WALB is working to produce a video specific to this story. In the meantime, watch other stories from Coffee County above.

DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB) — More than 100 women pilots from across the country touched down in Douglas this week as the city welcomed one of the nation’s longest-running aviation competitions.

The 49th annual Air Race Classic made a scheduled stop at the Douglas Municipal Airport on June 23 as teams traveled a nearly 2,400-mile route across the Midwest and South during the four-day race.

The Air Race Classic is an all-women cross-country aviation race that traces its roots back to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby. Teams of at least two women pilots fly during daylight hours only, navigating a course that changes each year while competing against their aircraft’s handicap speed rather than one another’s raw speed. Pilots range from students to airline captains and aviation professionals, with participants spanning ages 17 to more than 90 years old.

This year’s race began at St. Louis Regional Airport in Illinois and includes stops in Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and Wisconsin before ending in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Douglas Municipal Airport was selected as one of the race’s official timing points and hosted competitors as they continued their journey.

The City of Douglas encouraged residents to stop by the airport during the event to welcome the pilots and celebrate aviation in South Georgia.

According to Air Race Classic organizers, the event continues its mission of promoting women in aviation while increasing public awareness of general aviation through friendly competition and community engagement.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.