Ninety-Nine Adventures - the Northwest Section!

Ninety-Nine Adventures
The Northwest Section of The Ninety-Nines, Inc.
International Organization of Women Pilots
Alaska Idaho Montana North Dakota Oregon South Dakota Washington Wyoming
Letter from your new Newsletter Editor:
Hello Beautiful Aviators!
October 2015
I am pleased to present to you my very first newsletter, Ninety-Nine Adventures. Ninety-Nine Adventures is
not intended to be a formal newsletter. In the past and present, members have created beautiful newsletters that
were both stylistically appealing and informative, and had a lot of content. Oregon Pines Chapter and
Intermountain Chapter, for example, put together a beautiful monthly newsletter, and I cannot top their work, nor
will I try to. Ninety-Nine Adventures is going to be a condensed e-mail newsletter that aims at providing you the
basics of what it going on in the Ninety-Nines community, with links to our website so that you can
reference the main articles for more details. Ninety-Nine Adventures hopefully will appeal to everyone, for the
busiest of us can stay quickly informed, and we can reference the stories we want to see individually, as they appeal
to us.
Our new blog, 99s Fly! will also be a source of what’s new. I would like to put as much of what is going on in
the Northwest Section as possible on the blog, so please submit anything that you ladies are up to! Any volunteer
activity, airmarking, or just stories about aviation are greatly appreciated. I will keep the blog updated with
whatever you send me, and I will contribute to the blog regularly as well. Welcome to the new newsletter!
Blue Skies and Calm Winds,
Miranda Edwards
Check out the blog for pictures from the Northwest Section Meeting here: http://nw99s.org/99sfly
Thank you to everyone who submitted such great photos!
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Martha Phillips and Pat McCollum of the Southwest Section are working on a Ninety-Nines
Membership Brochure, and would like to get several photos from our section to possibly include. If
you have a photo or two you would like to submit, please e-mail them to 99smembro@mail.com.
Please adhere to the following requirements, and thank you for your help!
Requirements:
1. Send your 3 BEST (not every picture taken!)
2. No more than 3 photos per e-mail
3. Needs to be reasonably professional looking (i.e. good lighting, clear photo)
4. Photos must be high-resolution (minimum 4”x6” 300dpi)
5. Submission deadline: October 31st
What they’re looking for:
--Women getting ready for a flight together, or several women in a cockpit
--99s networking, talking, teaching or looking at charts
--A great International Conference photo
--Overall, these should be especially diverse in age! We’re all 29 at heart, but we’re bringing in a
new generation, and it should look like it.
Fit to Fly by Dr. Petra Illig
Greetings from Alaska! I am pleased to have been invited to write a column for
the NW Section Newsletter on aeromedical topics. I’ve been an Aviation Medical
Examiner since 1984, have performed countless flight physicals, and helped many
pilots get their medical back after encountering health issues. As a pilot myself, I
know how important it is to have that certificate, but as an AME I also know that
aviation safety comes first. Sometimes the two perspectives seem to be in
conflict, but usually things work out just fine if the pilot takes care of the medical
situation (and the AME sends in the right paperwork to the FAA). But I am getting
ahead of myself.
I have been a member of the Ninety-Nines for a few decades, starting in
Washington State when I was a newly minted physician (Greater Seattle, MidColumbia Chapters). I then joined the Utah Chapter in Salt Lake City when I
became a regional medical director for Delta Airlines. I’ve been an active member
of the Alaska Chapter since 2001, where I now live and practice aviation
medicine. I enjoy writing about flight fitness, and hope that you will find useful
information to keep you healthy and flying safely. I intend to pick relevant and
current topics, but also invite you to suggest any aeromedical topics that may
interest you. For this first round, I thought I’d delve into the concept of Flight
Fitness in general to get us started.
What does it mean to be fit to fly? In days gone by, it meant that the pilot had
“the right stuff” – in other words, was brave, skilled, and willing to take great risk
to get the mission accomplished. Well, from the experience of WWI, military
flight doctors realized something was wrong because more pilots were being
killed due to physical and mental conditions than from enemy fire. Then the
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concept of flight fitness changed from being tough to being fit, and more
reasonable standards were developed. Over time, by studying the human factors
behind aircraft accidents, aeromedical physicians began to realize that standards
should not be too high or too low, and that pilots did not need to be perfect
physical specimens either. It is the job of the aviation medical community to
make sure these standards are reasonable and are determined not by some
imaginary requirements, but by evidence-based medicine. Therefore these
standards are constantly changing as we learn more about medical conditions and
physical limitations and their relationship to flight safety.
