Let's Make A Race of It!

     June 2026 - A new book about the AWTAR just landed!

Follow the story of the AWTAR and the pilots' challenges and triumphs as they 
     flew through 30 history-making years of this legendary air race!

Let's Make A Race of It!: The Story of Those Daring Women Who Flew the Powder Puff Derby, 1947-1977
by Sarah Byrn Rickman

It's 1947, and World War II is over. General aviation is still in its infancy, airports are few and far between, and navigation aids are primitive. Most general aviation airplanes are slow, two-seat trainers, and few have radios. Yet women pilots—including those who had so capably supported the US war effort as WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilots)—are eager to fly, despite the rudimentary conditions. When an opportunity arises for a cross-country flight among members of The Ninety-Nines, one of the pilots declares, "Let's make a race of it!"

That 1947 race kicked off the All-Woman Transcontinental Air Race (AWTAR), affectionately dubbed the Powder Puff Derby. As the race grew over the years, women pilots from all walks of life eagerly competed for top prizes. Follow the story of the AWTAR and the pilots' challenges and triumphs as they flew through thirty history-making years of this legendary air race.

       CLICK HERE to read an excerpt of Let's Make A Race of It!

      Order your copy from Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Bookshop.org or from your preferred online bookseller!

                                                                                                                     

Sarah Byrn Rickman (pictured with her latest book) is an expert on US women in twentieth-century aviation. A prolific, award-winning author, she is highly regarded for her painstaking research and vivid storytelling on this exciting and historically important topic. Let's Make A Race of It! The Story of Those Daring Women Who Flew The Powder Puff Derby, 1947-1977 is Sarah's 14th book highlighting women in aviation.

CLICK HERE for a Facebook video where Sarah explains why she wrote it!

Praise for Let's Make a Race of It!

The women who flew the Powder Puff Derby weren't just racing across a continent — they were proving, year after year, that the sky had no ceiling for women. For thirty years, they loaded their planes, plotted their courses, and raced from coast to coast with skill, determination, and no small amount of grit. The AWTAR didn't just produce champions — it built a sisterhood. Sarah's book ensures their courage, camaraderie, and competitive spirit will never be forgotten, and as an organization founded by pilots for pilots, The Ninety-Nines are proud to bring this story to the world.

–Robin Hadfield, President, 2022-2026, The Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots

I flew through this book! What struck me about these gutsy women pilots was how a fun cross-country air race became a purposeful endeavor when the AWTAR began. Former WASP flyers used the air race to stay current in their cross-country flying skills in hope and anticipation of being needed again as ferry pilots during the Korean War. In later years, that purpose evolved to building flight hours and expertise to fly corporate and for the airlines. Sarah Byrn Rickman continues to draw us in with captivating stories about these daring women pilots.

–Terry Carbonell, Pilot and President, 2026-2028, The Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots, Winner of the 2010 Air Race Classic