Ninety-Nines

Ninety-Nines
Name	Ninety-Nines
Founded	1929
Founder	Amelia Earhart
Type	Professional association
Purpose	Promotion of women pilots, aviation advancement
Headquarters	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Region served	International
Membership	Women pilots
Leader title	President

Ninety-Nines

The Ninety-Nines is an international organization founded in 1929 to support women pilots and advance aviation. Established by a group of pioneering aviators during the interwar period, the organization has fostered professional development, safety, and camaraderie among aviators across continents. Through chapters, scholarships, museums, and restoration projects, the group connects historic figures, contemporary aviators, and institutions in civil aviation.

History

The organization originated at a 1929 meeting in Pasadena, California where twenty-six pilots including Amelia Earhart, Harriet Quimby (posthumous legacy), Bessie Coleman (commemorations), Pancho Barnes (early barnstorming), and Ruth Law were connected to a network that soon expanded. Early activities intersected with events like the Women's Air Derby and institutions such as the National Aeronautic Association and Smithsonian Institution through exhibits and advocacy. During the 1930s and 1940s members participated in wartime and peacetime programs that linked to Civil Air Patrol, Women Airforce Service Pilots, and municipal airshows in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. Postwar growth included collaborations with the Federal Aviation Administration, Experimental Aircraft Association, and aviation museums like the International Women's Air & Space Museum and the National Air and Space Museum. Over decades, the organization weathered societal changes, aligning with movements and figures tied to International Civil Aviation Organization policy dialogues and global women’s initiatives including meetings in Paris and London.

Organization and Membership

The organization is structured into regional sections and local chapters tied to states such as Texas, California, New York, and international nodes in Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. Leadership roles have included presidents who worked with bodies like the Federal Aviation Administration and advisory councils at universities such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Wright State University. Membership criteria historically required pilot certification issued by authorities like the Civil Aeronautics Authority and later the Federal Aviation Administration; today members hold certificates ranging from student pilot through airline transport pilot and interact with associations such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and Women in Aviation International. Chapters operate events in cooperation with airports like Oklahoma City Will Rogers World Airport, museums such as the EAA Aviation Museum, and training centers including flight schools at Purdue University and Hampton University.

Programs and Activities

Activities include fly-ins, air rallies, safety seminars, and participation in air races and commemorative flights linked to historical events like the Powder Puff Derby and celebrations at venues such as Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. The group partners with organizations including the Experimental Aircraft Association, AOPA Foundation, Civil Air Patrol, and regional aviation authorities to promote safety and mentoring. Public outreach has involved displays at conventions such as the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and collaborations with media outlets that profile figures like Jacqueline Cochran and Sally Ride. Internationally, members have represented aviation interests in forums associated with the International Civil Aviation Organization and regional aviation meetings in Brussels and Tokyo.

Education and Scholarships

The organization administers scholarship programs for flight training, advanced ratings, and academic study in aeronautics, supporting recipients who attend institutions such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of North Dakota Aerospace, Purdue University and Auburn University. Scholarships have funded training toward certificates recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration and qualifications relevant to careers with airlines like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. Educational outreach includes partnerships with STEM initiatives tied to NASA education programs, youth aviation programs such as Civil Air Patrol cadet activities, and exhibits at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and regional science centers. Grants support restoration projects at museums like the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum and archival work with libraries such as the Library of Congress.

Aircraft and Facilities

Members have owned, restored, and flown historic types including Travel Air, Piper Cub, Beechcraft Bonanza, Cessna 172, and vintage Waco biplanes, often displayed at airshows and museums like Shuttleworth Collection and National Museum of the United States Air Force. Facilities associated with chapters include hangars at municipal airports such as Teterboro Airport, London Oxford Airport, and Van Nuys Airport. The organization maintains collections and archives in partnerships with institutions like the International Women's Air & Space Museum and regional historical societies, preserving artifacts tied to pioneers including Amelia Earhart, Bessie Coleman, and Jacqueline Cochran.

Notable Members and Achievements

Prominent members and affiliates have included aviators and public figures such as Amelia Earhart, Jacqueline Cochran, Bessie Coleman (honored), Pancho Barnes, Ruth Nichols, Sally Ride (honored), and modern professionals who flew for carriers like Southwest Airlines and institutions including NASA. Achievements range from record flights and air race victories associated with events like the Women’s Air Derby to advocacy that influenced policies at the Federal Aviation Administration and expanded opportunities at flight schools and airlines. The organization’s scholarship recipients have become test pilots, airline captains, and aerospace engineers connected to programs at NASA Johnson Space Center, Air Force Flight Test Center, and aerospace companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Category:Aviation organizations Category:Women's organizations