.

THEY'VE GOT THAT LOOK IN THEIR EYES.

WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE, YOU KNOW THEY'VE BEEN A PILOT, YOU KNOW THEY'VE BEEN UP THERE, THEY KNOW THEY'VE SEEN WHAT THEY, WHAT THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER FROM AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT VIEW FROM EVERYBODY ELSE.

SO DID THE EARLY PILOTS HAVE THAT?

ABSOLUTELY.

WERE THEY DAREDEVILS?

YES.

ARE THE PILOTS TODAY DAREDEVILS?

NOT ALL OF THEM, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT THEY CERTAINLY KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO GET UP THERE AND FLY.

NARRATOR: THE AIR RACERS ENJOY SHOWING OFF THEIR TEAM SPIRIT, WITH PLENTY TO GO AROUND, THEY CELEBRATE THIS UNIQUE PIECE OF HISTORY.

EMILY APPLEGATE: WE TRY TO REPRESENT THAT IN EVERYTHING THAT WE WEAR.

WE ONLY WEAR POLKA DOTS A CERTAIN TIME OF YEAR.

ZIA SAFKO: THAT'S WHAT WE BRING TO THE RACE, WE DRESS UP LIKE ROSIE THE RIVETER WHEN WE'RE RACING.

DURING THE BRIEFINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WE LIKE TO BRING A LITTLE AMELIA IN THIS.

IT MAKES IT MORE FUN FOR US, AND IT MAKES IT, WE HOPE, FUN FOR THE OTHER RACERS.

YES, IT'S A MODERN RACE, BUT WE APPRECIATE THE HISTORY OF IT AS WELL.

EMILY APPLEGATE: ABSOLUTELY.

LIN CAYWOOD: A LOT OF US DO WEAR SIMILAR OUTFITS, AND WE CALL THEM OUR UNIFORMS.

THE SCHOOL TEAMS MAY BE WEARING THEIR SCHOOL COLORS, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DOES HAVE A UNIFORM AND WE'VE BUILT OUR OWN KIND OF RACE TEAM UNIFORMS.

IT CREATES THAT BONDING AND THAT REAL TEAM SPIRIT.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER BONDING EXPERIENCE TO SAY, "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO WEAR TODAY?"

NARRATOR: TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AIR RACE CLASSIC, TEAMS MUST ABIDE BY NOT JUST FAA REGULATIONS, BUT AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF RACE RULES.

LIN CAYWOOD: THE MANTRA IS, READ THE RULES, READ THEM AGAIN, AND THEN READ THEM AGAIN.

THEY'LL BEAT THAT INTO US DURING OUR BRIEFINGS BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT.

BECAUSE IT IS A RACE AND WE ARE GETTING WAVERS FOR DOING LOW-LEVEL FLYBYS AT AIRPORTS AND THERE'S A LOT OF HIGH VOLUME ACTIVITY WHERE PLANES MIGHT BE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.

YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE.

AND SOMETIMES THAT IS WHAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR PLACING IN THE RACE.

THINGS THAT, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, YOU MIGHT NOT THINK ABOUT.

SO IT'S JUST SOME OF THOSE BASIC RULES THAT CAN CATCH YOU UP, GET YOU SOME PENALTIES, AND PUT YOU DOWN A FEW PLACES.

MARILYN WILSON: WELCOME TO THE 38TH RUNNING OF THE ALL-WOMEN'S AIR RACE CLASSIC.

[CHEERING] NARRATOR: OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS, THE AIR RACE CLASSIC OFFICIALS PREP OVER 50 RACE TEAMS AT PILOT BRIEFINGS, COVERING REGULATIONS, NAVIGATION TECHNOLOGY, AND WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE RACE SO THE PARTICIPANTS CAN GET TO THE FINISH LINE SAFELY.

MARILYN WILSON: YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT YOUR AIRPLANE, YOUR TEAMMATES, YOURSELF.

BY THE TIME YOU GET TO PENNSYLVANIA YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME A REAL TEAM, LAUGHING AND CRYING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DID, AND HAVING STORIES TO TELL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

NARRATOR: WHILE THE ORIGINAL WOMEN'S AIR DERBY WAS WON BY THE FIRST TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE, THE AIR RACE CLASSIC OPERATES ON A HANDICAP SYSTEM.

LIN CAYWOOD: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TODAY'S RACE AND THE 1929 RACE WAS THAT THE 1929 RACE WAS A FLAT OUT SPEED RACE.

SO A LOT OF THE GALS HAD THE SAME PLANES AND SOME OF THE MANUFACTURERS IN THOSE EARLY RACES ACTUALLY GAVE THE PLANES TO THE RACERS, BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO PROVE THAT THEY HAD THE BEST PLANE FOR SALES REASONS.

SINCE THE POWDER-PUFF CHANGED OVER TO THE ALL WOMEN'S TRANSCONTINENTAL AIR RACE, IT'S BEEN HANDICAPPED.

MARILYN WILSON: WE TAKE EVERY AIRPLANE UP AND FLY IT AROUND A CLOSED COURSE IN SPECIFIC CONDITIONS AT A CERTAIN ALTITUDE TO FIND OUT WHAT IT'S BEST POWER, BEST SPEED CAN BE.

SO WE START OUT ON AN EVEN PLANE.

THE WAY THE SCORE IS CALCULATED IS HOW MUCH OVER THAT HANDICAP, SAY YOUR HANDICAP'S 120 KNOTS, YOU CAN DO 124 KNOTS, YOUR SCORE ON THAT LEG IS A PLUS FOUR.

IF YOU DO 118 KNOTS YOUR SCORE ON THAT LEG IS A MINUS TWO.

AND ACROSS THE EIGHT OR NINE LEGS THAT WE DO, WE ADD THOSE UP, AND THE ONE THAT COMES IN WITH THE MOST PLUSES IS THE WINNER.

NARRATOR: BECAUSE THE RACE IS RUN UNDER A HANDICAP, HORSEPOWER DOESN'T DETERMINE A WINNER.

IT COMES DOWN TO SKILLED PLANNING AND AIRMAN-SHIP.

MARILYN WILSON: IF YOU'VE GOT THE SLOWEST AIRPLANE IN THE RACE, WE ALWAYS HAD AIRPLANES PASSING US, THEY WOULD EITHER PASS UNDERNEATH US, THEY WOULD PASS OVER TOP OF US, AND THEY WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A PICTURE OF US AND SEND IT TO US SHOWING A HERE WE ARE SMOKING.

CLASSIC 13.

[LAUGHING] DOESN'T MATTER.

DOESN'T MATTER.