Of course, the AME and the FAA cannot and should not always be looking over
the pilot’s shoulder. The pilot also must be fully aware of her personal medical
and emotional conditions as part of her pre-flight check-list. The FAA requires
that a pilot disqualify herself if she knowingly has a new medical condition or has
a worsening of a known medical condition that may be detrimental to flight safety.
This does not mean that she has to have a full understanding of all diseases that
can affect flight safety – but it does require a high degree of honesty and selfreflection.
Most aviation fatalities are related to pilot error – that means that something has
adversely affected the pilot’s judgment or decision-making abilities. Is it because
of fatigue? A medical problem? Prescription or OTC medication or dietary
supplements? Or perhaps distraction due to a personal issue? Too much partying
the night before? A risk-taking personality? Certainly pilots are not expected to
become experts in medical conditions that can affect flight safety, but every pilot
can perform a self-check before flight using the acronym IM SAFE:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Illness – am I suffering from any illness or symptom of an illness that might
affect me in flight?
Medication – am I currently taking any drugs (prescription or over-thecounter)?
Stress – am I experiencing any psychological or emotional factors that
might affect my performance?
Alcohol – have I consumed any alcohol within the last 8 to 24 hours?
Fatigue – have I had sufficient sleep and rest in the recent past?
Eating – am I sufficiently nourished?
Remember: just because your medical certificate has not expired, it does not
mean that you should fly if a new medical issue has developed since your last
flight physical. If in doubt, ask your AME, or call your Regional Flight Surgeon’s
office. These (and a lot more aeromedical information) can be found at the FAA
website:
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http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/
Keep in mind that most medical issues are self-limiting, and as long as you don’t
exercise the privileges of your airman medical certificate during such times, you
are most likely to be able to resume flying as soon as you have recovered. If the
condition is more serious than a simple cold or minor injury, you will have to
report this on your next flight physical. However, pilots are sometimes
inadvertently misled by their personal physicians – who may not understand
aviation medicine - and be told that they should be OK to fly with a certain
medical condition or prescription. My general rule of thumb is: if a pilot has a
new diagnosis or is prescribed a new medication (other than short-term
antibiotics, for example) then it may affect your medical certificate, and you’re
better off asking about it.
It think most of this is common sense – and the best advice I have is:
•
If you are sick, don’t fly.
•
If you have a new or changing medical condition, talk with your AME
about it.
Best of all, if you take care of yourself and your medical problems, almost always
your medical certificate will follow!
Petra
Petra Illig, M.D.
www.AirSpaceDoc.com
petra.illig@gmail.com
Eastern Idaho 99s
Compass Rose at McCarley Field in Blackfoot
May, 2015
The Eastern Idaho 99s have been talking about painting yet another compass rose
at the Blackfoot Airport—McCarley Field. It has been 4 years since we’ve made our
mark in southeast Idaho. Our chapter of the 99s first started painting Compass
Roses in 1990! Since that time, we have re-painted the compass rose at the
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Pocatello Airport, and completed a compass rose at Fanning Field, the Idaho Falls
Airport.
Together, the Eastern Idaho 99s and EAA chapter 407 planned, plotted and decided
on a date to paint a compass rose in Blackfoot, ID this spring. The planning began
for the Compass Rose the fall of 2014 and the project began in earnest with chalking
the template on April 29th of 2015.
Saturday, May 2nd, Chapter 407 of the EAA sponsored their monthly breakfast at
the field. Many of those who attended breakfast were ready to help with the project.
There was concern we would look like the “keystone cops” but, the painting went
beautifully. It’s amazing what a bunch of pilots and friends can do when we set our
minds to it.
The compass rose we recently completed looks great on the tarmac! It’s 80’ in
diameter and it not only looks good, and serves as an excuse to “play” together to
share our passion with like-minded people, it serves a purpose for aviation.
Back row: Sandy Storhok, Eastern Idaho Chair, Sandi Bills, Airmarking Chair, Joy McDonald, Treasurer
Front row: Three EAA chapter 407 members(the one in Pink is Natalie Bergevin, EAA Chapter chair, and
on the far right, holding on to “Trapper”: is Kitty Cole, almost a 99).
