Organization

On August 18, 1929, the first Women’s Air Derby transcontinental air race started in Santa Monica and ended nine days later in Cleveland, Ohio.  Following the race, the women discussed the formation of a ‘girls pilot club’. On November 2, 1929 at Curtiss Field in Long Island, New York 26 women met to establish the organization.  In the following months, a letter was sent to all 117 licensed pilots inviting them to join as founding members. Amelia Earhart, who later became the first President, suggested naming the organization after the number of original charter members, thus the “Ninety-Nines” was born.  It has grown to over 6,000 members across 44 countries and remains the largest international organization of women pilots.

Los Angeles Chapter

Both founded on March 2, 1932 by Margaret Cooper, the Los Angeles and Bay Cities Chapters became the original two chapters of the Southwest Section.  At the time, there were 12 charter members in California.  By 1951, the Los Angeles Chapter had grown and voted to split into three chapters – LA, Long Beach and San Fernando.  A Santa Monica Bay Chapter also existed briefly at SMO from 1974-1984.  In 1978, Claire L. Walters (pictured to the right as Claire McMillan), formed a Palms Chapter.  She also founded the annual Palms to Pines Air Race Classic.  Both chapters lived at the Santa Monica airport until they merged in Spring of 2001, and became known as the Los Angeles-Palms Chapter (it was the first merger of two chapters in 99s history).  Today, the chapter, simply referred to as the Los Angeles 99s, continues to support members all over the LA basin, with meetings based at Santa Monica Airport.

Santa Monica Airport

Santa Monica Airport was used as an unofficial airstrip in 1917, and dedicated as Clover Field on April 15, 1923 named after WWI aviator Greayer ‘Grubby’ Clover, a local who was killed in action.  In 1927, the name was changed to Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO).  On March 17, 1924, it was the starting point for the very first circumnavigation of the world, by air.  In 1929, it was home to the first Women’s Air Derby transcontinental race (known colloquially as the Powder Puff Derby).  During WWII, Santa Monica became the Army’s 40th Division of Aviation and a distribution center for WWII aircraft.  Douglas Aircraft built war planes at the company’s headquarters on the field from 1922 until they moved to Long Beach in 1958.  Today, it continues as a general aviation airport, serving the west side of Los Angeles area.

Resources & Links

• 1929 Air Race
• Travel Air 4000 – Flown by Louise Thaden, winner of the 1929 Air Race
• Invitation to form an Organization
• History of the Southwest Section