Compass Rose Painting

The Ninety-Nines, a society of women pilots, will be painting a compass rose at the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport on Saturday. Looking over the plans, in front from left, are Charlotte Gentry; Jim Kmet, airport manager; and in back, volunteers David Teter, technical adviser for the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1378; Eddie Moore, EAA chapter secretary; and Dewey Young, EAA member. Herald-Citizen Photo/Liz Engel Clark

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COOKEVILLE -- It will take more than 35 gallons of highway paint to complete the latest task commissioned by a group of female flyers.

The Ninety-Nines, an international society of women pilots with ties to Amelia Earhart, will paint a navigational compass rose at the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport on Saturday. It will take multiple cans of color to fill in the planned 80-foot diameter compass, and its starred points will share two coats of crisp blue and white. The outline for the rose was surveyed last week by airport engineer Richard Rinks and marked with nails and sprits of orange spray paint.

Saturday, however, comes the long-awaited main event.

"It's just stunning," Charlotte Gentry, a newer member of the Ninety-Nines, said of the design plans. She first approached the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport board about the project in December, and received whole-hearted approval.

For decades, similar projects have been undertaken at dozens of airports across the country -- a compass rose marking, for example, has been painted in recent years at the airport in Lewisburg, Tenn. Also called airmarking, the rose helps identify airports from above, and pilots can also calibrate their compass according to the orientation of the markings on the ground. This particular rose will have a one-of-a-kind custom center, which will shine in either silver or gold. Gentry said it will feature the Ninety-Nines logo, the airport designation and a credit to the local Experimental Aviation Association Chapter 1378, for which members of the aviation enthusiast group are also volunteering this weekend.

"My sister painted a compass rose with the Ninety-Nines in Sanderson Field in Michigan and inspired me to try to do that at as many airports as I could," Gentry said. "So I thought, why not start at home?

Gentry said volunteers will be needed for the day-long effort, which begins at 9 a.m. Those interested in helping should contact Gentry and can give as little or as much of their time as possible. No aviation experience is necessary.

In addition, she said, about 12 women pilots will be flying or driving in from all over the Southeast region to work. The airport's FBO, Region Air, will be providing food and drinks to volunteers. It also footed the bill for most of the supplies.

"It's a tremendous thing for these women to do this," Eric Walker, manager of Region Air, said in December. "(The history) is absolutely amazing, which is why we really want our airport to be a part of this unbelievable thing in aviation."

The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport is located south of Cookeville in White County. From Highway 111, take the Old Kentucky Road exit and go west. At the flashing light, continue straight; signs will mark the way.

In case of rain, the compass rose painting will be rescheduled for May 14. So far, the weather forecast looks clear.