OFFICIALnsSSnEius PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN PILOTS ORGANIZATION VOLUME 10 NOVEMBER 1983 -Jlettew to D e ar E ditor: The horse fell over his own big feet and Victoria Falls. Quite when, I am not too down I went and met the road in rather a sure. The new tobacco season has already The 99 NEWS, In a recent issue of you hurry. The first few seconds were a bit started and so hopefully we shall have better listed “Women Airline Pilots” in a survey by blurry, but I finally realised that my chin was rains this coming season. This last year was Virginia Thompson. Attached is a listing of bleeding and I could hardly breathe. After quite a drought. the exact number of women airline pilots gathering my wits and dignity together, my I have enclosed some travel pamphlets for worldwide. I hope that you will be able to teacher having fetched the horse, I duly your perusal, You and your husband might include this in the magazine. climbed back on and we went back to the like to think about a trip to darkest Africa. As president of the European Women house. For the next week, I thought that the You would be most welcome and any 99s Pilots Association, I have to note that we pain would never stop but, after seeing the and 49'/4ers who you might show the now have 41 airline pilots here. I think that is doctor and being x-rayed and discovering pamphlets to. Please think about it. Anyone a great victory. Often the victory is even that none of my bones were broken and who decides to venture out here I promise greater in other countries where life is more resting for two more weeks, I duly started would be well looked after. difficult and the work harder. mending and feeling like my own cheeky I am one of the first six women airline Margaret Beniston self. pilots, in 1967, along with Jacqueline Mvurwi, Zimbabwe, Africa In July, we went on a canoeing safari on Convey of France, Elizabeth Overbury of the Zambezi River. We paddled from England and Traude Wideroe of Norway. Chirundu down to Kanyemba. it is 200 km I began flying for Aeralpi in a Twin Otter, (120 miles). Every 400 yards there are and later became copilot in a DC-8 with hippos. At night we camped under the stars Aeral. Presently I am in Yak 40s, flying on the river bank. You could hear hippos football teams to their various games. grunting, hyenas barking and lions roaring. Sincerely, The first night we were awakened by Fiorenza de Bernardi elephant trumpeting and running down to European Women Pilots Association the water. We did get a surprise, but so did President they because they were just below the bank that we were on and when they realised we were there they took off in great haste. Later NANCY BIRD WALTON Federation des Pllotes Europeennes on they sneaked back very quietly. Paddling Aviation Divile/Transport down river you can sneak up on all sorts of Nombre Nombre Date Dear Editor: PAYS de de de la animals and they don’t hear you coming pilotes compagnies premiere because the wind is blowing away from There seems to have been so little news employant embauche des femmes them. We saw lots of buck, monkeys, from Australia in the magazine that I am Argentina 1 1 1971 elephant, lots of bird life, very few croco­ writing this myself just in case our news­ Australia 4 3 1954 diles. letter editoress has not done so. Belgium 4 2 1973 Bangladesh 2 1 1982 One afternoon we came around a corner In April I was asked to be the guest of the Canada 22 13 1973 Canberra Aero Club to celebrate their Colombia 1 1 1973 and we saw an enormous white river bank, Spain 1 1 1980 hippos in the water and some of them out of Golden Jubilee. I seem to be the only pilot France 20 10 1967 survivor of 1933 and their first Air Pageant. I Great Brittain 12 6 1967 the water, one croc that dived into the India 2 2 1981 water, six elephant grazing and one on his was presented with an inscribed crystal vase Italy 1 1 1967 Jamaica 1 1 1979 own digging in the sand for water. They do by the governor-general, and interviews by Libya 1 1 1980 that near a river because they get minerals the press. Some 6,000 people attended the Mexico 5 2 1975 Norway 1 1 1967 from that water rather than the river. We club’s open day. New Zealand 3 1 1980 parked our canoes, got out and crept along In May I was guest at the 50th anniversary Pakistan 1 1 1979 Pays Bas 1 1 1978 the bank. Their eyesight is not too good, so of Bert Hinkler’s funeral in Bunderberg, Romania 1 1 1970 he did not worry about us. Then another Queensland, with the chief of the Air Staff, USA 134 29 1973 young bull came out of the trees and joined Air Marshall David