Opal Kunz was among the 99 founding women pilots who established the Ninety-Nines, the international organization of licensed women pilots.
On November 2, 1929, ninety-nine licensed women pilots came together to form an organization dedicated to the support, advancement, and camaraderie of female aviators. Opal Kunz was among these founding members, joining aviation legends such as Amelia Earhart, who became the organization's first president.
The group took its name, the Ninety-Nines, from the number of women who responded to the invitation letter sent to all 117 licensed American female pilots at the time. Kunz was deeply committed to the organization's mission and later served in a leadership capacity within it, helping to organize activities, air races, and networking opportunities for women who faced significant skepticism and outright hostility from a male-dominated aviation industry.
This founding moment was historically significant because it created one of the first sustained institutional support systems for women in a highly technical and physically demanding profession. The Ninety-Nines gave women pilots a collective voice to advocate for equal opportunities, access to competitions, and professional respect. The organization endures to this day as the oldest and largest organization of licensed women pilots in the world, a direct legacy of the efforts of Kunz and her fellow founders.