AS LONG AS WE'RE DOING MORE OF OUR HANDICAP THAN THEY WERE, WE'RE STILL AHEAD OF THEM.

NARRATOR: THESE TEAMS WILL FACE MANY DECISIONS WHILE SPEEDING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT COULD BE THESE STRATEGIES THAT WILL LAND THEM IN FIRST PLACE.

SUSAN BEALL: YOU'LL WANT TO CONSIDER THINGS LIKE WEIGHT.

BE AS LIGHT AS YOU CAN, YOU WANT TO GO AS FAST AS YOU CAN, AND REDUCE DRAG, SO YOU WANT YOUR PLANES TO BE CLEAN, TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO THROUGH THE AIR AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

LIN CAYWOOD: THERE'S THE TERRAIN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HANDLE THAT?

ARE YOU GOING TO FLY HIGH, YOU GOING TO FLY LOW, YOU GOING TO FLY AROUND IT?

ESPECIALLY IN THESE MOUNTAINS THAT WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR, REALLY A LOT OF DECISION MAKING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TEST YOURSELF WITH.

IT'S GOING TO STRETCH YOU, AND REALLY MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF DOING WITHIN A SAFETY MARGIN.

1929 RACER: I'LL DO MY BEST, SEE YOU IN CLEVELAND.

NARRATOR: IN 1929 THE LADIES BEGAN THEIR RACE WITH LARGE CROWDS AND MEDIA COVERAGE.

WHEN THE STARTING FLAG WAS DROPPED, THE WOMEN WERE OFF.

RACE ANNOUNCER: THERE SHE IS, THE WHEELS ARE JUST OFF THE GROUND... [AIRPLANE ENGINE TAKE OFF] NARRATOR: FOR THE PARTICIPANTS, THE EXCITEMENT OF RACE DAY IS NO DIFFERENT NOW THAN IT WAS BACK THEN.

AFTER MONTHS OF PREPARATION, THE START OF THE RACE IS FINALLY HERE.

TEAMS PACK UP THEIR MINIMAL BELONGINGS, GO THROUGH THEIR PRE-FLIGHT RITUALS, AND RECHECK THEIR CHECKLISTS BEFORE ENGINES START UP.

SUSAN BEALL: YOU HAVE TO JUST SIT THERE AND WAIT FOR THEM TO START YOU IN SETS OF FIVE.

SO YOU GET YOUR START SIGN AND YOU JUST WANT TO START.

AS SOON AS YOU SEE THAT OTHER TEAMS START... AND IT'S JUST THAT ANXIOUSNESS TO GET IT ALL READY TO GO.

SUSAN BEALL: CONCORD GROUND, CLASSIC RACER 12 READY TO TAXI WITH VICTOR.

SUSAN BEALL: AND WE WERE SO ANXIOUS THAT WE ALMOST JUST WENT.

CONTROL TOWER: CLASSIC AIR RACER 12... ONE NINER LEFT, TAXI VIA ALPHA, I'VE GOT A THREE TWO LEFT APPROACH, RUNWAY THREE TWO RIGHT.

SUSAN BEALL: YOU HAVE TO HOLD THAT START IN SEQUENCE, TAXI IN SEQUENCE, AND JUST SORT OF CONTAIN THAT EXCITEMENT.

SUSAN BEALL: ALPHA CROSSES THREE TWO LEFT APPROACH, THREE TWO RIGHT.

CLASSIC RACER 12.

SUSAN BEALL: AND THEN YOU'RE ON THE RUNWAY AND THEY'RE READY TO TAKE OFF.

CONTROL TOWER: CLASSIC RACER 12, THE WIND IS ONE-SEVEN-ZERO AT ONE-THREE, RUNWAY ONE-NINER RIGHT CLEAR FOR TAKE-OFF.

FULL LENGTH RIGHT TURN OUT APPROVED.

SUSAN BEALL: ONE-NINER RIGHT, CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF, RIGHT TURN APPROVED, CLASSIC RACER 12.

SUSAN BEALL: AND YOU GET THE CLEARANCE, AND THEN IT'S FULL THROTTLE, AND THEN THAT EXCITEMENT JUST STARTS TO BUILD.

LIN CAYWOOD: OKAY, YOU GUYS READY?

EVERYTHING'S ON.

SUSAN BEALL: I THINK THAT'S THE MOST EXCITING PART BECAUSE YOU'RE LAUNCHING ONE AFTER THE OTHER, AND THEN YOU'RE MAKING THAT TURN ON COURSE AND YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THE TRAFFIC SHOW UP ON YOUR SCREEN BEFORE YOU SEE THEM IN THE AIR, AND THE PLANES ARE JUST ALL OVER THE PLACE.

SO YOU HAVE THAT PACK THAT'S TAKING OFF, AND THAT'S SO FUN.

LIN CAYWOOD: YEAH THAT'S WHEN IT'S CRAZY IS, AND WE DID HAVE OUR TRAFFIC WORKING BECAUSE WE WERE INSIDE SOME AIRSPACE WHERE WE COULD GET THAT, SO IT WAS A LITTLE CRAZY.

EVERYBODY TALKING ON THE RADIO, AND, "WHERE ARE YOU?

I'M SO MANY MILES OUT."

AND A COUPLE OF THEM SCREAMING OUT THEIR ALTITUDES AND, WHICH HELPED.

SO A LOT OF CHATTER AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE A LOT OF EXCITEMENT.

BUT I THOUGHT WE HAD A GOOD TAKE OFF AND VERY INTERESTING FIRST LEG.

LIN CAYWOOD: THIS IS A GAP ANYWAY THROUGH THE HUMBOLDT RIVER SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME IN THIS WAY ANYWAY.

LIN CAYWOOD: WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CLIMB MORE THAN A COUPLE THOUSAND FEET... NARRATOR: PROPERLY PLANNING THE NAVIGATION OF THE MULTI-LEG CROSS-COUNTRY COURSE IS AS IMPORTANT TODAY AS IT WAS FOR THE WOMEN IN 1929.

DURING THAT FIRST RACE THERE WERE FEWER TOOLS TO AID THESE INTREPID AVIATION PIONEERS.

BILL MEIXNER: NAVIGATIONAL AIDS WERE VIRTUALLY NONEXISTENT.

THEY WERE USING RAND MCNALLY ROADMAPS AND FOLLOWING RAILROADS.

SEVERAL OF THEM DRIFTED OVER AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDINGS IN MEXICO AND GOT INTO SOME KIND OF TROUBLE LIKE HAVING THEIR AIRPLANE CONFISCATED.

IT WASN'T A GOOD THING.