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Montana Chapter 99s
Dell, Elevation 6007
October, 2015
Montana Chapter of the 99s
completed several airmarking projects
this year, the most recent project
being completed in Dell, MT. It
proved a learning experience for us,
as our fearless leader, Janine
Schwahn, was not able to attend.
Linda Marshall led the group, and
with her guidance we were able to
complete the project. We had fun,
and got the chance to fly, what more
could we ask for?
From the left: Crissy Weibert (not
yet a 99), Linda Marshall, Cindy
Younkin and Miranda Edwards
Northwest Section of The 99s Scholarship
Name of Scholarship:
Amount of Scholarship:
Honoree:
Application Receipt Date:
Award Announcement:
Brief Description:
Northwest Section Scholarship
Up to $1,000.00
None
February 1, 2016
March 12, 2016
To support women pilots in continued pursuit of advanced aeronautical skills, both professionally
and recreationally. There are two categories for this award:
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
Applicants for an AEMSF scholarship, nominated by The Northwest Section but unsuccessful
at the International competition, who seek support for limited flight training while preparing to re-submit for an AEMSF scholarship.
 Any 99s member seeking to increase proficiency or regain currency by adding a new rating
or participating in a defined training activity, e.g. seaplane, tailwheel, mountain flying, aerobatics.
Scholarship Additional Requirements:
 Application consists of an essay plus supporting documentation:
 Evidence of passing written or practical test, if applicable.
 Documented cost of flight training (see below).
 Financial need not a requirement, but an evaluation factor (tiebreaker).

Essay strictly limited to 1000 words, describing the applicant’s objectives in obtaining the scholarship (professional aviation career, increasing proficiency, regaining currency), and how the scholarship will be used to advance that goal. Successful essays will be published on The Northwest Section webpage.
 Simultaneous AEMSF scholarship applicants:
 Essay must describe how the proposed activities will strengthen the applicant’s competitiveness for an AEMSF scholarship, and place Northwest Section
activities in context of overall aviation objectives.
 Proficiency/recurrency applications should emphasize what this training would
mean to the applicant, and how the applicant would “pay it forward” to other 99s
by returning value to the aviation community.
Scholarship Limitations:
 Applicant must live in the geographical area covered by The Northwest Section
(Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota).
 Applicant must be a current member of The Ninety-Nines, a student pilot member,
or a past Ninety-Nines member in the process of reinstating her membership.
 Training must be completed by June 30 of the year following the awarding of the
scholarship.
Other Information:
 Scholarship will be awarded based on qualified applicants. If no qualified applicants apply, funds will be held until the following year.
 Scholarship funds will be disbursed in one of two ways: direct payment to instructor/agency providing services, or reimbursement to scholarship recipient.
 For direct payment to instructor/agency: Applicant must include supporting documentation from flight instructor or supporting agency regarding cost of service to
complete training activity. Copy of logbook or medical exam must be included, if
appropriate.
 For reimbursement: Applicant must include copy of receipt for services provided by
instructor/agency showing fees paid, flight instructor’s registration number, and
contact information for flight instructor/agency. Reimbursement applies only to
training/activity done after scholarship application is received.
 Scholarship Committee may request additional information or documentation.
