It has been proved again and again that if given a chance, women can do wonders. They can be an expert in whichever field they choose if they're actually determined to do so. Who better can exemplify this statement than Amelia Earhart:The First Female to fly across The North Atlantic Continent and back! Born on 24 July 1897 in Atchison, Kansas, Amelia was practically raised by her mother Amelia (Amy) Otis and her maternal grandparents as her father was struggling to gain employment. Earhart and her sister Muriel were called the typical tomboys as they climbed trees, explored neighbourhood, hunted rats and rode on Earhart's sled.
Her parents separated more than twice because Edwin Earhart was an alcoholic and he couldn't find a decent job to provide for his family. Her family reunited when Amelia was 10 but her father still couldn't develop a financial stability because of which they had to travel to places to find something that pays well. Her father's inability to be the provider for the family led Earhart to be independent and not rely on someone else to "take care" of her. She volunteered as a nurse for the Red Cross in World War 1 during which she came to know about several wounded pilots thus, increasing her passion for aviation. She studied medicine for a year at Columbia University and then left it to be with her parents in California.
At a long beach air show in 1920, Earhart took a plane ride that transformed her life. Although the ride was for just 10 minutes, but when she landed, she knew she had to become an aviator. She earned enough money after switching between different jobs to be able to afford the female aviator Anita Snook's classes. She read everything she found on flying and spent most of her time in the airfield.
In the summer of 1921, Earhart purchased a bright yellow coloured second hand Kinner Airster biplane and named it "The Canary". She flew her plane to 14000 feet which became the world altitude record for female pilots. She became the 16th woman who was issued a pilot's license by the World Governing body for aeronautics, the FAI. Due to the financial crisis and her parents' divorce, Earhart had to sell her plane. She again enrolled in Columbia University but was forced to abandon her studies due to limited finances. She then worked as a teacher and later as a social worker. She re-started aviation in 1927 and became a member of American Aeronautical Society's Boston chapter.
In April 1928, Earhart received a phone call from Captain Hilton H. asking her if she was interested in flying the Atlantic, to which she agreed instantly. Soon she was selected to be the First Woman on a transatlantic flight as a passenger. As her physical appearance was similar to that of Lindbergh aka "Lucky Lindy", Earhart was nicknamed as the "Lady Lindy".
Earhart wrote a book in 1928 named 20 Hrs. 40 Mins. based on her experience while flying across the Atlantic. She actively became involved in the promotions of various women goods including women's clothes. For years, she had sewn her own clothes but later she contributed to a new line of women's fashion that emphasized a sleek yet purposeful feminine look.
Earhart's attempt to be the first person to circumnavigate the Earth around the Equator ultimately resulted in her disappearance on July 2, 1937. She purchased a Lockheed Electra L-10E plane and started her journey with a crew of three men. They took off from Oakland on March 17, 1937 and landed in Hawaii for some repairs. After three days, they re-started their aviation journey but something went wrong and Earhart lost control after which the plane disappeared. She was officially considered dead on January 5, 1939, almost two years after the incident. As the saying goes that "A Legend Never Dies", the journey of Amelia Earhart is implanted in our minds as we continue to remember and cherish her triumphs, resilience and indominatable spirit.
Image: Britannica
About the Author
Priyanka Sharma is just a simple high school pass out on the peak of teenage who loves to read and write down her random thoughts confining them into pages.
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