Evans, who gave the first the herd. We were no more than about 300 Memorial Hinkler Lecture. Bert Hinkler was yards from them. It was absolutely fabulous. the first man to fly solo from England to From a letter written to Every day we bathed in very shallow Australia in 1928, and crashed in the Italian Charlene Falkenberg: places in the river so that the crocs could Alps on a second attempt in 1933. He was 11 In June I decided that I would like to learn not sneak up on us. years old when Wilbur Wright made his 12- to ride a horse. I have always been rather We spent six nights and seven days on the second flight, but at 14 had built his own nervous of horses, but this one I have come river — an experience never to be forgotten. glider. He was a test pilot with Sopwith to know quite well. The first two rides went The next thing that we would like to try is Aviation Company and A.V. Roe, England. quite well, but the third ride was a disaster. the white water canoeing from Kazungula to continued on page 8 OFFICIALneSSnEius PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN PILOTS ORGANIZATION VOLUME 10 NOVEMBER 1983 NUMBER 9 PUBLISHER The Ninety-Nines, Inc. EDITOR Lu Hollander EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS CONTENTS Nema Masonhall 2 Letters to the Editor 14 News from Rome Nancy Smith 4 Calendar 14 Memories of the Forest of Friendship Activities ADVERTISING MANAGER 4 New Ratings 15 Women Pilots in India Norma Vandergriff 5 The President's Message 6 Aviation Activities 16 Flying in Kenya EDITORIAL CONSULTANT 6 Air Marking News 17 Tips on Flying in the Bahamas Jan Million 7 Safety Education: "Night Flying" 17 Flying in South West Africa EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 7 Book Review: "Air Mail" 18 Down Under — A Great Visit Loretta Gragg 9 Planning an Aerospace 22 Ninety-Nines Are Adventurous! Education Program 22 Touring the Orient HEADOUARTERS SECRETARY 9 Seek & Keep 23 Australians Hold General Meeting Pamela Mackey 10 Additions Made to AE Memorabilia 24 New Horizons 11 Record-Setting Flight 25 ALASKA - Is Calling You 12 The Lady and the Grouse 27 Chapter News International Officers 13 Be a High Flier 41 Air Racing News PRESIDENT Marilyn Copeland ADVERTISERS 1308 Kevin Road. Wichita KS 67208 4 EAA Sport Aviation Calendar 29 99 Ring 37 American Aviation Underwriters VICE PRESIDENT 5 Schellinger Aero Supply 38 Photo Air Charlene Falkenberg 9 Bob’s Bar-B-Q of Ada 618 Washington St.. Hobart IN 46342 11 Flight Line Company 39 Outer Markers | 24 1984 Ninety-Nine Calendar 40 C&M Publications SECRETARY j 26 Wien Air Alaska 41 Classified Advertising Barbara Goetz-Sestito 8041 Ravinia Ct.. Fair Oaks CA 95628 TREASURER Betty Jane Schermerhorn RR #1. Dunrobin. Ontario KOA 1TO, Canada ON BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE Marie Christensen COVER Janet Green Gene Nora Jessen Hazel Jones Pat Roberts The 99 NEWS International Headquarters Terminal Dr. and Amelia Earhart Lane P.O. Box 59965 Will Rogers World Airport Oklahoma City OK 73159 (405)682-4425 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Ninety-Nines, Inc., P.O. Box 59965, British Section Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma Governor City OK 73159. Gwen Bellew Circulation Information i .^jffvr* ", I. takes"London The 99 NEWS is published monthly except 4 •*.- t“J IX •'« ' ' ; ; A’ Pride" off at bimonthly Jan./Feb. and July/Aug. Annual Nottingham. subscription rate is $17.50 and is included as * , r ' •» 1. I ’ ■'.* part of the annual membership of The '-v < i-, s f ■> y Her son, Giles, Ninety-Nines, Inc. Subscriptions are avail­ is inflating his able to non-members at the rate of $17.50 , i r v / 7,7 - ' iV per year Postmaster: Second class postage balloon, paid at Oklahoma City and additional entry ' " I - T a "Prometheus,” offices. (ISSN 0273-608X) in the Membership Count 6,156 ee of October 2 5 ,1SS3 foreground. Calender „ _ New Ratings_______ NOVEMBER WESTERN CANADA SECTION Nov. 4: 50th Anniversary of the Waahlngton, D.C. Chapter. Beth Candllsh, Greater Winnipeg — COMM Celebration at Andrews AFB Officers Club. All 99s welcome, Lynda Gregg, Greater Winnipeg — Instructor IV especially former chapter members. Grace Duke. Saskatchewan — AMEL Nov. 4-5: Regional NIFA competition. Montana State University, NEW ENGLAND SECTION Bozeman. Marilyn Pearson. Connecticut — CFI Nov. 9: Orlando’* WASP Reunion on NBC's “ Real People." NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY SECTION Nov. 18-19: Region 9 NIFA competition, Auburn University, Lois Shrlver, Western New York — AGI Auburn, Alabama NORTH CENTRAL SECTION Nov.