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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Joanne Nissen

Dell learned to fly in 1945, taught by Marion Barnick. She flew many Powder Puff Derbies, including one with her daughter Carol in 1955 and was the only grandmother/granddaughter team with Gail in 1975. Dell transferred her membership to the Monterey Chapter of The Ninety-Nines when they were chartered in August 1965.
When Dell married George in Dr. George Hinn1965, she had logged approximately 4,000 hours. They had a mutual agreement that he would not tell her how to fly and she would not tell him what to do in the operating room - this arrangement worked! Dell taught her son Jay to fly, and he received his private pilot certificate, then moved on to obtain additional ratings. Jay is currently a Captain for United Airlines. Jay then reversed the role and became Dell's flight instructor for her instrument rating. Dell's daughter Carol is also a private pilot as well as Carol's daughter, Gail.
Through the Women's Medical Auxiliary of Monterey, Dell created the Wings for Direct Relief Foundation (later renamed Direct Relief International) and began collecting medical supplies and drugs. This project grew to include The Ninety Nines. The Ninety Nines would collect the supplies and fly them to the central point at the Santa Barbara Airport where they were then resorted and distributed to underdeveloped countries in the free world. Dell also donated her time to Angel Flight, transporting patients to Stanford Medical Center and UCLA for medical treatment.
In 1945, Dell was an instructor in a Red Cross Water Safety Instructors' Course at San Jose State University. She taught young soldiers to "swim through burning oil on water" and to jump off a ship with full gear. Dell felt this class would be her contribution to the war effort. In class she met Marion Barnick who was her swim partner and an enthusiastic aviator. In October
1946, Marion offered to take Dell for an airplane ride, which turned out to be a lesson since Dell was placed in the left seat, took the controls, flew the plane, and was immediately hooked!
Dell moved to Honolulu, Hawaii where she received her private pilot certificate. Her first passenger was her mother who shared her enthusiasm and dream. Flying a J-3 Cub in Hawaii was exciting for Dell since she had to share airspace with fighter jets. Flying from Honolulu to Haleiwa each day, the fighter "jock's" were used to seeing Dell in her little yellow J-3 Cub and they had fun flying barrel rolls around her. Dell just flew straight ahead and hung on.
In the 1950's Dell earned her glider rating and achieved a flight level of over 20,000 feet above Minden, Nevada. While attempting the "Minden Wave" within the 20 x 30 square mile window, Dell overheard a commercial jet ask ATC to explain "what a glider was doing flying at 20,000?".