IT WAS ONE OF THE DANGERS THAT THEY FACED.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : IN THE 1920S, 1930S ROADS WEREN'T ALL THAT COMMON.

THERE WASN'T AN INTERSTATE ROADS SYSTEM.

ROAD MAPS WEREN'T THAT GREAT.

THERE WERE SOME ROADMAPS BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE EVERYTHING ON THEM.

THEY HADN'T REALLY BEEN BUILT TO SEE THINGS FROM THE AIR SO YOU'RE READING A ROADMAP TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND YOU'RE DEAD RECKONING HALF THE TIME.

YOU LOOK OVER THE SIDE AND YOU GO, "HMM.

WE GOT A ROAD AND AN INTERSECTING ROAD, AND A FIELD AND A POND.

OVER HERE, THERE'S A ROAD AND AN INTERSECTING ROAD, AND A FIELD AND A POND."

A ROAD, AND AN INTERSECTING ROAD AND A FIELD AND A POND.

AND YOU'RE JUST LIKE, "OKAY.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET LOST."

NARRATOR: THE OPEN COCKPIT DESIGN OF MOST AIRCRAFT IN THE '20S ADDED AN ADDITIONAL WRINKLE TO THE MAP READING FOR THE PILOTS.

BILL MEIXNER: THE OPEN COCKPIT AIRPLANES WERE NOT AS STABLE AS AIRPLANES ARE TODAY.

THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO TRIM THE AIRPLANES.

IT WASN'T A HANDS-OFF FLIGHT, IT WAS BASICALLY FLYING THE AIRPLANE WITH A STICK, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO UNFOLD YOUR MAP TO GO TO THE NEXT SECTOR.

IF THE WIND CHANGED OR SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED, YOU WERE BASICALLY HOLDING THE STICK WITH YOUR KNEES AND WHILE YOU WERE OPENING OR FOLDING THE MAP, SO YOU HAD TO GRAB THE STICK TO CORRECT THE AIRPLANE AND BY THAT TIME THE WIND WOULD PULL THE MAP RIGHT OUT OF THE COCKPIT AND IT WOULD BE GONE.

YOU WERE LEFT WITH FOLLOWING RAILROADS.

THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD, BUT THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS WHEN YOU GOT TO THE NEXT CITY WHERE THERE'S A TERMINAL, THE RAILROAD MIGHT HAVE BRANCHED INTO TWO OR THREE BRANCHES, AND WHICH BRANCH DO YOU TAKE?

NARRATOR: TODAY'S RACERS HAVE A DIFFERENT NAVIGATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

AIR RACER: MAKE SENSE TO COME THIS WAY, WOULD PROBABLY MAKE SENSE AND- NARRATOR: ONE OF DETAILED PLANNING AND HEAVY RELIANCE ON STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY.

LIN CAYWOOD: WE HAVE SO MUCH TECHNOLOGY IN THE COCKPIT.

EVEN PLANES THAT ARE RACING THAT MAY BE VINTAGE PLANES, OR OLDER PLANES, SOMEBODY'S GOT AN IPAD IN THERE OR A PORTABLE GPS.

ZIA SAFKO: WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT CARRYING PAPER CHARTS THIS YEAR.

WE'VE GOT A G-1000, OR A GLASS COCKPIT IN OUR AIRCRAFT SO ALL OF THE GAUGES ARE DIGITAL.

WE HAVE OUR STANDBY INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH, FEW OF THE AIRPLANES IN 1929 HAD ON THEM, BUT IT HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.

ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE I FEEL LIKE I'M CHEATING.

IT'S VERY DIFFERENT NOW.

EMILY APPLEGATE: KEEPING UP WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY IS ANOTHER STORY.

THERE'S CONSTANTLY NEW BUTTONS AND NEW PAGES TO LOOK THROUGH.

SUSAN BEALL: WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CLIMB MUCH BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET ANY ADVANTAGE.

NARRATOR: EVEN WITH ALL THE GADGETS, THERE ARE THINGS ABOUT NAVIGATING AN AIRCRAFT THAT REMAIN THE SAME.

LIN CAYWOOD: ON THE WAY TO IOWA CITY, WE WERE LITERALLY FOLLOWING A ROAD TO FIND AN AIRPORT AND WE KIND OF HAD OUR ROUTE, AND WE SAID, "OKAY, WE'RE JUST GOING TO FOLLOW THIS ROAD."

IT REALLY IS THE WAY THAT THEY WERE DOING IT BEFORE.

YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT IN A PLANE THAT MONEY CAN BUY, BUT YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK OUTSIDE AND LOOK DOWN AND SEE WHAT'S ON THE GROUND TO KIND OF GET YOUR SETTING AND BE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S AROUND YOU.

THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF COOL THOUGH TO BE RIGHT ALONG THE ROAD LIKE THAT.

NARRATOR: TO CALCULATE THE SPEED AND TIMING OF EACH AIR RACER, THE PILOTS MUST FLY ACROSS THE TIMING LINES AT THE DEPARTING AIRPORT AND THE ARRIVING AIRPORT WHERE VOLUNTEERS WAIT ON THE GROUND READY TO CLICK THEIR STOPWATCH.

ZIA SAFKO: ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL PARTS OF THIS AIR RACE IS THE FLYBYS.

YOU'RE 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND YOU'RE GOING AS FAST AS YOU CAN OVER A CONGESTED AREA AT TIMES.

MARILYN WILSON: FLYBY IS THE EXCITING PART OF THE RACE.

ALL RIGHT, YOU COME SCREAMING INTO AN AIRPORT.

YOU CALL FIVE MILES OUT.

CLASSIC RACER 13, FIVE MILES OUT, FLYBY TO LAND.

AND THEY'RE NOT ANSWERING YOU BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TOO CLUTTERED.

SUSAN BEALL: APPROACHING CALL ONE MILE OUT, LINE UP, FLYBY, WINGS LEVEL.

OVER RUNWAY ONE-SEVEN.

MARILYN WILSON: YOU'RE JUST HOPING THAT THEY'RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION.

SO OVER THE END OF THE RUNWAY YOU GO CLASSIC 13 OVER THE RUNWAY.

FLYBY TO LAND.

AND YOU GET DOWN THERE AND YOU WATCH WHERE THE LINE IS, AND THEN COME IN AND LAND.

SO WE DO NINE OF THOSE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE FLYBYS I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO BECAUSE THEY WERE EXCITING, THEY WERE FAST, YOU FELT YOU WERE RACING.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN THE AIR YOU DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL YOU'RE RACING UNLESS THERE'S ANOTHER AIRPLANE COMING NEAR YOU.

