The Ninety-Nines was founded on November 2, 1929, at Curtiss Field (Curtiss Airport) in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York, when the aviation world was still small enough that you could invite every woman pilot in the country—all 117 of them—to a single gathering.

That day, twenty-six women met to create an organization built on mutual support, the advancement of aviation, and a practical mission that was ahead of its time: establishing a central office to maintain files and records on women in aviation. The meeting itself was as aviation as it gets—business conducted in a hangar, surrounded by working mechanics, with the roar of a Curtiss engine running nearby. Tea was even served from a wheeled toolbox wagon.

The group moved quickly to define who they were and why they existed. Membership would be open to any woman holding a pilot’s license, and the purpose was clear and direct: good fellowship, jobs, and a central office and files on women in aviation.

Choosing a name took a little longer, and briefly wandered into names such as The Climbing Vines, Noisy Birdwomen, Homing Pigeons, and Gadflies. Eventually, Amelia Earhart and Jean Davis Hoyt proposed a name based on the number of charter members. The organization became The Ninety-Nines, representing the 99 charter members.

In 1931, Amelia Earhart was elected the first President. From the beginning, membership was opened as new women earned pilot licenses, and in recent years, eligibility has expanded to include women holding student pilot certificates, welcoming the next generation into the community earlier in their journey.

Those early members were remarkable—each accomplished in her own right—and their impact on aviation far exceeded their numbers. The values set in that first hangar meeting—community, opportunity, and preserving women’s aviation achievements—still guide The Ninety-Nines today.

99s Museum of Women Pilots

Women's flying heritage is filled with dynamic personalities who have charted the course to modern aviation.

Walk through the history of women in aviation from the earliest flights to the present day and enjoy permanent exhibits on famous women pilots.

Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum

The Ninety-Nines owns and manages the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum in Atchison, Kansas. In 1984 the organization began fully restoring the 1850's Victorian structure. Today, a visit to the Birthplace Museum will transport you back to the era when Amelia lived there.