To honor Barron Hilton’s legacy as a supporter of aviation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Endowment Fund of the Ninety-Nines, a nonprofit organization of women pilots dedicated to aerospace training and education, as well as a $250,000 grant to Women in Aviation.
The $500,000 grant will enable the Ninety-Nines to increase outreach activities, develop more pilot proficiency education programs, and share the group’s passion for aviation and the Ninety-Nines with others, according to officials.
Meanwhile, Women in Aviation plans to use its grant to offer 47 new scholarships. Scholarships include funding to further members’ interests in air traffic control, aviation maintenance, flight training, helicopter ratings, and space. New to this round of scholarships are four scholarships, each worth $3,000 for WAI Chapter members outside of the United States, to be applied towards completion of an additional flight certificate. Details of the scholarships will be posted at WAI.org on March 1, 2021.
“WAI is very grateful for the support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to support these additional scholarships for our members and honor the legacy of Barron Hilton’s love of aviation,” Allison McKay, WAI CEO says. “We know that scholarships change lives, and our members truly appreciate this financial support to pursue their aviation dreams.”
In addition to his success as a businessman and entrepreneur, Barron Hilton was a great friend to aviation. During his World War II Navy service, he took flying lessons and earned his single-engine certificate. At age 19, he earned his twin-engine rating at USC Aeronautical School. As a longtime aviation enthusiast, Hilton was a major supporter of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles Program, which encourages aircraft owners to give rides to youngsters to introduce them to the joy of flying.
The Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight Gallery is funded by the Hilton Foundation with the hope that future generations of young people let their own dreams soar to new heights.
“It is fitting that we share the goal of the Barron Hilton Pioneers program,” said Mary Wunder, chair of the Ninety-Nines Endowment Fund. “We are deeply grateful that the Hilton Foundation honors Barron Hilton’s love of aviation with this generous grant to the Ninety-Nines Endowment Fund.
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help individuals throughout the world living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage. The foundation invests in 11 program areas, including providing access to safe water, supporting transition-age foster youth, ending chronic homelessness, hospitality workforce development, disaster relief and recovery, helping young children affected by HIV and AIDS, and supporting the work of Catholic sisters. From its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $1.8 billion in grants, distributing $110 million in the US and around the world in 2019. Foundation assets increased from approximately $2.9 billion to $6.6 billion following the 2019 passing of Barron Hilton who, like his father, pledged virtually his entire estate to the foundation.