Ninety Nines organization of women pilots return to Warwick Municipal Airport

It was a little gusty but clear blue skies on Saturday, Sept. 7, when a couple of women pilots landed at Warwick Municipal Airport.

They were there to join a group of other licensed pilots, who live nearby and came by car to attend the annual picnic and meeting of the North New Jersey Chapter of the Ninety-Nines.

The organization has been home to women pilots since the early days of aviation. The world famous pilot, Amelia Earhart, its first president, and 98 other early female aviators established the Ninety Nines in 1929, which they named after the number of original charter members.

Today the Ninety Nines is an international non-profit association of licensed professional and private women pilots.

Full membership requires that the applicant be licensed as a fixed wing, helicopter, balloon or glider pilot.

And many of the members of the North New Jersey Chapter also have instrument, commercial and other advanced ratings.

Holding the event at Warwick Airport has become a tradition and the official kick-off for the year's activities. For example on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Lincoln Park Airport in New Jersey the Chapter will host "Pennies-a-Pound."

As part of its mission to educate and share the aviation experience with the community, the chapter offers airplane rides for a small number of pennies a passenger pound to a maximum fee per person.

The proceeds help the North New Jersey Chapter of the "Ninety-Nines" to continue offering scholarships for flight training, which are open to any male or female student pilot with an earnest desire to further aviation achievements.

For information contact the Ninety Nines at: northjersey99s@hotmail.com.

- Roger Gavan