The AOPA Foundation, Inc.
Personal Giving Stories
Pioneering Female Pilot Supports AOPA
Kate Macario believes women make the best pilots. She ought to know: She learned to fly during World War Two, when she was 18.
"Women make excellent pilots," said Kate, a 55-year member of The Ninety-Nines, an international female pilot's organization founded by Amelia Earhart. "I think they're probably more conservative sometimes and think differently."
Aviation has always been a part of Kate's life. She met her husband while she was learning to fly and the couple has seven children, including four sons with ties to aviation. The family often flew from their home in Malvern, Pennsylvania, to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the annual Airventure airshow sponsored by EAA where they would camp on the airshow grounds. Aviation was so much a part of her life that her family operated an airport in Malvern for five years. For the past fifteen years Kate, her son Michael, and his wife, have flown the 195 to Sun 'N Fun at Lakeland, Florida.
Kate enjoyed helping to restore airplanes, and proudly displays her 1952 blue and white Cessna 195. She organizes the Pennies a Pound flying program for her local Ninety-Nines Chapter, which gives rides to people for "pennies" a pound. All proceeds support aviation education and scholarships. She also belongs to Women in Aviation International and EAA.
As a stalwart supporter of general aviation, Kate attends AOPA seminars and is impressed with the organization's work. To help it continue, she established a charitable gift annuity with The AOPA Foundation. In return for irrevocably contributing cash or securities, Kate receives a guaranteed, fixed income for her lifetime. The remainder of the charitable gift annuity will benefit AOPA.
"I like helping a cause I believe in and love," Kate said.
Updated June 16, 2008
