Eastern Idaho Ninety-Nines

05/30/2026

05/25/2026

🇺🇸✈️A Memorial Day Flyover to Honor the Fallen

Eastern Idaho Ninety-Nines member and former Naval Aviator Katie Krapes flew in the all-female crew of a T-34B. They joined up with three fellow warbirds also flown by former military pilots to honor those who never came home with a missing man formation fly over above the Jackson Town Square and Idaho Falls Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

📷 Dillon Krapes

05/18/2026

✈️ Introducing "Valley to the Sky," our new aviation literacy program! 📚

Our Eastern Idaho Ninety-Nines are bringing the wonder of flight straight into local classrooms! Thanks to funds raised through the Community Foundation of Teton Valley Tin Cup fundraiser, we have launched our Valley to the Sky Literacy Program, delivering aviation-themed books to local Teton valley teachers for their classroom libraries.

We kicked things off earlier this month by visiting Driggs Elementary. Ninety-Nine members Sydney Otis, Katie Krapes and Susan Clarke visited the 3rd grade classrooms giving them copies of "Who Was Amelia Earhart?" including a few Spanish editions for our dual-language classrooms. So students can be inspired by one of aviation's greatest pioneers. They answered questions about aviation, handed out stickers, aviation coloring pages, and invited students to register for the upcoming Young Eagles day happening June 13th at Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport, where kids 8-17 can get a free flight!

And for our youngest future aviators at the Alta Elementary School, our Member Katie Krapes delivered "Violet the Pilot." She spent some time with the Kindergarten and 1st graders reading the book to them and answering questions, sparking imaginations and maybe even a few big dreams about the skies ahead! 🛩️

Want to help keep our Valley to the Sky literacy program flying? Our chapter is participating in Tin Cup again this year! More details coming soon. 🌤️

05/11/2026

🌷✈🗻 In Loving Memory of Kitty (Kathryn) Curl 🌷✈🗻
Dear friends and fellow Ninety-Nines, It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that our beloved sister aviator, Kitty Curl, passed away on April 30th surrounded by family.

Many of you knew Kitty well, her smile and laughter at chapter meetings, her adventurous spirit, and her willingness to help in any way she could. She embodied everything the Ninety-Nines stands for: sisterhood, service, and a deep love of flight.

Kitty's aviation story is a testament to the adventurous spirit that made her so special. At 70, her son Ryan took her on a Mother's Day scenic flight over the Tetons, and something clicked. She decided she wanted to become a pilot. She began flight training and earned her wings 18 months later at the age of 71.

She joined the 99s in 2017, competed in the Air Race Classic 3 times, and served the Eastern Idaho chapter treasurer for many years. It was her dedication that kept our chapter accounts intact through nearly four years of dormancy, allowing us to pick right back up when the chapter came back to life in 2024. She held a lifetime membership in the Ninety-Nines and attended every meeting and event she could. Her presence made this aviation community better in ways that are hard to measure.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family. Her son Ryan named her plane "Kitty's Hawk" and will carry on her legacy by continuing to fly it in Young Eagles events. In a beautiful tribute to his mom, he flew a scenic flight over the Tetons yesterday, just as he had done with her on Mother's Day 13 years ago. Ryan also stopped at KDIJ to deliver some of her 99s items to our chapter chairman.

One of our Eastern Idaho Chapter members had the honor of delivering a small token of our support to Kitty's husband Bob: some food, flowers, and a card expressing our deepest condolences. Details on a memorial service will be shared as they become available. In the meantime, if you have a story, a photo, or a memory of Kitty you'd like to share, please send it our way so we can compile a meaningful memorial to honor her life.

Fly high, dear friend. The sky was always yours.
With love and solidarity,
Eastern Idaho Ninety-Nines

04/28/2026

Applications are due this Friday!
If you plan to take a checkride within the next 6 months (and meet the other requirements) apply for the "Final Approach Scholarship." If you are working on milestones required for a certificate or rating (and meet the other requirements), apply for the "On Course Scholarship." Qualified applicants may apply for both.

04/27/2026

Congratulations Julie! Our Eastern Idaho Member Julia Polasik was recently selected for a scholarship covering a Mountain and Canyon Flying Course. You have accomplished so much in a short time Julie, We are proud of you!

The Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship Fund Trustees are pleased to announce the scholarship recipients for 2026. The total funding for these awards is $241K.

04/25/2026

Deadline is coming up May 1st! Only a few days left to get those applications in.

04/15/2026

Just TWO WEEKS left to get your applications in!

04/15/2026

The Eastern Idaho Ninety-Nines are grateful for Doc Sugden and all he (and Teton Aviation) have done over the years for the aviation community especially here in East Idaho and Wyoming. From supporting the fundraisers, to providing flights for kids, and hosting Girl Scout Aviation days. We also love seeing the cool planes and warbirds that frequent our skies here thanks to him.😍✈️😎

Dr Rich Sugden's Grumman, with the Teton Mountains behind. Magnificent!

04/07/2026

Spring time in the Tetons 🌷🗻✈😎