VENTURA : 300 Women Aviators to Attend Convention
About 300 female aviators from California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii will descend upon Ventura today for the annual convention of the Southwest section of the Ninety-Nines, an international organization of women pilots.
The convention, which will be held at the Ventura Holiday Inn, will feature an appearance of the “Mercury 13”--13 women pilots who were trained but were ultimately denied entry into the American space program in 1960.
The Mercury 13 will be the convention’s keynote speakers during a banquet Saturday night, according to Pat Thomas, spokeswoman for the group.
Most of the convention delegates are expected to arrive this morning at Camarillo Airport, Thomas said.
The Ninety-Nines, named after its 99 charter members, was founded Nov. 2, 1929, in Long Island, N. Y., Thomas said. The organization now lists 7,000 licensed pilots living in 35 countries among its members. Amelia Earhart was the group’s first president.
For information on the organization, call 483-8140 or (818) 341-5366.
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