Background

The annual Palms to Pines Air Race took place each summer at the end of July or beginning of August, with teams flying from Santa Monica to central Oregon (approximately 750 statute miles). The race ran consecutively for 40 years, making it the longest-running all-female air race. Each year, anywhere from 30-60 planes participated with teams or solo pilots from all over the western United States.

The Beginning

Palms Charter member, Claire L. Walters started the air race in 1969. Her former student, John Koich, asked her to coordinate a women’s air race to his home-town of Independence, Oregon. At the time, Independence had an airport with a grass field and no hangars. The city had purchased the land for the purpose of an airport, however it had not yet been developed. 34 teams flew in the first air race to Independence. Over the next decade, the state built out the airport with taxiways, runways, lights and hangars.

Route

The Palms to Pines route, usually included a fly-by or landing in Merced or Modesto, California and a required overnight in Red Bluff of Redding, California. On the following day, planes had one last fly-by/landing in Klamath Falls, Oregon and finished before noon in central Oregon. The race ended in Independence for the first twelve years. In 1982 (the race’s unlucky 13th year), weather prevented the final leg and the race ended in Klamath Falls.  The following year (1983), organizers planned a new end-point at Sunriver, Oregon, but fog delayed the finish. For subsequent years, the race ended in Bend, Oregon.

40th Anniversary (2009) Race

The 40th anniversary of the Palms to Pines Air Race in 2009 culminated with founder Claire Walters distributing prizes at the finish.  She died several months later in January of 2010.

Video from the 2009 Palms to Pines Air Race from Fran Bera and Mary Ford (2nd place):

The Legacy Continues

In 2015, the Havasu 600 Air Race was established, with a format loosely based off of the Palms to Pines races.

In 2022, the Los Angeles Chapter of the 99s restarted the Palms to Pines Air Race! 

Winners

Prize money was awarded to the top five finishing crews, and trophies were given to the top ten. Other awards were given for: each of the fastest legs, best team under 500 total hours, a mystery spot landing, best first-timers, fastest mother-daughter team, and in later years, best turbo racer. Not to be remiss, last place teams were awarded a ‘Scenic Route’ trophy, which some teams admit they tried for!

Though race founder, Claire Walters, participated in many of the races, San Diego member Fran Bera holds the record for most wins. Fran raced for 14 consecutive years, with seven 1st-place, four 2nd-place and one 3rd-place trophies!

An incomplete list of winners:

Links

Oregon Pines Chapter of The 99s

Article: Old-School Air Race (The Bulletin – 2009)

Article: A Personal Race Experience (Earline Arnold – 2007)

Article: Ladies, Start Your Engines (The LookOut News – 2005)

Article: Fliers make Merced stop (Merced Sun Star – 2004, republished on the Santa Clara Valley 99s website)

Article: A Personal Race Experience (Patricia Lowers – 1993)

Book: The Nintey-Nines: Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow (Turner Publishing Company, 1996)