SUSAN BEALL: ELKO TRAFFIC, CLASSIC RACER 12, FIVE MILES OUT, DEPARTURE FLYBY.

NARRATOR: THIS YEAR'S RACE OFFERS EIGHT PIT STOPS THAT CAN BE MADE ALONG THE ROUTE.

EACH OF THEM PROVIDING FUEL, FOOD, AND SERVICES.

THEY CAN BE EITHER A MUCH NEEDED REST, OR RUSHING AROUND TO GET BACK IN THE AIR.

SUSAN BEALL: SO YOU HAVE TO GET FUEL.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL DO YOU WANT TO GET IN EACH TANK, FILL OUT SLIPS FOR THAT.

YOU HAVE TO RUN OFF AND FIND SOMEBODY TO SIGN A REMAIN OVERNIGHT LIST IN CASE YOU DO NEED TO STAY, YOU WANT TO BE THE FIRST OR AS CLOSE TO THE TOP OF THAT LIST AS POSSIBLE.

YOU'LL NEED TO CHECK WEATHER AND PLAN FOR YOUR NEXT ROUTE.

AND THEN IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOUR STRATEGY IS, WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO GO INTO ON THE GROUND.

WE LITERALLY KNOW, WHEN THAT PLANE SHUTS DOWN, WHO'S GOING TO JUMP OUT AND GO WHERE WITH WHAT.

THEN WE JUST FIGHT OVER WHO GETS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM FIRST.

NARRATOR: THE 1929 DERBY RACERS HAD A MORE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE DURING THEIR BREAKS IN THE RACE.

REQUIRED TO ATTEND PARTIES AT EACH AND EVERY OVERNIGHT STOP.

DENISE NEIL-BINION: THEY WOULD LAND THEIR PLANES IN THE AFTERNOON.

THEY HAD TO CHANGE THEIR CLOTHES, GET ON THEIR PRETTY DRESSES, AND GO AND HAVE THESE BANQUETS WITH PEOPLE IN THE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY AND POLITICIANS.

THEY'VE GOT BIG WHITE AROUND THEIR EYES WHERE THEIR GOGGLES HAVE SET AND THEIR FACES ARE TANNED AND THEIR ARMS ARE TANNED PARTWAY DOWN.

UNDOUBTEDLY, THEY LOOKED OF INTEREST.

BUT I DON'T THINK THEY CARED, THEY WERE JUST HAPPY TO BE FLYING.

THEY WERE VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT THEY PARTICIPATED.

BECAUSE THEY WERE IN CHARGE OF BEING THEIR OWN MECHANICAL TEAM AS WELL, IT KIND OF INTERRUPTED THEIR SLEEP AND IT INTERRUPTED THEIR ABILITY TO CARE FOR THEIR PLANES BECAUSE THEY HAD THE SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS OF PUSHING AVIATION AS PART OF THIS RACE.

NARRATOR: AFTER THE ORIGINAL RACE BEGAN, THE INITIAL EXCITEMENT OF LAUNCH GAVE WAY TO THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF FLYING ACROSS THE VARIED TERRAIN OF THE COUNTRY WITH ONLY YOURSELF TO RELY ON.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : MANY OF THE STORIES HAD TO DO WITH STICK-TO-IT-NESS.

YOU GET YOURSELF IN A JAM, YOU GOT TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF A JAM BECAUSE NOBODY'S GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU.

THESE WOMEN HAD TO BE PREPARED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR AIRCRAFT BY THEMSELVES SO THEY REALLY HAD TO KNOW THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HOW TO FLY IT, HOW NOT TO PUSH IT TOO HARD TOO FAST.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE FUEL THAT THEY HAD BECAUSE THEY'RE FLYING OVER SOME HORRIBLE DESERT ALONE.

COUPLE GALLONS OF WATER.

AND THAT'S IT.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE IT TO THE CHECKPOINTS INTO THESE AIRPORTS.

SO A LOT OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE FOR YOURSELF IN KNOWING YOUR EQUIPMENT, KNOWING HOW TO WORK ON IT, KNOWING HOW TO FIX IT, KNOWING HOW TO FLY IT, AND THEN KNOWING HOW TO NAVIGATE.

AMONGST ALL OF THAT.

NARRATOR: NOT ONLY DID THE WOMEN OF 1929 DEAL WITH NATURAL ADVERSITY, BUT THE SPECTER OF SABOTAGE LOOMED OVER THE RACERS.

BILL MEIXNER : THERE WERE REPORTS OF SABOTAGE.

THEA RASCHE RECEIVED A TELEGRAM WARNING HER TO BE CAREFUL.

AND WHEN SOME OF THE INCIDENTS HAPPENED, YOU HAD TO QUESTION WHETHER THEY WERE JUST STUPID MISTAKES OR THEY WERE INTENDED.

BLANCHE NOYES HAD A FIRE IN HER AIRCRAFT, WHICH CAUSED HER TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT.

APPARENTLY ONE OF THE MECHANICS DROPPED A CIGARETTE IN THE COMPARTMENT BEHIND HER WHERE HER EXTRA CLOTHING WAS, AND IT WAS SMOLDERING FOR QUITE A WHILE.

SHE DISCOVERED THAT SHE IN FACT HAD A FIRE.

SHE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT.

SO SHE PHYSICALLY REACHED IN AND GRABBED THE SMOLDERING CLOTHING, DUMPED IT ON, AND START DUMPING SAND ON IT OUT ON THE GROUND TO PUT THE FIRE OUT.

NOW, WAS THAT JUST A DUMB ACCIDENT OR COULD THAT HAVE BEEN SABOTAGE?

I DON'T KNOW.

NARRATOR: YEARS LATER, RACER LOUISE THADEN SPOKE TO HER FAMILY ABOUT THE RUMORS OF SABOTAGE.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT SABOTAGE, AND YOU KNOW, OH THERE WAS ALL THIS SABOTAGE.

PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO STOP THE RACE.

AT SOME POINT SHE WOULD GO, "YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HAVE JUST BEEN THINGS THAT HAPPENED."

BECAUSE STUFF HAPPENS TO AIRPLANES.

AND THEN AT OTHER POINTS SHE'D SAY, "WELL, SOME THINGS WERE SUSPICIOUS AND SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE. "

LIKE, YOU KNOW, ACID EATING THROUGH GUY-WIRES ON AIRPLANES.

SHE SAID, "I THINK THERE WAS SOME OF IT, BUT PROBABLY NOT AS WIDE-SPREAD AS PEOPLE MIGHT THINK."

