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Support the LETU Racers!



LETU Racers Message to Supporters


WHO ARE THE LETU RACERS?

The LETU Racers are the LeTourneau University Women's Air Race Team. Our team exists to showcase who we are at LeTourneau University and our exceptional flight training program! LeTourneau University has entered the Air Race Classic in 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2022. During the 2019 race, we won our first ever leg prize, placing 4th on the second leg of the race. We entered three teams in the 2021 ARC Derby, and two of our teams received leg prizes. The 2020 race was cancelled, and the 2021 ARC Derby was held in place of the usual Air Race Classic. In the 2022 race, we placed 6th within the collegiate rankings, which is in alignment of our team goal of consistently placing within the top 10 of the collegiate division teams.

We plan to fly a Cessna 172S Skyhawk in the 2023 race. The Skyhawk is very reliable, loaded with electronics to help our navigation and weather monitoring, and a great overall airplane to race.

For more information and updates, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/LETUAirRace/


Flight Crew

woman in front of a planeMackenzie (Kenzie) Fessler (Team Pilot) – Kenzie grew up in San Antonio, Texas and started flying young; she flew right seat with her pilot dad and pilot grandpa. During her senior year of high school, Kenzie felt called to becoming a pilot, and her dad immediately signed her up for flying lessons. Kenzie is a sophomore and is currently working on her instrument rating and commercial pilot certificate. She is excited to race again in 2023!

 

woman in front of plane

Morgan Rosenberger (Team Co-Pilot) – Morgan Rosenberger is a senior majoring in aviation management with a concentration in professional flight. She is from Keller, TX and is a commercial multiengine pilot and is currently working on her commercial single engine add on. She currently serves as the President of the Women's Aviation Society at LeTourneau University. Morgan is excited to race in her first ever race after providing ground support in 2022!

 

 

woman in front of plane

Alondra Lopez (Teammate) – Alondra is from Puerto Rico. She is a sophomore and is currently working on her instrument rating and commercial pilot certificate. Additional information about Alondra is coming soon!

Administrative 

woman in front of plane

Sadie Clemons (Coach) – Sadie Clemons is from Cost, Texas, a small farming and ranching community. She loves softball, playing for St. Paul High School in Shiner, Texas before joining the LETU YellowJackets varsity softball team as a Freshman in fall 2019. Sadie raced in the 2022 Air Race Classic. She is currently working as a CFI at LeTourneau University and is excited to coach this year's team! She is married and also working on her MBA.

 

 

woman in front of plane

Laura Laster (Faculty Advisor) – Laura Laster is a 2004 graduate of LeTourneau University who has worked as a flight instructor, dispatcher, survey pilot, and operations manager at Dynamic Aviation and at LeTourneau University as former Director of Flight Operations. A native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Laura is married and has two children. She is currently Assistant Professor and Chief Dispatch Instructor in the College of Aviation and Aeronautical Science and completed a Master’s degree in Commercial Aviation in December 2019. She is excited to mentor the LeTourneau University Women’s Air Race Team in future races after flying as Team Co-Pilot in the 2019 Air Race Classic. She has her Airline Transport Pilot - multiengine certificate along with several other FAA certificates.

 

woman by planeKayli VanDehey (Ground Crew) – Kayli VanDehey is a sophomore majoring in aviation management with a concentration in professional flight. She is from Anchorage, Alaska and is currently working on her private pilot certificate. She is excited to be joining LeTourneau’s Air Race Classic Team for 2023!

 

 

women in front of planeAnnaLynn Lewis (Ground Crew) – AnnaLynn is from College Station, Texas, and she recently got her private pilot certificate. She is currently a sophomore majoring in professional flight and starting her commercial pilot training at LETU. This is her first year on the ARC team, and she is excited to serve her teammates as a ground crew member!


  • Support the Team
  • Individual Giving
  • Team Sponsorships

 

What is the Air Race Classic?

The Air Race Classic is an annual all women’s air race approximately 2,400 miles in length. The competition objective is to fly the “perfect cross country.” Each aircraft is given a “handicap” groundspeed. The contestants who beat their personal handicap by the largest margin win the race. The race dates back to the 1920s when air racing opened to female competitors, some of whom included Amelia Earhart, Louise Thaden, and Ruth Nichols.

 

Air Race 2023 Route

How can I follow along with the team?

Please follow us on Facebook for racing updates and more information about our progress toward this year's Air Race Classic! https://www.facebook.com/pg/LETUAirRace/

Individual Giving Levels

$40 - Chow Time

Pay for one racer's meals for one day during the Air Race Classic. 

$75 - It's a Rental!

Sponsor one day of a rental car for the time before/after the race during pre- and post-race activities. 

$100 - Good Night's Sleep

Pay for a night in a hotel along the race route.

$150 - Nifty Numbers

Cover the cost of our racing numbers on the airplane.

$165 - Practice Makes Perfect

Sponsor an hour of our flight time practicing before the race.

$200 - Fill it Up!

Pay for the fuel to power our aircraft on one of the legs of the Air Race Classic.

$300 - Fees, Fees, Fees

Help cover the LeTourneau University team's entry fee into the Air Race Classic Collegiate Division.

Corporate & Individual Sponsorships

Our team will partner with you or your organization and thank you with public recognition and other experiences! Please contact us directly (womensaviationsociety@letu.edu) for more information and to donate at these levels. Thank you for your generous support! 

Gold Level ($5,000)

When you give at our highest level, we will put your name or company logo on our team airplane flying in this year's race. We will also place your name or company logo on our team jackets, and you will receive everything listed in all other levels.

Silver Level ($2,500)

When you give at our silver level you will receive everything at the bronze and blue levels plus your logo on a polo that the team will wear during the race dedicated only to you. You will also receive four race team t-shirts.

Bronze Level ($1,000)

Giving at our bronze level allows you to receive everything at the blue level plus a flight for one or two people with one of the race team pilots in a LETU Cessna 172 Skyhawk! We will also put your name or company logo on our race team shirts, and you will also receive two of these t-shirts.

Blue Level ($500)

When you give at the blue level, you will receive a race team t-shirt and a personalized post on Facebook in the weeks leading up to to the race as we thank you for your generous donation to our team.