Captain Judy Rice: Her Journey and Achievements
Captain Judy Rice was a renowned aviator who taught Epic’s Private Pilot Ground School course for six years. Although she retired in 2023, she continued to support Epic’s scholarship program and write articles for Captain Judy’s Corner. Her experiences included:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education
- 16 Years Formal Classroom Experience in Special Education
- Instrument, Commercial, Multi-engine, and Citation type-rated
- Advanced Ground Instructor and Certified Flight Instructor
- Around the World Flight, 2015 – June 13, 2015 to August 15, 2015, Burbank CA to Burbank CA through 24 countries
- World Speed Record, 2015 – The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and National Aeronautic Association (NAA) awarded her the World Speed Record Over a Recognized Course from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Reykjavik, Iceland.
- Epic Flight Academy Private Pilot Ground Instructor
Achievements
Captain Judy Rice had a life-long passion for aviation and aerospace technology. This interest and sixteen years in formal education eventually brought her into the field of aerospace education. She valued the experience gained as a teacher in special education because it gave her a broad knowledge of the learning process.
Judy became involved in aviation with everything she had. A former president of the National Coalition for Aviation and Space Education, she left her teaching position to focus on developing aviation and aerospace courses and curriculums for the National 4-H Aerospace Curriculum Project. She has been recognized with awards such as the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Outstanding Ground Volunteer Award and the Minnesota Governor’s Award for Excellence in Aerospace Education.
Captain Rice visited more than 100 countries and all of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. In 2015, she successfully piloted a Citation Mustang around the world visiting over 10,000 students in 24 countries. NASA astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin accompanied her and her crew in support of this educational mission.
She was an instrument rated, commercial, multi-engine, Citation type-rated pilot, advanced ground instructor, and Certified Flight Instructor, and she logged more than 3,000 hours in numerous aircraft. For years she owned and flew a Grumman Yankee airplane she nicknamed “Chuck.”
Captain Judy’s Legacy
Rice’s portfolio included numerous awards and accomplishments, including a global flight and world speed record. She was a member of many aviation and space organizations. Captain Judy, as she was affectionately known at Epic, wrote the foreword for 101 Trailblazing Women of Air and Space: Aviators and Astronauts. In 2024, she published her memoir: Around the World with Captain Judy Rice: A Pilot’s Memoir, which documents her aviation journey. Her story is amazing!
Captain Judy Rice passed away on July 19, 2024, but her legacy in the world of aviation is undeniable. We will continue to honor her memory here at Epic. She was family to us.