A journey to become a pilot is a dream for some.

For Glenna Blackwell of Massachusetts, this is a dream that has become reality. First as a pilot, then acquiring her instruments rating. And a seaplane rating.

Blackwell, who flies out of Great Barrington Airport (GBR) is a CT Chapter member of The Ninety Nines (99s). She is also immediate past New England Section Governor of this international organization of women pilots; and a member of the 99s International Board (2016-2018) Nominating Committee. She has served in many other roles for the nonprofit established in 1929. As a pilot with instrument and seaplane ratings, her life accomplishments easily fill a page – and that includes aerial photography.

“It is never too late to become a pilot,” she said in an dual interview at Meriden-Markham Airport (MMK). (Part one, about Beverly Jones, who achieved her pilot's license in 1954, linked here.)

As parent of two grown sons, and grandparent to four grandsons, Blackwell recalls her own journey to becoming a pilot.

“My grandparents lived across the street from Great Barrington Airport,” she explained. “My parents would say ‘don't cross the road' but –  zoom – I'd go. As I got older, I'd hang out at the airport – loved watching the airplanes, felt safe there.”

But to become a pilot never occurred to her for years – passages in life that included school, graduation, college, marriage, two children – yet a passion for aviation threaded through all.

“For an outing when my children were small, we'd go to an airport – like Westerly Airport – and  have a picnic. I just was drawn to airports. Later on, my oldest son was interested in flight and was in college, so I bought him a gift certificate for an introductory flight lesson. Then he went off on this NOLS Program, three months backpacking…. So I thought I should use this, not let it expire.”

She shared that even though she never considered flying for years she had a re-occurring dream of flying, but without a plane – and including the vivid views from above.

“The minute I started taking lessons, I never had that dream again.”

She was in her 40s. The certificate was the gift of an hour, introducing her to basics. She was hooked. 

“I couldn't stop flying. If I wasn't flying, I wanted to be flying. Then I really got involved in learning more about women pilots from the past – love that about our organization, the 99s, which preserves the history. To listen to a WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilot, WWII) talk about her experiences, or to other women who broke through barriers – like Julie Clark, who is flying aerobatics now, but as one of the first women pilots.”

Challenges. Life. As for her summation about getting that seaplane rating?

“The hardest part is learning how to dock,” she said. “Wind and currents, timing must be taken into account. As a pilot, you don't want to jump out on the dock (to moor the plane) and have the wind take the plane – or miss the dock and hit the water. You have to be athletic and handle all the variables plus have confidence.” Blackwood did her test in Maine.

She encourages women interested in aviation to reach out to the 99s or Women in Aviation to find a mentor. 

‘Women In Aviation'

The New England Air Museum (NEAM) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, recently announced that Peggy Loeffler, a Connecticut resident and aviator, received the Combs Gates Award at the National Business Aviation Association’s 71st Annual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition. The award – which includes a $20,000 prize – was established to “encourage and support relevant aviation history research and preservation efforts.” A panel of expert judges reviewed each submission based upon criteria such as historical accuracy, creativity, potential for long–term impact, and value to The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) mission of honoring America’s outstanding air and space pioneers.

Loeffler is creator of “New England Women Take Flight” – a research project created to establish a database of notable New England women who have made significant contributions to aviation. This research is the first step in development of an exhibit at NEAM and will support a permanent NEAM exhibit  to honor the many achievements of women as aviation pioneers, pilots, astronauts and engineers and will exist as the only comprehensive collection of its kind.

Loeffler, the daughter of a WWII Army Air Corps B-29 pilot, grew up flying with her father in a small plane throughout her childhood. In 1996 she obtained her private pilot certificate, and with scholarship assistance from the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots, added commercial, instrument, and instructor ratings. She is presently a flight instructor at Great Barrington Airport in Great Barrington, Mass., as well as serving as a Designated Pilot Examiner for the FAA.

