Ragged Edge

For those of you that don't recognize the picture from yesterday's post, that is Maj Jill Long, of "Ragged Edge" fame. Yes, she is a Girl With Wings, so you can read more about her on the website. She and I have also agreed to support each other's missions of promoting aviation to girls. So the GWW logo will now be on her stunt plane! (May be the closest I ever get again to flying upside down.) See her website at http://www.raggededge.us/


Jill “Raggz” Long has been flying since she was 16. She is perhaps the most passionate aviatrix of the day. Her love of flying is tangible and obvious from the moment you see her “become one” with her aircraft. Her aviation passion is infectious and an inspiration anyone who has had the opportunity to glimpse her world. She has lived by the motto, ‘Never take “no” for an answer' and “Follow your dreams” and it has served her well.


Raggz has flown everything from the A-10 Thunderbolt aka the “Warthog” or “Tank Killer" to the venerable Taylorcraft. She has more than 3000 hours of flight time and has slipped the surly bonds of earth from such austere locations as Afghanistan to the more welcoming climes of Puerto Rico...but her favorite piece of sky remains over the good old USA.


She first fell in love with "those flippy things" (aka Aerobatics) when she took to the skies with her life-long mentor and friend Ralph Riddell in his RV-4. The passion for “anti-gravitational” endeavors hasn't stopped. Her current love is, of course, the nimble Pitts S2B.


Born in Michigan and raised in Oregon, Jill has called many places home; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Boise, Idaho; Portland, Oregon; the United Kingdom; South Korea; Tucson, Arizona; and Columbia, SC... she, and husband Chuck, are currently hanging their chocks in Wichita Falls.


She has been involved in the Women Soar program at Oshkosh (July 28- Aug 3), WI. EAA has published a page on her as well.

When she was 6 years-old, Jill Long, (EAA 721591) was at an air show and remembers telling her mother that someday she would perform in the sky.
“You can’t do that,” said a man who overheard. “You’re a girl.”
“How dare you tell her that!” Long’s mother responded. “She can do anything she wants to do.”
And Long has done just that.

Upcoming Events:
March 15 San Angelo, TX
May 3 Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX
May 10 Laughlin AFB Del Rio, TX
May 16-18 Joint Service Open House Andrews AFB, MD (this great nation's' capital!)
July 28-29 Women SOAR! EAA Airventure 2008 Oshkosh, WI
August 16-17 Offutt AFB Omaha, NE
September 20-21Midland, TX
October 4 Vance AFB Enid, OK
October 18-19 Dobbins AFB Marietta, GA
TBD CAF Ranger Wing Airshow Waco, TX