Kim Arrowood - Cross Country From Maine to the Keys

Kim Arrowood. (Click on photo to view full sized image)

USUA Member Kim Arrowood (USUA A87339) plans to fly her Flightstar II SC from Augusta Maine to the Florida Keys, being the first woman ultralight pilot to make such a flight. Accompanied by her instructor Ben Methvin (USUA A31333), Ms. Arrowood will be leaving from Rome GA with her Flightstar in tow on August 20, with anticipation of beginning her flight from Augusta ME on the 22nd. The trip is scheduled to take five flying days (weather permitting), but she is not hesitant to report that "Safety is our main concern, so we aren't taking any chances. This trip will be the highest level Safety and Cross Country training."

Kim began her ultralight experience in June 2002, registered with USUA as a student in September 2002, became a pilot in December 2003, and a USUA BFI in January 2004. She is very active in her local club: USUA Club 960, The Georgia Sport Flyers. Because of her and fellow club member's active support of programs introducing ultralights to local Boy Scouts, the club won the USUA Club of the Year award for 2003. She has been active in training ultralight pilots, and is best known for energetically sharing her enthusiasm for the sport of ultralighting and her concerns for safety throughout her region. Kim hopes that this trip will also provide her with an opportunity to meet USUA members and clubs along the way. We would encourage any and all ultralighters and clubs along her route to contact her at:

She summarizes her trip and shares her prospective itinerary as follows:

Hello! I am Kim Arrowood and I love to fly. I fly a two-seat Flightstar Ultralight as a Basic Flight Instructor. I am the President of The Georgia Sport Flyers, a predominately all male flying club. I started flying 6/7/02 and now have 183 hours with 50 hours of this time, Cross Country. My Flightstar II SC has an HKS 700 engine and Powerfin propeller. I'm now looking forward to being the First Female to fly an Ultralight from Augusta, Maine to the Florida Keys. The date for this trip will be: Leaving Rome GA on August 20th with Flightstar in tow to Start in Augusta Maine on the 23rd {weather permitting}. Weather & Safety will dictate just how well the trip will go. The plan is to have the trip done in 5 days of flying. We will be making stops along the way, and would like to visit as many USUA Clubs as we can.

Plans are to leave on August 20th to pull Flightstar up would like to start the trip on that Monday, if weather will allow.

If anyone would like to help sponser Kim on this trip, visit her website at www.maine2keys.com, and click on the Donate button.