1970 Nebraska Air Races: Chapter 80 Team Places Eleventh
Chapter 80 members Don Houchin and Walter Myers entered the Nebraska Air Race on September 27, the first air race held in Nebraska since the early 1930s. Nineteen aircraft flew the 417-mile triangular course from Lincoln to North Platte and back to Lincoln with a fly by at Harvard. Entered were two Arrows, two Bonanzas, Cessna 172, two Yankees, two Debonairs, three Cherokee 140s, Musketeer, Cardinal, Cherokee 180, Aero Commander Lark, Cherokee 235, and two Cessna 150s.
First place went to Virginia McKinnis of Whitestown, Indiana, flying solo in a Cherokee 140. Second place was won by Mary McLaughlin of Lincoln & Judy Kauffman of Cozad, flying a Cherokee 180. Third place went to Marsha and David Copeland of Spring, Texas, flying an Arrow. Fourth place was captured by Vera Barunek of Lincoln, flying solo in an Arrow. Fifth spot went to Bob Cook, Jr. of Lincoln, flying solo in a Yankee.
The race was sponsored by the Nebraska Chapter of the 99s, and the fly girls captured top honors. Chapter 80’s team of Don and Walt placed eleventh in Don’s 172, topping their handicap by +3.82068.
Copilot Walt Myers reflected on his last race – an OX5 race in the Omaha Air Races in the 1930s in his Lincoln Page biplane. He flew wide open but was ruled by the judges to have missed a pylon, and therefore came in last.
One Nebraska pilot wrote the race committee, wanting to enter his homebuilt Fly-Baby, but his request was denied, as the race was limited to stock aircraft.
