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Terry Nitz wipes her 1966 Cessna 172-G in preparation for the Air Race Classic, which begins in Florida.
Bobbi Boucher (left) and Terry Nitz joke while prepping Nitz's Cessna 172 for the Air Race Classic they'll be flying in.
Bobbi Boucher checks the fuel level in the plane |
By CATHY DYSON
Terry Nitz and Bobbi Boucher love the peaceful feeling that flying brings.
They say there's nothing better than gliding above the Earth when the ride is smooth as silk and the scenery is beyond words.
"It's the closest feeling of being with God," Boucher said. "It's almost like you can reach out and touch him."
The Stafford County residents probably will cover a lot of ground in a plane next week, but it's hard to tell how much time they'll have for sightseeing.
The two will join 111 other woman pilots in a cross-country race that starts June 22 in Florida and ends 2,400 miles later in Maryland.
Nitz and Boucher--whose name is pronounced "Boo-shay"--have been flying for decades.
This is the first time they'll participate in the Air Race Classic, a race for women only. This year's event celebrates 100 years of licensed female pilots.
"We want to do it for the challenge of it," said Nitz. "And I want to do it now, while we have the fire under us."
The two are neighbors in Dogwood Air Park, a subdivision off U.S. 1 that has a private airstrip.
Nitz, 59, is a nurse anesthetist at Mary Washington Hospital, while Boucher, 56, deals with a different type of patients.
She's "The Plane Doctor" at Shannon Airport, where she fixes mechanical problems on aircraft. She has also built her own plane from scratch.
During the Air Race Classic from June 22-25, Boucher will be co-pilot in Nitz's plane. They'll fly her Cessna 172-G, a four-seater they'll keep as light as possible.
The course covers 11 states, but the winner isn't necessarily the first plane to fly from Fort Myers, Fla., to Frederick, Md.
It's the one that flies the fastest based on its handicap.
Each plane is assigned a handicap speed, according to the Air Race Classic website, and that's measured against the actual speed at which the plane flies. The actual speed is determined when the plane flies over eight way points, or designated stopovers, along the route.
Standings aren't released until the last plane touches down in Maryland.
"Actually, the last arrival can be the winner," the website states.
To prepare for the race, Nitz bought an extra fuel tank for her Cessna, and Boucher installed it. That's about the only adjustment the women made to the 1966 aircraft, other than to have a few pieces cleaned up and painted.
The pilots have four days to make the journey, but Nitz and Boucher would like to finish in two. They know they'll have to make adjustments based on wind and weather.
"There's a lot of strategy involved," Boucher said. "You have to be very flexible. We'll go in with a plan, but believe me, it's gonna change."
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com
LOCAL PILOTS Terry Nitz and Bobbi Boucher are entry No. 45. They're the only women from Virginia racing.
COST: About $5,000 per plane, including entry and hotel fees, food and the most expensive item, airplane fuel TEAMS must arrive in Florida by June 18. Their planes are inspected, then impounded until the race begins June 22.
