With the expansion of our Section membership, new ideas, new challenges, new activities have constantly fed new life into the Section.

Over 25 years ago, Charlene Falkenberg began putting together and publishing Waypoint, our Section newsletter. Waypoint has become the Section pipeline keeping all chapters informed. Through Waypoint, ideas are shared, new projects and a healthy competition has developed which keeps us moving at a really fast pace.

We still have air races, flight breakfasts, poker runs, mystery flights for fun and to keep us in the air and our flying skills honed; but, the Section's contribution to education and safety has been outstanding in the past ten years:

Education

Pinch Hitter Courses in which non-pilots are taught to navigate and even land an airplane in emergencies.

Flying Companion and Project Aware Courses given to persons who travel routinely with Pilot friends and welcome instruction on what keeps the airplane in the air, the use of radio equipment, the secrets of navigation, and some hands-on experience with the controls.

Air Bears, a project designed to provide very young children with information about aviation and explain the various careers connected with aviation.

For older children/young adults, Ninety-Nines participate in school Career Days with displays and presentations.

Airport tours/tower tours further acquaint teachers, students, scouts with general aviation's place in the community.

There is scarcely a chapter which does not sponsor at least one Safety Seminar during the year, not just at special events but on a regular basis. These seminars offer refresher courses in IFR and VFR flight, Rules and Regulations; and many, many Ninety-Nine Flight Instructors donate their time for Biennial Flight Review for members as well as other groups.

Aerospace Education programs and conferences are new areas which have caught the attention of many chapters. They strive to promote awareness and understanding through the schools, scouting programs and the general public.

Volunteering and Awards

The Section continues to support NIFA with funds and active participation in the events as judges, time keepers, and so forth. Programs to which members donate their time and aircraft for charitable causes are flying daffodils for the American Cancer Society, flying blood for the American Red Cross, Corporate Angel Network, Life Line pilots providing transportation for persons in need of medical attention, flying donated medical supplies to Mexico and other countries.

As a result of the above activities, North Central Section was awarded in 1990 the Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award in the Organizational Category. The Brewer Awards are presented in honor of Frank G. Brewer, Sr., to commemorate his lifelong interest in aviation, youth, and education. Frank Brewer was a successful businessman from Birmingham, Alabama, of unusual foresight, who envisioned that aviation and space exploration would have a dramatic impact on our world.

Lt. Col. Frank G. Brewer, Jr., established the Brewer Awards after his father’s death to recognize individuals who have contributed most on an unselfish basis to the advancement of youth in aerospace activities.

Major Meese, in her nomination of the Section said, “It is clear that educational endeavors of the North Central Section of Ninety-Nines are on-going, far-reaching, widely varied, and outstanding. Their educational programs are directed toward support for aerospace awareness and understanding for pre-school through college/university students and general public audiences.”

That statement really says it all. However, if you look at your Chapter’s scrapbook and the scrapbooks of other Chapters, which are displayed at Section meetings, you will see for yourself history in the making.

A lot has been accomplished in the past ten years; but, for the North Central Section, the sky’s the limit. Watch for the next ten-year update; we may be writing from a space station or the moon!