CERTAINLY THERE WERE MISTAKES THAT HAPPENED AND THOSE ARE MISTAKES THAT CAN HAPPEN IN EVERY DAY AVIATION BECAUSE THESE AIRPLANES ARE COMING THROUGH TOWNS THAT A LOT OF AIRPLANES DON'T USUALLY COME THROUGH.

THERE'S GOING TO BE CONFUSION, THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF AIRPLANES, THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

THINGS MIGHT GET MESSED UP A LITTLE BIT.

NARRATOR: THE RACE CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE SABOTAGE CAME TO A HEAD WHEN TWO DAYS IN, DEATH CAUGHT UP WITH THE RACERS.

PILOT MARVEL CROSSON CRASHED IN THE ARIZONA DESERT.

MARVEL'S BODY WAS FOUND 200 FEET FROM HER DESTROYED TRAVEL AIR.

HER UNOPENED PARACHUTE STILL STRAPPED TO HER BACK.

WHILE SABOTAGE WAS SUGGESTED BY BOTH THE MEDIA AND THE OTHER RACERS, NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT WRONG-DOING WAS EVER FOUND.

ANOTHER THEORY WAS SUGGESTED THAT MARVEL HAD SUCCUMBED TO CARBON-MONOXIDE POISONING.

EVEN THOUGH THE AIRCRAFT SHE FLEW WAS OPEN COCKPIT, BEING POISONED BY ONE'S OWN ENGINE WAS NOT UNHEARD OF.

IN FACT, FELLOW RACER LOUISE THADEN EXPERIENCED THIS, FORCING HER TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON ROUTE TO THE STARTING LINE IN SANTA MONICA.

THE RACERS, WHILE MOURNING THE LOSS OF THEIR FRIEND, FELT THEY WOULD HONOR MARVEL THE BEST WAY THEY KNEW HOW: BY FINISHING THE RACE.

AS FOR MARVEL, LIKE MANY OF HER FELLOW FLYERS, THE DANGERS WERE UNDERSTOOD.

EARLIER IN HER FLYING CAREER, MARVEL HAD WRITTEN, "EVERY FLYER WOULD RATHER GO WITH HER PLANE INSTEAD OF A MORE LINGERING WAY.

JUST THINK OF THE THRILL OF MAKING IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH THE SPIRITUAL WHILE DOING THE THING THAT ONE LOVES TO DO MOST."

IN THE 21ST CENTURY, SUCH THINGS AS SABOTAGE ARE A THING OF THE PAST.

THE AIR RACE CLASSIC CREWS, HOWEVER, ARE NOT WITHOUT THEIR OWN CONCERNS.

RACERS MUST DO THEIR HOMEWORK TO KEEP THE EXPERIENCE FUN AND SAFE.

LIN CAYWOOD: YOU HAVE FOUR DAYS TO COMPLETE THE RACE, AND THEY DO BUILD IN A BUFFER FOR WEATHER AND I THINK JUST ABOUT EVERY YEAR THERE IS SOME WEATHER DELAYS SOMEWHERE.

MOST OF THE RACERS CAN FINISH IN THREE DAYS.

CAN'T CONTROL MOTHER NATURE SOMETIMES, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

BUT WE KIND OF FEEL THAT WE'VE GOT THE BEST TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US, OR WE'VE MADE THE BEST WEATHER DECISION.

SOMETIMES, YOU JUST GET LUCKY.

ANYBODY GETS EXHAUSTED AND IT'S LIKE A LITTLE KID WHO DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE THEIR NAP BUT WON'T ADMIT THAT THEY'RE TIRED.

IT CAN DEFINITELY STRETCH ANYONE'S PATIENCE AND ABILITY, BUT HOW YOU RISE ABOVE THAT IS REALLY THE TEST.

ZIA SAFKO: EVERY YEAR'S DIFFERENT.

YOU HEAR FROM ALL THE LADIES IS, FLY YOUR OWN RACE.

YOU TAKE SOMETHING FROM EVERY SINGLE RACE.

YOU LEARN SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR AIRPLANE, YOU LEARN SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR PARTNER, YOURSELF AS A PILOT.

SO COMPLETING THE RACE IS MORE THAN WE COULD ASK FOR IN GETTING THAT UNDER OUR BELTS.

WE'RE MAKING OUR HISTORY AS WELL.

NARRATOR: THE OFFICIALS KEEP TRACK OF WHERE ALL THE RACERS ARE ON THE COURSE, USING A SPECIAL GPS SYSTEM, ALLOWING THE AIR RACE CLASSIC TO HAVE AN AUDIENCE COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

DONNA HARRIS: WE ARE CURRENTLY IN MISSION CONTROL.

THIS IS WHERE WE TRACK ALL THE TEAMS, KEEP TRACK OF WHERE THEY ARE ALONG THE ROUTE.

EACH PLANE HAS A GPS TRACKER IN THE PLANE AND WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF THEM.

EVERY 10 MINUTES WE GET A SIGNAL OF WHERE THEY ARE ALONG THE ROUTE.

AND THEN WE UPDATE THE BOARD WHETHER THEY'RE EN-ROUTE WITH AN ARROW IN THE BLUE, OR THE GREEN IS THEY'VE MADE IT TO THE TERMINUS.

THEY'RE HERE WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE THEM HERE.

RED IS THEY'RE STOPPED, THEY'RE ON THE GROUND SOMEWHERE AND WE KNOW THEY'RE SAFE.

IT'S A VERY FUN, IT'S VERY EXCITING TO TRACK THEM ALONG.

LIN CAYWOOD: ON A WEBSITE YOU CAN ACTUALLY WATCH WHERE ALL THE RACERS ARE.

IT REALLY GIVES THE PEOPLE WATCHING THE RACE SOMETHING FOLLOW.

IT ADDS A LITTLE MORE EXCITEMENT TO SAY, HEY WHERE IS THAT TEAM?

DID THEY MAKE IT OR ARE THEY SITTING AT AN AIRPORT THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S ON THEIR RACE ROUTE.

EMILY APPLEGATE: WE HAD SO MANY MORE FOLLOWERS THIS YEAR JUST BECAUSE OF OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT, I THINK NOW THEY'RE REALLY STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A RACE, THIS IS A CROSS-COUNTRY.

IT'S JUST SO NEAT.

ZIA SAFKO: WE'RE REALLY BRINGING IN THE COMMUNITY.

LIKE ALL MY MOM'S COWORKERS AND MY DAD'S COWORKERS ARE LIKE, "HOW ARE THE ROSIES DOING?"

EMILY APPLEGATE: IT KEEPS BRANCHING OUT MORE AND MORE.

ZIA SAFKO: BUT IT REALLY MAKES IT BETTER FOR US, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, "OH, PEOPLE CARE."

AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

NARRATOR: WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD FOLLOWED THE RACE THROUGH THE NEWSPAPERS, ON AUGUST 26TH 1929, THE PEOPLE AT THE CLEVELAND AIR RACES WOULD EXPERIENCE THE REAL THING.

FLYING FOR NEARLY 10 DAYS, LOUISE THADEN HEADED TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE.

WHEN THE AIRPORT CAME INTO VIEW THERE WERE 100,000 PEOPLE WAITING IN THE GRAND STANDS TO WELCOME HER.

SURELY A SIGHT TO BEHOLD.

HERE, SHE WOULD BE CROWNED THE VICTOR.

A SWEET AND QUIET RECORD SETTING PROFESSIONAL PILOT WAS ABOUT TO MAKE HISTORY.

UPON ARRIVAL SHE REMARKED, "I'M AWFULLY GLAD TO BE HERE.

IT WAS A GREAT RACE.

I WISH EVERYBODY COULD HAVE WON."

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT LOUISE WINING THAT RACE IS HER GRACIOUSNESS.

SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A GRACIOUS HUMAN BEING AND WHEN SHE WON IT WASN'T, "HEY LOOK AT ME, I DID IT."

YOU KNOW, BEECHCRAFT RULES.

IT WASN'T ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT WAS, "WE ALL FLEW AMAZINGLY.

WE ALL DID TREMENDOUS THINGS.

WE ALL GOT HERE.

I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE A FASTER AIRPLANE."

SO SHE WAS SO HUMBLE THAT SHE COMPLETELY DOWN-PLAYED HER SKILL SET AND HER WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL FLYING.

IT WAS A LOT ABOUT HAVING SKILLS BECAUSE WHEN OPPORTUNITY GIVES ITSELF TO YOU, YOU WANT TO HAVE THE SKILLS TO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR.

SO WITH THE DERBY, ONE OF THE THINGS WAS YOU HAD TO HAVE SO MANY HOURS.

YOU HAD TO BE A PILOT TO BE IN IT.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE HAD, AND SHE COULD DO.

SO THAT, WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME UP, SHE COULD GRASP ONTO IT AND TAKE IT.

NARRATOR: AFTER FLYING OVER 2,400 MILES FROM THE WEST COAST TO THE EAST, THE AIR RACERS FLEW OVER 13 STATES AND CROSSED TERRAINS OF ALL SORTS.

FROM MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS TO PLAINS AND FARMS.

EXPERIENCING THE WEATHER OF ALL THE SEASONS IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, TO FINALLY LAND IN NEW CUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA AT THE FINISH LINE.

COMPARED WITH THE ROARING CROWDS AT THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL AIR RACES, THE LADIES FLYING THE AIR RACE CLASSIC HAVE A MUCH QUIETER ENTRANCE.

CONTROL TOWER: AT MID-FIELD TURN RIGHT AT FOXTROT, TAXI STRAIGHT TOWARD THE TOWER.

SUSAN BEALL : FOXTROT TO THE TOWER, CLASSIC RACER 12.

LIN CAYWOOD: THERE'S NOT A GRAND STAND OF PEOPLE CHEERING US ON BUT IT'S STILL GREAT TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES.

AT LEAST I KNOW A LOT OF THE LADIES THAT ARE HERE WORKING AT THE FINISH AND IT'S GREAT TO WALK INTO THE RECEPTION AREA, TURN IN YOUR KEYS, AND DO ALL THAT.

NARRATOR: EVEN THOUGH EACH RACER HAS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE, THEY ALL UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND THE ADVENTURE THAT EVERY TEAM GOES THROUGH.

LIN CAYWOOD: YOU KIND OF NEED TO CALM DOWN A LITTLE BIT AFTER SO MANY HOURS OF FLYING LIKE THAT, OVER SOME BUMPS, OVER THESE HILLS.

WE WERE PRETTY RATTLED BY THE TIME WE GOT TO TURN THE CORNER HERE TO COME INTO CAPITOL CITY, SO IT'S ACTUALLY NICE TO BE A LITTLE CALM AND QUIET RIGHT NOW.

SUSAN BEALL: THE MOUNTAINS WERE NEW FOR US, AND DESPITE SOME TRAINING AND PLANNING, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW THAT WORKED OUT.

SO THAT WAS NEW.

AND THE WHOLE RACE WAS, FOR US, BUMPY.

SUSAN BEALL: THIS IS GOING TO SUCK.

AIR TRAFFIC, CLASSIC RACER 12 APPROACHING, FLYBY TO LAND, CAPITOL CITY.

WHAT AM I, 700?

OVER THE RUNWAY, IF YOU CAN.

WOAH, OVER THE RUNWAY, 700 700.

AND, TIME.

ZIA SAFKO: IT WAS LIKE A POPCORN BAG COMING IN HERE.

MY PHONE SMACKED ME, ALMOST SMACKED ME IN MY FACE AT LEAST TWICE.

I LOOKED AT THEM AND I'M LIKE, "OKAY.

WE'RE GOOD, WE GOT THIS."

BUT IT WAS BUMPY AS HECK GETTING IN HERE.

SUSAN BEALL: SO THE THING ABOUT THIS RACE IS THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HIGHS, LOWS, YOU'RE TIRED, YOU'RE HUNGRY, YOU EAT SOMETHING YOU'RE BETTER, YOU'VE GOT EXCITEMENT THEN YOU'RE DEFLATED.

THE WHOLE THING HAS THAT CYCLE.

I WONDER WHAT THE EARLY AIR RACERS FELT.

THERE'S ONLY ONE OF THE IN THE PLANE, THEY'RE NOT ARGUING WITH THEMSELVES, BUT THEY STILL HAD TO GO THROUGH THE SAME UPS AND DOWNS.

ELIZABETH HOWERTON: IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON OR THE OTHER PERSON, IT'S YOU TOGETHER WORKING AS A TEAM.

IT'S ALL THE TIME.

THE PRE- THE POST- THE DURING, IT'S ALL THE TIME.

I WOULD LOVE TO RACE AGAIN.

MAYBE WE WILL.

WE SHOULD.

NARRATOR: EVERY YEAR AIR RACE TEAMS HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FICKLENESS OF MOTHER NATURE.

THIS RACE IS NO DIFFERENT.

THOUGH THE RACES ALWAYS RUN IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, THIS YEAR SOME TEAMS WERE HELD UP AT RACE STOPS IN ELKO, NEVADA, AND PINEDALE, WYOMING.

SOCKED IN BY SNOW AND UNABLE TO FLY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.