While serving as Chairman of the Connecticut Chapter 99s, and later, as Governor of the New England Section 99s, Loeffler participated in panel discussions and aviation workshops before groups as large as 160 girl scouts at the NEAM and co-founded a special event at the NEAM that ran annually for 10 years, celebrating women in aviation, past and present, attracting hundreds of people each year. She is also co-coordinator of an aviation class at a Massachusetts high school. Assisted by record-setting balloonist Katherine Wadsworth Delano and several other Connecticut women, Loeffler is working with staff and volunteers at the NEAM to initiate fundraising efforts to begin the design and construction of the planned exhibit.

The largest aviation museum in New England, NEAM is comprised of three large public hangars, outdoor exhibits, and more than 100 aircraft ranging from early airships and flying machines to supersonic jets and helicopter. NEAM’s mission is “to celebrate and preserve New England’s air and space heritage.” NEAM, 36 Perimeter Rd., (north side of Bradley International Airport), Windsor Locks, Conn. For information visit www.neam.org; (860) 623-3305.

Also noteworthy is NEAM's annual celebration of women in aerospace “Women Take Flight” in March 2019 – a gathering of women pilots, aerospace engineers, aviation industry professionals. Hands-on STEM activities; more details will be announced in 2019.

The National Aviation Hall Of Fame (NAHF) “honors men and women for their service to country, their ingenuity, their courage, and their vision.”

“Ask to know what you are born to do. Follow the compass of joy.”

Barbara Marx Hubbard

Note: Another chapter of the 99s is featured on a page about Sara Hayden WASP WWII, linked here.

The compass rose air marking program of identifying airports to pilots was “started as the National Air Marking Program. This program was the first U.S. government program conceived, planned and directed by a woman with an all-woman staff. The program was a part of the Bureau of Air Commerce.” Story by Ellen Nobles-Harris via 99NEWS Magazine (March/April 2002) is linked here. And about the CT Chapter compass rose here.

Editor's note: Meriden-Markham Airport (MMK) centennial is 2019; The Ninety-Nines (99s), 90 years. For those who love aviation, remember – you may change a life course with a gift certificate available at almost any airport, just ask. Aviation history memoirs and other books are also sold inside the MMK office.

“If there were a rehab for curiosity; I’d be in it.” – Diane Sawyer

The power of stories and music, asking questions, going places you thought you knew. Journeys and destinations, past and present. A larger-than-life cardboard likeness of Amelia Earhart at Meriden-Markham Airport Fly-in led to discovery. But it was the friendly welcome from Beverly Jones that resulted in a photograph and learning more. (And it turns out she is mother of Constance Castillo, Meriden-Markham Airport Manager.) The Ninety-Nines is the International Organization of Women Pilots that promotes “advancement of aviation through education, scholarships, and mutual support while honoring our unique history and sharing our passion for flight.” The Connecticut Chapter 99s are part of an international organization that dates back to 1929. Why the “99s” – “Amelia Earhart started ‘The Ninety-Nines' with an original membership of 99 female pilots who simply just loved to fly.” The 99s Museum of Women Pilots is located in Oklahoma City – focused on “preserving the history of women in aviation, honoring their achievements of the past, as well as recognizing current achievements. In addition, archives and other resources are maintained on site, as well as one of the largest collection of Amelia Earhart memorabilia. Amelia Earhart was a Charter member of the organization and the first elected president. A goal of the museum is to inspire young women to enter the field of aeronautics.” (The 99s offer scholarships, by the way.) So remember, while on the road, that conversations struck up with fellow travelers result in much thinking afterwards. Weather observed, road conditions, dogs, and where are you from? will often result in commentary and new ideas. Stretch your legs, walk the dogs. Once upon a time while traveling with truck and trailer hauling horses, a stop at a visitor's center in central Virginia, the reply of “Connecticut” to where are you heading brought forth a lively memory of a landmark recalled by people traveling south to Florida. “I remember that blue dome on a building by the highway when we were driving through – is that Connecticut?” (Yes.) Funny how that remark has lingered over the years. Remember what it's like not to know. Good advice from an editor to a fledgling writer and solid information for anyone answering questions in all walks of life. What is obvious to a long-time resident (and overlooked) is brand new to a person on site for the very first time. Don't assume. Encourage questions and those curious who may want to explore your home turf or learn more about what you do, how you got there. Be patient.