99s Women
pilots
Cited for Education Efforts
The Greater New York
Chapter of The Ninety-Nines,
International Organization of
Women Pilots, was cited for
Distinguished Service in the
field of Aerospace Education
for its sustained, outstanding
programs offered to female
aviators, students, and Girl
Scouts in the Greater New
York City area (including New
York City, Long Island and
Westchester County). Specifically,
the chapter was selected
as this year’s Brewer Award
winner for its longstanding
efforts to promote aviation to
young people and to otherwise
contribute to local aerospace
education.
Said Col. Jack Ozer, Commander
of the Northeast Region
of the Civil Air Patrol.
“It is clear this organization,
and its individual members,
have made aerospace education
one of their primary
missions. Their special focus
on reaching Girl Scouts
and teenage young women is
critically important at this
time when the breadth and
depth of careers in S.T.E.M.
and aerospace is wide open to
them.”
10 AIRPORT VOICE, MARCH 2021
Formed in 1965, the Greater
New York Chapter has, as part
of its educational outreach,
conducted workshops, and developed
programs to encourage
learning and interest in
aviation. “The Board is proud
that our chapter was selected
as the 2020 recipient of the
prestigious Frank G. Brewer
Memorial Aerospace Award
from the Northeast Region
of the Civil Air Patrol,” said
Deb Henneberry, Chair of the
Greater NY Chapter Ninety-
Nines. “This is welcome recognition
of the dedicated work
of our women pilots in involving
girls and young women in
aviation and promoting aerospace
education.”
The Ninety-Nines formed
on Long Island in October
1929, when four women flyers
sent letters to all 117 licensed
female pilots in the United
States, inviting them to join
together for mutual support
and professional growth
in the new field of aviation.
Ninety-nine responded, giving
the organization its name;
those original members selected
Amelia Earhart as their
first president.
99s International Womens Day. On international Women’s Day, Dr. Amanda Stahl and health care co-worker
Morag Bell flew a pathway in the sky shaped like a syringe to celebrate the Covid19 vaccine. They departed
Albany International Airport and went about 20nm NNE of over lake George and up to Lake Champlain before
heading back to Albany. They wanted to celebrate the vaccine, and each other as fellow fly girls! They successfully
replicated a feat by a German pilot who had done something similar. Challenge accepted. Both women
are members of Condair Flyers flying club based at Albany International Airport. Stahl is a member of the
capital region 99s.
BREEZE Airways-Good to Go
DOT certification approved
BY JEFF YAPALATER
“Never bet against David
Neeleman” said one veteran
in the airline business.
So, the story continues as
the Department of Transportation
just last week approved
the Airline Operators Certificate
authorizing Breeze Airways
to fly.
It is certainly an unusual
time to start up an airline
given the drastic drop in passenger
traffic due to the Covid
Pandemic. But, the founder
David Neeleman is an airline
entrepreneur most recently
having started JetBlue almost
20 years ago.. He know
his business better than many
and is moving forward with
flights plans.
Based on Neeleman’s statements
over the past couple of
years as he hinted at a new
start-up, that would serve
the regional airport and fill a
niche that the larger airlines
have not used, that vision is
closer to reality. Although
there is Allegiant, Frontier,
and another possible start up
Houston Air/Extra Airways,
Breeze has been built from
the ground up. Their business
model for success includes
servicing shorter hop , fewer if
any, terminal staff, more efficient
aircraft ( Embraer E195,
Airbus A220) , and more digital
interactions to save money.
These same measure are in
place today by legacy airlines
having to do the same to save
money on the passenger traffic
slump. It was reported that
the airline could break even
with just 50 passenger per
flight.
Neeleman said at a presentation
at the JFK Airport
Chamber of Commerce in
2019 he sees his business as “a
high-tech company that just
happens to fly airplanes. We
are going to build all the technology
out; it’s going to be like
using the Uber or the Amazon
apps, and we will have a whole
menu of things on the airplanes
and on the ground, and
we will take care of you,” adding
that the airline will also
be “low cost.”
At the moment there is a lot
of guessing as to where Breeze
will begin its network of airports
operations. It is no secret
that one of their aircraft
is on hard stand at MacArthur
Airport during the DOT
certification process. This airport
would be an ideal airport
since it is the middle of Long
Island and a central location
for the East coast regional airports.
However, as is the case with
Neeleman, zipped lips are the
rule but the Breeze the office
has said that there would be
an announcement about these
airports in the Spring.
Well we only have 2 months
before the busy Summer season
starts and it is likely
Breeze will begin its routes
before then.