BECAUSE THE RULES STATE THAT THIS IS A VFR, OR VISUAL FLIGHT RULES RACE, TEAMS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FLY THROUGH CLOUDS OR WHEN THEY CAN'T SEE THE GROUND, MAKING COMPLICATIONS LIKE SNOW AND WEATHER CONDITIONS PROBLEMATIC TO FINISHING THE RACE ON TIME.

SARA KARSTEN: THE ONLY THING PREDICTABLE ABOUT THE WEATHER IS THAT IT WAS UNPREDICTABLE.

JUST LOOKING AT IT, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT YOU WEREN'T GOING TO CAPABLE OF BEING PARTICULAR.

YOU WERE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO GO AND TRY AND GET AS FAR AHEAD OF IT AS YOU POSSIBLY COULD.

IT WAS DEFINITELY A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR ME IN TERMS OF FORECASTING SKILLS, BECAUSE WE MADE IT THROUGH A LOT OF TERRIBLE SYSTEMS BEFORE THEY SET IN.

ELIZABETH HOWERTON: TO MAKE A DECISION AND STICK TO IT, THAT WAS REALLY REWARDING BECAUSE WE ARE HERE, WE DID MAKE IT.

LIN CAYWOOD: IT WAS PRETTY INTENSE THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.

WHEN WE WERE SEEING THE WEATHER WE THOUGHT MAYBE WE OUGHT TO TAKE OFF AND NOT GET STUCK IN PINEDALE.

I THINK WE MADE A GOOD CHOICE.

THERE'S SOME TEAMS I THINK SWEATING IT OUT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THE DEADLINE NOW.

WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY MAKE IT BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE WITH EVERYBODY AND THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE IF THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE DEADLINE.

NARRATOR: AFTER ALL THAT EFFORT, 15 TEAMS DID NOT MAKE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IN TIME, ELIMINATING THEM FROM THE RACE.

THOUGH THERE IS DISAPPOINTMENT ALL THE RACERS ARE HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPETE, TO SPEND TIME WITH FELLOW PILOTS AND TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT THEIR AVIATION SKILLS.

SUSAN BEALL: THE SPIRIT OF THE RACE, IT HAS THAT STEEP TRADITION AND JUST BEING INVOLVED WITH SOMETHING THAT SO MANY OTHER WOMEN ARE DOING, THAT MEANS SO MUCH.

LIN CAYWOOD: SUCH A UNIQUE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND TIGHT CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, THEN WE REALLY, REALLY BOND VERY QUICKLY, AND IT'S SO MUCH FUN TO GET TOGETHER WITH THEM EVERY YEAR.

GETS ALL OF OUR JUICES FLOWING WHEN IT COMES TO CREATIVITY AND COMPETITIVENESS, AND WE JUST REALLY, REALLY ENJOY BEING TOGETHER, HAVING THAT SAME COMMON BOND AND INTEREST IN FLYING, AND RACING ESPECIALLY.

NARRATOR: COMPETITIONS USUALLY BRING THE DESIRE TO BE THE BEST, AND WIN OVER ALL ELSE, DRIVING THE PLAYERS OF THE GAME TO CHEER THEMSELVES ON AND HOPE THAT THEIR COMPETITORS FALL BY THE WAYSIDE.

THIS IS NOT SO MUCH THE CASE FOR THESE AIR RACERS.

THEY FEEL A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT SUCH THINGS.

LIN CAYWOOD: WE ALL WANT TO WIN, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.

YOU KNOW, "HEY DID A CERTAIN TOOL THAT YOU HAD IN THE PLANE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO USE BREAK DOWN?"

AND SOMEBODY'S GOT A SPARE.

IS THE WEATHER CLOSING IN, AND YOU MAY EVEN GET A RADIO CALL FROM A FRIEND UP FRONT THAT SAYS, "HEY I MADE IT THROUGH, IT WAS CLEAR 10 MINUTES AGO."

WE WANT TO PROMOTE THE AIR RACE AS BEING A FUN AND SAFE AND VERY, VERY UNIQUE SPORT FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO WATCH AND FOLLOW.

NARRATOR: WITH THE RACE DEADLINE EXPIRED AND THE ARRIVAL OF MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE PARTICIPANTS MUST PATIENTLY WAIT WHILE THE TOP TEAMS' PLANES ARE RE-INSPECTED BEFORE THE JUDGES TALLY THE FINAL SCORES.

ZIA SAFKO: OBVIOUSLY YOU FLEW A LOT FASTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS CONGRUENT WITH YOUR FIRST HANDICAP SPEED.

IT'S KIND OF EXCITING BUT THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST NERVE-WRACKING PART OF THE ENTIRE RACE.

SUSAN BEALL: WE KNOW THAT WE DID NOT GET TOP 10 BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A CALL.

SO THAT IS KIND OF A BUMMER.

YOU EXPECT TO DO THIS AND DO VERY WELL.

NOW WE'RE SECOND GUESSING WHAT OUR DECISIONS WERE, AND WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE SEE THE RESULTS.

BUT WE WILL DISSECT IT AND SEE LIKE, WHO DID WELL IN THIS LEG, AND HOW DID WE DO ON OTHER LEGS.

SO WE JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND LIKE, HOW DO WE GET TO BE NUMBER ONE NEXT YEAR.

NARRATOR: AFTER DAYS OF ANTICIPATION THE AWARDS CEREMONY IS FINALLY HERE, AND EVERYONE WILL SOON KNOW HOW THEIR PILOTING SKILLS HAVE PAID OFF.

ALL SORTS OF PRIZES ARE PRESENTED AT THE CEREMONY INCLUDING THE WINNER OF THE COLLEGIATE DIVISION, AND EVEN ONE FOR THE SLOWEST TEAM TO ARRIVE CALLED THE TURTLE AWARD.

THE TOP 10 TEAMS RECEIVE MEDALS AND LEG PRIZES ARE AWARDED, WITH TEAM "FREAKIN' AWESOME" WINNING A TOTAL OF FOUR.

MARILYN WILSON: FIRST PLACE THIRD LEG, FOURTH PLACE FOURTH LEG, THIRD PLACE EIGHTH LEG, THIRD PLACE NINTH LEG.

NARRATOR: AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR: THE TEAM THAT TAKES FIRST PLACE.

MARILYN WILSON: AND WINNING $5,000, WHICH USED TO PAY FOR THE RACE, TEAM NUMBER 13: THE FLYING ACES.

DIANNA STANGER, JOYCE WILSON, AND ERIN CRUDE.

DIANNA STANGER: TEAM WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD.

WE HAD A GOOD PLANE.

