Who Are The Ninety-Nines?
THE NINETY-NINES, INC.®, is an international organization of licensed women pilots from 44 countries – they currently have thousands of members throughout the world. They’re a non-profit, charitable membership corporation holding 501(c)(3) U.S. tax status. Their International Headquarters is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Although there are other female pilot organizations in various states and nations, virtually all women of achievement in aviation have been or are members of The Ninety-Nines.
Today Ninety-Nines are professional pilots for airlines, industry and government; they are pilots who teach and pilots who fly for pleasure; they are pilots who are technicians and mechanics. But first and foremost, we are women who love to fly!
History
The organization was founded November 2, 1929, at Curtiss Field, Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. All 117 women pilots at the time were invited to assemble for mutual support, the advancement of aviation and to create a central office to keep files on women in aviation. Louise Thaden was elected Secretary and worked to keep the group together as they struggled to establish themselves and to grow. Those early purposes continue to guide the organization today.
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| First Meeting of The Ninety-Nines, November 2, 1929 |
In 1931, Amelia Earhart was elected the first President, and the group selected the name “Ninety-Nines” to represent the 99 charter members. Membership was immediately opened to other women as they became licensed pilots. In recent years membership has been opened to include women with student pilot certificates.
What we do
The core of our organization’s activities is at the Chapter and Section level. With over 150 chapters in the United States and Canada and another 17 offshore Sections located on five continents, nearly every member can feel connected to a nearby group. These groups work with their local communities to support the mission of The 99s: promote the advancement of aviation through education, scholarships and mutual support. Fittingly, with a history that reaches back to 1929, we continually honor our unique history and share our passion for flight.