Nancy Stratford Student Pilot Flight Training Scholarship

The San Diego chapter was chartered on September 19th 1946.  At that time members living in the area belonged to the closest chapter, Los Angeles, and decided to form their own down south. San Diego area Ninety-Nines flew into a dirt strip near Sweetwater/Otay Mesa and had their first gathering. There were originally ten 99s who formed the chapter but the membership grew so large that in the 1970s some 99s broke off to form the El Cajon Valley chapter and later in the 1980s, others broke off to form the Mission Bay chapter, so they could have one closer to their area of the county.

Our chapter matriarch, Fran Bera, flew for over 70 years! Over her storied aviation career she amassed 25,000+ flight hours. She passed in February 2018 at age 93.

Fran started flying in Grand Rapids, Michigan at age 16.

She funded her after-school flying lessons using money she had saved up over 4 years by skipping lunch.

She went into a flight school with $80 and told them she wanted to be a pilot.

Her parents were unaware of her aerial endeavors until she needed them to sign off on her her solo flight. They were surprised but supportive.

Thus began her 75+ year career in aviation. During her long and varied career she logged over 25,000+ flight hours included ferrying surplus aircraft after the war, flight instructing, running her own flight school and flying as an Experimental test pilot.

Nancy Stratford Student Pilot Flight Training Scholarship

A $2,000 award to help fund flight training. Applicant must (1) be a female, (2) reside in San Diego County, (3) have a current student medical for PPL award, and (4) a passing score on written test OR completed a solo flight. Funds may be used to help fund Private Pilot training. There is a 90-day limit to apply funds towards training.