WE PLANNED THE WHOLE RACE A YEAR AGO.

ZIA SAFKO: WE GOT FOURTH PLACE.

MARILYN WILSON: THREE'S A CHARM, CLASSIC NUMBER THREE, THE RACING ROSIES, EMILY APPLEGATE AND ZIA SAFKO.

[CHEERING] ZIA SAFKO: AND WE WON THE MISS CONGENIALITY AWARD SO THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING.

EMILY APPLEGATE: THIRD TIME IN A ROW.

ZIA SAFKO: ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS IS TO HAVE FUN WITH THIS RACE AND MAKE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE FUN.

IT'S SO MANY EMOTIONS.

IT'S EXCITING, IT'S STRESSFUL, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, IT'S THE BEST FEELING I'VE EVER HAD.

NARRATOR: WINNING WASN'T EVERYTHING TO THE POWDER-PUFF DERBY RACERS.

THEY LOVED THE COMPETITION BUT WERE MOTIVATED BY ANOTHER DESIRE: TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER ALONG THE WAY.

CONTESTANT BLANCHE NOYES REMARKED, "FOR MYSELF, I DON'T MIND THAT I DIDN'T WIN.

MRS. THADEN IS A PEACH, AS ALL THE GIRLS ARE.

AND I HAD THE FUN AND EXPERIENCE OF THE FLIGHT."

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED OUT IT WAS A COMPETITION.

IT WAS A FRIENDLY COMPETITION.

BUT IT WAS A COMPETITION.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT SOMEBODY WHO COULD POTENTIALLY BEAT ME, OR THEY'VE GOT A MUCH BETTER AIRPLANE THAN I HAVE.

GAME ON, RIGHT?

BUT AS THEY WERE WINDING THEIR WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IT BECAME, "WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER.

WE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

AND IF WE DON'T MAKE IT, IF WE ALL DON'T MAKE IT TO THAT FINISH LINE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THIS CHANCE AGAIN."

NARRATOR: IT WAS AT THE FINISH LINE THAT THEY FORMED THE NINETY-NINES, AN ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN PILOTS THAT WOULD PROMOTE GOOD FELLOWSHIP, CREATE AVIATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENCOURAGE FLYING AMONG WOMEN.

THESE LADIES WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THIS RACE SO THEY COULD PROMOTE WOMEN IN AVIATION.

THE MORE OTHERS SAW WOMEN FLYING, THE MORE IT WOULD BE ACCEPTED, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY MORE WOMEN WOULD SEE THAT THEY COULD DO IT TOO.

DR. TERRY VON THADEN : THEY KNOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

WE HAVE THE EDUCATION.

AND THERE'S NOBODY TELLING WOMEN THAT THEY HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND PUT PRETTY BOWS IN THEIR HAIR.

THE WORLD'S OPEN BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE LOUISE OPENED THOSE DOORS FOR US YEARS AND YEARS AGO.

AND WORKED HER WHOLE LIFE TO SAY THAT, "WOMEN ARE JUST AS CAPABLE AS MEN AND CAN HAVE THIS CAREER."

SHE PROVED IT ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS CAREER.

PART OF WHAT LOUISE FOUGHT FOR WAS THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE CHOICE, AND HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.

GENE NORA JESSEN: I THINK GIRLS WHO WANT TO DO ANYTHING.

THEY WANT TO DO ANY KIND OF A JOB, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS, WHERE THEIR TALENT LIES AND WHERE THEIR INTEREST LIES.

YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANT TO WORK AT IT, IF THEY WANT IT BADLY ENOUGH, THEY'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SUSAN BEALL: GIRLS ARE DOING IT AND THEY CAN DO IT, AND THERE'S BOOKS ABOUT IT.

AND THEY'RE ROLE MODELS ABOUT IT.

THEN IF THEY HAVE THAT PASSION INSIDE THEM, THEY'LL AT LEAST BE OPEN TO THE POSSIBILITY.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD DO THIS WHEN I WAS A KID.

I JUST KNEW MY MOTHER WOULD NEVER LET ME.

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD DO THIS, UNTIL SOMEBODY TOLD ME, "OH YEAH YOU CAN JUST GO OUT TO THE AIRPORT AND THERE'S A PLACE THAT'S CALLED A FLIGHT SCHOOL AND THEY CAN TEACH YOU HOW TO FLY."

LIN CAYWOOD: THIS IS THAT POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT'S BEING DISPLAYED TO NOT JUST WOMEN PILOTS BUT TO THE PUBLIC, THAT, "LOOK AT US, WOMEN ARE GREAT PILOTS."

AND THAT WE NEED MORE WOMEN PILOTS.

MARILYN WILSON: I DON'T CARE WHETHER IT WAS 1929 OR 1979 OR 1999.

ALL PILOTS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN PILOTS HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON.

LOVE OF FLIGHT, LOVE OF BEING IN THE AIR, AND LOVE OF JUST BEING ABLE TO DO IT.

NARRATOR: NEARLY 90 YEARS AGO, THE WOMEN'S AIR DERBY STARTED A TRADITION THAT WOULD CARRY ON TODAY AS THE AIR RACE CLASSIC.

THE ORIGINAL PILOTS WERE A DARING AND ADVENTUROUS CREW.

THEY DID THINGS THAT WEREN'T EXPECTED OF LADIES AT THAT TIME.

THEY SHOWED COURAGE AND DETERMINATION WITH A HINT OF DEVIL-MAY-CARE ATTITUDE, ALL TO SOAR THROUGH THE CLOUDS.

THEY HAD A CONNECTION WITH EACH OTHER, BONDING THEM TOGETHER AS A GROUP OF UNSTOPPABLE WOMEN.

THEY KNEW THE RACE HAD A HIGHER PURPOSE, A GREATER GOOD: TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT WOMEN COULD FLY.

THEIR LEGACY CONTINUES IN EVERY PERSON WHO PUSHES BACK AGAINST THE NORM, WHO FOLLOWS THEIR PASSION AND DARES TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.

THEY WERE A COMBINATION OF WILD AND ELEGANT, BREATHING THE IDEA INTO THE MINDS OF MANY WOMEN THAT THEY TOO COULD REACH FOR THE CLOUDS AND SOAR OVER THE WORLD.

ANNOUNCER: SUPPORT FOR BEYOND THE POWDER WAS PROVIDED BY: THE ILSA BABY FOUNDATION AND CLEVELAND WHEELS AND BRAKES, A PRODUCT OF PARKER AEROSPACE.

TAKE OFF WITH CLEVELAND, LAND WITH CONFIDENCE.

PARKER AEROSPACE: