Recently, The Ninety-Nines, an international organization for women pilots, along with some members of other groups, painted their emblem—or airmark—on the apron area of the Lorain County Regional Airport located in New Russia Township.
About two months back, the organization reached out to local authorities seeking approval, as stated by Lorain County Commissioner Vice President Dave Moore.
The Lorain County Engineer became part of the initiative and performed a survey to precisely identify the magnetic North, enabling them to properly align their compass rose, as stated in papers supplied by the county commissioners.
The updated airmarking at the Lorain County Airport. (Image provided by the Lorain County Commission)
The National Air Marking Program, which began as a tradition in 1934, encompasses the identification of airports and various landmarks to assist pilots with their airborne navigation.
The initiative was started by Phoebe Omlie from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which would later become NASA, and was subsequently embraced by the Ninety-Nines.
This marked the initial governmental initiative of such scale within the country, crafted and overseen entirely by women, alongside an exclusively female workforce, as stated by the organization.
The main objective of the initiative is to ensure that airports and various geographic locations can be readily recognized from above, thereby assisting pilots in visual navigation.
The National Air Marking Program represented a substantial advancement in enhancing aviation safety and navigation.
This realization gained particular significance many years back when navigating primarily depended on pilotage, essentially guiding the aircraft through visual means exclusively.
By using big, clearly visible signs on structures and airports—often featuring town names or airport identifiers along with additional distinguishing information—airmarking simplified a pilot’s task.
Although the initiative started off with government funding, it is largely undertaken nowadays by groups like the Ninety-Nines.
Despite progress in aviation technology, the practice of airmarking still endures.
The organization was established on November 2, 1929, at Curtiss Field in Valley Stream, which is located on Long Island, New York.
A total of 117 female aviators were asked to come together to provide mutual encouragement, promote advancements in aviation, and establish an office to maintain records of women involved in the field.
In 1931, the renowned female aviator Amelia Earhart became the inaugural president of the organization.
The group selected the title “Ninety-Nines” to signify the 99 original founding members.
Membership promptly opened up to additional women once they obtained their pilot licenses.
Recently, membership has been extended to also encompass women who hold student pilot certifications.
© 2025 The Morning Journal, located in Lorain, Ohio. Feel free to visit.
www.morningjournal.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Leave a Reply