Contents More Than a Pilot Young Amelia Learning to Soar Getting Serious Reaching New Heights The Final Flight A Flying Legend Timeline Family Tree Glossary Find Out More Index
More Than a Pilot During her lifetime Amelia Earhart was one of the most famous women in the world Best known as a pioneer in the newborn aviation industry Earhart was also an author speaker social worker and counselor She set many flight records and at a time when women were discouraged from flying proved that women could fly as well as men She also helped found some of the first commercial airlines Earhart was the perfect representative for women in aviation Her honest straightforward manner won her friends and admirers everywhere she went Her bold and fearless nature allowed her to take chances that others were afraid to take Earhart was a strong supporter of women’s rights At a time when aviation and other industries were dominated by men Earhart showed that women could do whatever they chose She hoped that her example would encourage other women to try new things and achieve greatness Fact VS Fiction Myth Amelia Earhart was an incompetent pilot who should never have attempted a round-the-world flight Fact Earhart logged many hours in the air and set several flight records She may not have been the most skilled or talented female flyer of her time but she was a competent pilot who could handle the hard-to-fly airplanes of the 1920s and 1930s
Despite all of her accomplishments Earhart became a legend because of her final failure Her disappearance over the Pacific Ocean on July 2 1937 remains one of aviation’s greatest mysteries Today people still wonder what exactly became of the famous flyer Amelia Earhart disappeared shortly before her 40th birthday
Young Amelia Amelia Mary Earhart was born in Atchison Kansas on July 24 1897 Her father Edwin Earhart was a lawyer for the railroads Her mother Amy Otis Earhart was a housewife Amelia had one younger sister Grace Muriel born in 1899 The two would remain close throughout Amelia’s life Edwin’s job required him to be frequently on the move So until she was 11 Amelia lived with her grandparents Alfred and Amelia Otis for most of the year The Otises put a high value on education and learning Amelia loved to read and she was a good student Amelia and her sister moved to Des Moines Iowa when Amelia was in the seventh grade
