Interesting W/E

This weekend I traveled to Edmonton to take part in what is called a “Section Meeting” for the Western Canadian Ninety-Nines. The Ninety-Nines are a historical group, started by Amelia Earhart in 1929. The name has a fairly simply origin – in 1929 Amelia sent out letters to all the known women pilots (117) in the US were invited to a meeting and ninety-nine responded. The organization became “international”, who knows when. Currently membership stands at around 5,500 members. There are more than 5,500 women pilots but a funny thing …. almost every “famous” pilot is or has been a Ninety-Nine but not all women pilots choose to join.

The organization has been absolutely faithful to the concept of having as full members, ONLY women pilots. This has probably cost them in terms of membership but …. it really is an exclusive Club and they do a lot of work providing scholarship and mentoring for young women interested in flying.

There is no doubt in my mind that there was more collective wisdom in the meeting room this weekend than what I would ever hope to learn if I buried myself in aviation books for the rest of my life. The adventures some of these women have had. It continues to impress me that women who “have it made” are willing to offer a hand up to others who are only on their way. Some female pilots do not see the value of membership in this group but I will tell you, there is something magic that happens when a group of women only pilots get together and “yak”.