Young Victorian Pilots To Take On World's Best In Us Air Race

Young Victorian Pilots to Take on World's Best in US Air Race

Two young Australians are set to take on the world's best in one of the oldest transcontinental air races for female aviators.

Victorian Commercial Pilots Heather Ford, 23, and Soph Lazarou, 22, will head to the US in June to compete in the 80th Air Race Classic across North America.

Both are members of the Australian Women Pilots' Association (AWPA) and will compete under the team name of Pink and Pearls in honour of the late pioneering aviatrix and former AWPA patron Nancy Bird-Walton.

The pair is hoping to emulate Walton by inspiring other young women to become pilots by challenging themselves in international competition.

Ms Ford received an Airservices flight training scholarship in 2007 which she used to obtain her commercial licence. Her race co-pilot, Ms Lazarou, holds a Bachelor of Technology (Aviation).

Ms Ford said the team was currently on the hunt for supporters, with a race campaign expected to cost around $20,000. Woodside Park Stud and Swinburne University of Technology are already on board as key sponsors.

"We are very excited about the race. I think we are in for a real chance and we'd love to offer other businesses and supporters the chance to share in the international limelight," Ms Ford said.

Ms Ford developed a love of flying as a child travelling with her family. She has prepared for the race by flying a Cessna 182 for the Victorian Country Fire Authority to spot fires last summer in hot and windy conditions. Pink and Pearls will fly a late model glass cockpit plane in the US.

"Flying for me is like travelling to another world, where the worries of my everyday life don't exist. I enjoy the rush and excitement of it, especially that feeling you get after take-off," she said.

The Air Race Classic starts in Denver, Colorado on June 23 and ends in Atlantic, Iowa four days later after transiting nine US states and more than 2359 nautical miles (4370 kilometres).

For more information or to sponsor the team visit pinkandpearls.com.au

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SOURCE: Airservices