ABOUT US
The Florida Suncoast Ninety-Nines is a Local Chapter of the Ninety-Nines International, an international organization of licensed women pilots from 35 countries. The majority of the Ninety-Nines 6,500-plus members live in the United States. 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.
The organization came into being November 2, 1929, at Curtiss Field, Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. All 117 American female pilots had been invited to assemble for mutual support and the advancement of aviation. Amelia Earhart was elected as first president and the group was named for the 99 charter members.
Today Ninety-Nines are professional pilots for airlines, industry, and government; we are pilots who teach and pilots who fly for pleasure; we are pilots who are technicians and mechanics. But first and foremost, we are women who love to fly!
OUR CHAPTER
The Florida Suncoast Chapter of the Ninety-Nines was founded on February 10, 1965. Before that, there was only the Florida Chapter, which encompassed all Ninety-Nines in Florida. While we started out with ten founding Chapter members, we are now more than 80 strong and comprise of women of all ages who fly multiple types of aircraft. Due to valuable experience our Chapter has to offer, we are able to strengthen the mission of the Ninety-Nines to advance aviation on multiple levels.
WHAT WE DO
The Ninety-Nines sponsor educational safety programs and aerospace education workshops for teachers, students and licensed pilots. The Ninety-Nines have historically sponsored more than 75% of Federal Aviation Administration pilot safety programs in the US each year. Other activities include identify airports by painting names on runways and rooftops, serve on airport, state and federal aeronautics commissions, give airplane rides and flight instruction to Boy and Girl Scout troops, and fly donated supplies from the US to Mexico and other countries. To promote the upgrading of pilot skills and proficiency, Ninety-Nines have operated many cross-country events, the most famous of which was the Powder Puff Derby, which is now known as the Air Race Classic.
In addition to activities, the Ninety-Nines, sponsor many scholarships supporting many areas of aviation. The Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship Award is awarded to qualified members of the Ninety-Nines for advanced flight training or courses in specialized branches of aviation. In addition to the scholarship, merit awards and the Katherine B. Wright Memorial Trophy are given to women who make personal and significant contributions to the advancement of aviation. The Florida Suncoast Chapter offers scholarships to female pilots/student pilots in the Florida Suncoast area (west Florida).