Name of Group Offering Scholarship:
Northwest Section of The Ninety-Nines
Contact Information, Name & Position: Patty Mitchell, Northwest Section Scholarship Chairman
Address:
18 Trumpets Way, Box 905
Columbus, MT 59019
Phone #: 406-860-7747
E-mail: rpmitch21@aol.com
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2015-2017 Northwest Section 99s Board of Directors and Committees
Governor
Patty Viall
Vice-Governor
Karin Rodland
Secretary
Sherry Trapp
northbendpilot@aol.com
Treasurer
Sherry Kandle
skandle@flywild.net
Directors
Bev Clark
clark.bev9@gmail.com
Marilyn Husser
mhusser@minetfiber.com
Patty Mitchell rpmitch21@aol.com
Past Governor
Andrea Chay
2016 Section Conference co-chairs
Andrea Chay
andrea40@juno.com
Antonia (Toni) Reinhard
toniflys@aol.com
Aviation and Space Education
leoandpatty@hotmail.com
krodland49@gmail.com
andrea40@juno.com
Larae Stotts (larae_stotts@hotmail.com)
Airmarking
Archives/Historian
Awards
Gin Hildebrant (vhildebrant@centurytel.net)
Communications
Beth Chapple (beth.chapple@cascadeflyers.com), Miranda Edwards
(Newsletter) Miranda.m.edwards@gmail.com, Larae Stotts (Website)
(larae_stotts@hotmail.com)
Finance
Ways and Means
Sherry Kandle (chair) (skandle@flywild.net), Monica Weyhe
(monicaw655@gmail.com), Kim Rayburn (krayburn@live.com)
Fran Postma (fran@postma.com)
Membership/PR
Northwest Section Directors: Bev, Marilyn and Patty
NIFA
Carolyn Carpp (carpp99@hotmail.com)
Nominating
Linda Marshall (chair) (linda99s@msn.com), Carolyn Hambidge
(chambidge@q.com), Vanessa Nelson (vanessa@duelinsopranos.com)
Scholarship
Patty Mitchell (rpmitch21@aol.com)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2016
Contact: Dianna Stanger
361-920-5111
Publicity@airraceclassic.org
AIR RACE CLASSIC MOURNS RACERS TOOKIE HENSLEY AND PAMELA BIRD
Veteran air racer, aviation museum founder killed in tragic crash October 10, 2015—The Air
Race Classic (ARC), the oldest all-women’s airplane race in the United States, mourns the tragic loss of
veteran air racer Tookie Hensley and her race partner Pamela Bird, killed in a plane crash in Idaho on
Thursday morning.
“Tookie Hensley was an invaluable member of the ARC family,” said Air Race Classic President
Lara Gaerte. “As a mentor for novice racers and a welcoming presence for bringing new pilots -including Pam Bird -- into the race, she was the heart, soul and spirit of the Air Race Classic. Both
ladies will be greatly missed.”
Tookie was a beloved member of the aviation community, both in her hometown of Mohave
Valley, Ariz., and among the hundreds of women across the country and around the world who have
flown the Air Race Classic. A flight instructor since 1985, she and her pilot husband, Don, founded
Tookie’s Flying Service, one of Arizona’s premiere flight schools, in 1990. Tookie was an instrument
flight instructor with more than 30,000 hours logged, an FAA designated examiner and a mentor to
generations of pilots.
Tookie, 80, was a veteran of 24 Air Race Classics, winning the race in 2002 and placing in the
Top Ten six times. She also flew in the Powder Puff Derby, the Palms to Pine air race and many other
aviation competitions, was a member of the Rio Colorado Chapter of The Ninety-Nines, Inc.,
International Organization of Women Pilots, and served on the ARC Board of Directors from 19851991.
Tookie and Don, 84, who was also believed killed in the crash, flew everywhere together,
including to every Air Race Classic. Tookie was the smiling face behind the race, and she and Don could
often be found greeting old friends and new competitors at the Start. They always went out of their
way to make new racers feel welcome. Pam Bird was one of those new racers when she flew the ARC
with Tookie as her partner in 2013. They placed 11th and returned to fly the race last year with Idaho
seaplane pilot Tonya Rutan.
Pam, 58, was CEO of Innovative Product Technologies, founder and president of the Inventors
Association of Idaho, founder of the Inventors Educational Foundation and a member of the
Intermountain Chapter of The Ninety-Nines. She was also co-founder of the Bird Aviation Museum
and Invention Center in Sagle, Idaho, with her husband, renowned biomedical engineer and inventor
Forrest Bird, who died in August.
The museum has its own private airstrip, Bird Field, where Pam, Tookie and Don took off
Thursday morning in a Cessna 182 on a cross-country trip. The plane’s emergency locator transmitter
went off 10 minutes later. The subsequent search and rescue operation was joined by Tonya, who
found the wreckage in the mountains near Hope, Idaho.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
ABOUT THE AIR RACE CLASSIC
The Air Race Classic is an all-women airplane race flown over four days every June during daylight
hours in visual flight conditions. Teams of two or three female pilots compete flying propeller-driven
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airplanes, covering a defined course of roughly 2,500 miles that varies every year. Air Race Classic, Inc.,
is an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization with a mission of encouraging and educating current
and future women pilots, increasing public awareness of general aviation, demonstrating women's
roles in aviation, and preserving and promoting the tradition of pioneering women in aviation.
For more information, see airraceclassic.org.
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