Reno Air Racer

This will be Marie-Claire's first  year competing in the National Championship Air Races in Reno. The bi-plane class is an entry level class at the air races, and is the class that is closest to Marie-Claire's heart because she loves bi-planes.  She is excited to fly in the footsteps of the trail-blazing female racers that came before her, and to rub shoulders with the current racers representing women in aviation, in all classes. 

Marie-Claire LaBerge is my wife.  She grew up around aviation as her mother, Nellie LaBerge, was the first female in Georgia to obtain an  A&P certificate and a recreational pilot, and her late father, Phillip LaBerge, was a fighter pilot in Vietnam and a career airline pilot.  Phillip began teaching her how to fly early in life and she never stopped looking upward.  Becoming a single mother to a special needs child prevented her from pursuing this dream in the normal progression that most pilots enjoy, until now.

Marie-Claire will be on the dawn of her 40th birthday at the Reno Air Races, showing her mostly male counterparts that gender, motherly duties, and age can't stop you from achieving your dreams.  We, as a family, are eager to support her through this venture as she has always sacrificed herself for her family above all else.  

Funds raised go towards Pylon Rookie School,  ferry expenses, aircraft operations during training and the races, and of course race entry fees. 

We hope that anybody donating will be able to come out to the races and visit us in the pits area, we look forward to meeting you in person!