Although she didn’t live to see her 40th birthday, Amelia Earhart’s short life was marked by groundbreaking achievements in aviation. Her international renown as a record-breaking female pilot not only enhanced the public’s perception of aviation but also cleared the path for other women to pursue careers in commercial flight. With her first plane ride in 1920, she discovered her true passion for flying and began taking flying lessons under the guidance of female aviator Neta Snook. On her 25th birthday, Earhart bought a Kinner Airster biplane, which she piloted in 1922 to establish the women’s altitude record at 14,000 feet. However, due to financial constraints within her family, she reluctantly sold the aircraft shortly afterward. In 1928, Amelia Earhart experienced a significant turning point in her life when publisher George Putnam, enlisted her to become the first woman to fly across the Atlantic by air. Although she accomplished the flight as a passenger, the flight from Newfoundland to Wales on June 17, 1928, thrust Earhart into the spotlight, transforming her into a media sensation and a beacon of inspiration for women’s achievements.
In 1932, she made history by becoming the first woman to solo pilot across the Atlantic. Her awards included the American Distinguished Flying Cross and the Cross of the French Legion of Honor. Additionally, in 1929, Earhart played a key role in establishing the Ninety-Nines, a group dedicated to female aviators.
In 1935, Purdue University hired Earhart as an aviation advisor and career counselor for women. She bought the Lockheed aircraft she affectionately called her “flying laboratory.” Departing from Miami on June 1, 1937, alongside navigator Fred Noonan, she embarked on a quest to become the first woman to fly around the world. However, with 7,000 miles left in their journey, the plane lost radio communication near the Howland Islands. Despite a thorough and prolonged search effort spanning decades, the aircraft was never located.
Hannah Jarosch 