Avia Blog

Who was the person behind the legend of the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean?

This is the story of Amelia Earhart, whose life and premature death was a memorable blend of bravery, adventure and tragedy.

Early Life

Born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas, Amelia’ Earhart’s early life was unstable, hallmarked by displacement and family alcoholism. Her grandparents raised her in her very first years, and then her parents from the age of 10. A consummate tomboy, Amelia Earhart saw her first airplane in 1908 at the Iowa State Fair. She took her first ride in 1920, and soon after began flying lessons. Enrolling in Columbia University as a pre-med student, Amelia Earhardt dropped out a year later. She bought her own airplane, a yellow Kinner Airster that she named “The Canary.” Not a naturally gifted pilot, Amelia Earhart persevered, and even broke the women’s altitude record in 1922.

Across The Atlantic Ocean, Fame and Marriage

In June of 1928, in the company of two male pilots, Wilmer Stutz and Louis Gordon, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Only a passenger aboard the Fokker tri-motor, “Friendship,” the little known Amelia Earhart became instantly world famous. Originally, an American expatriate living in London named Amy Guest wanted to make the unprecedented flight, but she relented on the condition that the “right sort of woman could be found.” George Putnam, the publisher of Charles Lindbergh’s book, “We”, publicized the trip, dubbing Amelia Lady Lindy.

Five years later to the day after the Charles Lindbergh flight (May 21, 1932), Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the vast expanse of ocean, a trip, which secured her fame and immortality. George Putnam heavily promoted Amelia Earhart and her flight as well as lecture tours and product endorsements. He fell in love with Amelia Earhart and soon divorced his wife. He and Amelia Earhart married (after great hesitation on her part) in 1931.

Her Last Flight

In May of 1937, Amelia Earhart attempted to fly around the world in a custom-built Lockheed Model 10E Electra, which was equipped with extra large gas tanks. She and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared without a trace, off the face of the earth. Unfortunately, Amelia Earhart has become more famous for her disappearance than for her many real aviation achievements.

To this day, no one really knows what went wrong and none of the expounded theories are backed with any real evidence. Her ghost still roams the skies, a spirit as free in death as her too short life had been.

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Tags: amelia earhart, amelia earhart's life, Amelia Earhart: Great Aviator, Aviation History, great aviators