Greetings from Mojave Airport! On Sunday, March 19, 2006, the Antelope Valley Ninety-Nines will hold their Sixteenth Annual St. Patrick’s Day Poker Run and Tri-tip Barbeque at W. J. Fox Airfield. The fun begins at 9:00 a.m. when cards become available at five different airports, including: Mojave Airport at the Voyager Restaurant; Tehachapi Airport by the flagpole; Inyokern Airport at the Quonset hangar; California City Airport at the Terminal; Rosamond Airport at the old FBO; and Fox Airfield Barbeque Hangar at West end of field.

Participants pick up cards from the five locations that are in sealed envelopes. They take all the envelopes to the Poker Run Barbecue at Fox Field to receive two more envelopes and turn them all in. The best poker hands will receive great gifts, such as, weekend getaways, dinners, aviation fuel and oil, and other pilot related prizes.

Fly to one or all six airports in any order. If you don’t make it to all airports, you may get cards at the barbeque. Special prizes will be awarded to each PIC (Pilot In Command) of each participating aircrafts that flies into at least three airports.

Rain or shine, the barbeque and hangar party goes on! If weather is not VFR, there will be plenty of hangar flying! Poker hands will be dealt, prizes awarded and lots of good food.

A seven-card poker hand is $10.00 (best 5-card hand wins!) and the barbecue is $10.00 per person or you can purchase a Combo for $18.00.

You don’t have to fly to be a part of the fun, if you want to attend the barbecue, please call 661 949-8872 for reservations. This event is very successful each year and dinners sell out early, so call today.

Many years ago, member Connie Trippensee borrowed the Poker Run idea from her husband’s motorcycle club and it has worked well for airplanes ever since. When the weather is too crummy for flying, some folks drive around to pick up cards. The photo shows Antelope Valley Ninety-Nine members at a St. Patrick’s Day Poker Run held several years ago.

The Antelope Valley Chapter (Charter Date: September 20, 1988) is an exciting chapter with a diverse membership which includes a commercial airline pilot, an astronaut who served as pilot on STS-92 (October 2000) and STS-112 (October 2002), (Pam Melroy); military pilots, glider pilots, helicopter pilots, several women who have raced, flight test engineers, others who work for NASA, and a former WASP (Flora Belle Reece).

 Chapter members hangar their aircraft and fly out of Lancaster Fox Field, Rosamond Skypark, Mojave, California City, Lone Pine, Woodlake, and Inyokern airports. The Antelope Valley Chapter has established a scholarship and mentoring program for local Future Women Pilots. The chapter also presents scholarships each year for local junior college aviation students. Go to www.freewebs.com/av99s/ for more information on the Antelope Valley Ninety-Nines.

The Ninety-Nines, Inc., International Organization of Women Pilots was founded on November 2, 1929. The name Ninety-Nines was chosen because that is how many women came to the first meeting. One of the attendees was Amelia Earhart and she served as the club’s first president.

The Ninety-Nines have a scholarship program for young women desiring a pilot’s license. They also provide community support for aeronautical and aviation training in school, flying events and education workshops. There are over 7,000 Ninety-Nine members worldwide, with a goal to preserve the unique history of Women in Aviation.

You don’t have to be a member to attend this fun event, but you do need tickets, so call today for tickets and more information!

Until next week .  .  .  .  .  .“Keep ‘em flying!”