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Charter Date: 1952
In 1952, thirteen lady pilots were given a charter to form the San Fernando Valley Chapter Ninety-Nines. The new chapter covered the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.
The thirteen chapter members of our chapter are Clara Davis, Barbara De Wees, Jean Parkeer, Anne Rambo, Elsis Ringer, Beatrice "Trixie" Ann Schubert, Roberta Smith, Margaret Standis, Jeanne Strahl, Irma Story, Margaret Sturges, Katherine Wagner, and Belle Young.
For several years, the membership was steady at 16-20 people. But membership started to grow and in 1958 the decision was made to split the chapter into two--San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley chapters. For years afterward, the two chapters continued to hold joint gatherings.
In 1977, sixty-seven members celebrated the silver anniversary of their chapter.
Our chapter continued to grow and for a time was over 100 members. We were active members of the aviation community in the Valley, providing airmarking, air-age education and recertification, rides to young people, speakers, air race sponsorship and hosting, fund raising, aviation event hosting, and grade school programs to a broad range of recipients. Today, at about 78 members, we continue our service to aviation in the Valley with activities that also include participation in the Van Nuys Air Expo, Future Women pilots, and aviation scholarships.
The chapter holds annual safety clinics and gives ground support to the annual Mojave Air Races. The Southwest Section's annual Woman Pilot of the Year Award was based on the guidelines originally initiated by the San Fernando Valley Chapter that still issues the award to its own outstanding member of the year.
In 2002, marks our fiftieth birthday
and we will celebrate with a reunion.
The chapter has produced two governors, two Powder Puff Derby winners,
a Palms-to-Pines winner, several AE Scholarship winners and one members
served on the US President's Committee for Aviation. Monetary contributions
helped place the gold-leaf Amelia Earhart statue in a North Hollywood,
CA park and donations from the chapter paid for a sign that identifies
the ninety-Nines Headquarters in Oklahoma City.
Two of the chapter members scaled Mt. Amelia Earhart Mountain and embedded a bronze plaque at the summit. A picture of Mt. Amelia Earhart Mountain painted by the mother of one of the mountain climbers hangs in the Smithsonian Institute.
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