 Anatomy
of a Plane
 World
Records
 Mysteries
 Famous
Women
 Myths
and Legends
 Otto
Lilienthal
 Wright
Brothers
 World
War I
 World
War II
 Specialized
Aircraft
 Space
Exploration
Home
|
 Amelia
Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas. She went to school at Columbia
University and Harvard Summer School. In 1928 she was invited by Wilmer
Stultz and Louis Gordon to accompany them on a transatlantic flight, which
made her the first woman to cross the Atlantic by air. And, in 1932, she
became the first female to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone, which she did
in record time :13 hours and 30 minutes. She was awarded honors from the
French and American governments for doing this. She was also the first
female to fly from Hawaii to California, across the Atlantic Ocean, in
1935. In the same year she also set a speed record for flying from Mexico
City to New York City in 14 hours and 19 minutes! 
Amelia Earhart had intended to fly around the world east to west,
starting in Oakland, CA. However, she decided to try another plan when
her plane crashed in Hawaii. The company who made the plane, Pratt &
Whitney, shipped it back to California to be repaired. Amelia Earhart and
her navigator, Fred Noonan, started their journey again, this time going
from west to east. They crossed Tucson, New Orleans, San Juan, Caripito,
Paramarito, Fortaleza, Natal, St. Louis, Dakar, Gio, Fort Lamey, Al Fastir,
Kartown, Mosstown, Assab, Garadar, Kacachi, Calcutta, Akyab, Ragoon, Bangcock,
Singapore, Banoking, Surabaya, Kupang, Darwin, and Lae. On July 2, on the
leg from Lae, New Guinea to Howland Island, Earhart and Noonan disappeared
in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This area has been thoroughly searched
by U.S. Navy ships and planes many times, but no sign of the two flyers
has ever been found.
Other Famous Women Aviators
|
