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Pioneering aviator Capt. Judy Rice passes away at age 71

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Pioneering aviator Capt. Judy Rice passes away at age 71
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Rebecca Kanable Assistant Editor | AviationPros

Judy Rice, a pioneering aviator and educator, passed away on July 19, 2024. Her life was marked by a passion for aviation that began in childhood when she saw a hot air balloon overhead and dreamed of flying. Despite societal norms suggesting “girls don’t fly,” Rice initially became a teacher and taught for 18 years.

At the age of 40, inspired by her son Ben, Rice pursued her dream of flying. She flew around the world and set a world speed record from Greenland to Iceland. As a former president of the National Coalition for Aviation and Space Education (NCASE), she left her teaching position to develop aviation and aerospace courses for the National 4-H Aerospace Curriculum Project.

Rice received several accolades throughout her career, including the Experimental Aircraft Association's Outstanding Ground Volunteer Award and the Minnesota Governor's Award for Excellence in Aerospace Education. She owned a bright red 1971 Grumman AA-1A airplane named “Chuck.”

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In addition to her contributions to education, Rice founded Think Global Flight (TGF), a non-profit organization aimed at inspiring students worldwide through aviation. The TGF advisory council included industry leaders such as NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who joined her in 2015 for a global flight mission that engaged over 20,000 students across 25 countries.

Rice spent the last six years of her aviation career as a private pilot ground school instructor at Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. After suffering a stroke in 2023, she retired from Epic.

Diagnosed with cancer in early 2024, Rice continued to inspire others through her memoir "Around the World with Captain Judy Rice: A Pilot’s Memoir."

Her obituary will be posted on Haigh - Black Funeral Home & Cremation Services' website upon completion.

Rebecca Kanable is an assistant editor at Endeavor Business Media's aviation group since 2021 and has experience working with various trade magazines and newspapers.

Contact: Rebecca (Becky) Kanable

Assistant Editor of Airport Business, AMT, Ground Support Worldwide

[email protected]

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