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Amelia Earhart Born
Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 at her grandparents' home in Atchison, Kansas. Her grandfather, Alfred Otis was one of the leading citizens of Atchison. Amy Earhart returned to her parents home to await the birth of Amelia. Her father, Edwin Earhart remained with his law practice in Kansas City during this period. A sister, Muriel would be born 2 1/2 years later. -
The Wright Brothers Airplane Takes First Flight
On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Flyer became the first powered, heavier-than-air machine to achieve controlled, sustained flight with a pilot aboard. -
Amelia Sees First Airplane
Amelia Saw her first airplane in 1908. She was, however, unimpressed and thought it was "a rusty thing of wire and wood and not at all interesting." -
Became a nurse's aide at Spadina Military Hospital in Toronto, Canada
After visiting her sister in 1917 at a college preparatory school in Canada, Amelia decided to train as a nurses aid in Toronto and served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse at a military hospital until the Armistice in November 1918.
"There for the first time I realized what the World War meant. Instead of new uniforms and brass bands, I saw only the result of four years' desperate struggle; men without arms and legs, men who were paralyzed and men who were blind..." -
Enrolled as a premedical student at Columbia University in New York
In the fall of 1919 Amelia enrolled as a pre-med student at Columbia University. Although doing well in her studies, in 1920 she decided to join her mother and father in California. The had recently reunited and were encouraging the sisters to join them. -
Bought first plane, Kinner Airster (Canary)
Amelia's first plane was a Kinner Airster (Picture to the side) which she named "The Canary" due to its colour. -
First Flying Lesson With Anita Snook
It wasn’t until 1920, when Earhart was 23 years old, that she developed an interest in airplanes. While visiting her father in California, she attended an air show and the stunt-flying feats she watched convinced her that she had to try flying for herself.
Earhart took her first flying lesson on January 3, 1921. According to her instructor, Earhart wasn’t a “natural” at piloting an airplane; instead, she made up for a lack of talent with plenty of hard work and a passion for flying. Earhart re -
First woman to fly across the Atlantic; 20hrs 40min (Fokker F7, Friendship)
Amelia was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean both solo and acoompanied.
After her first flight across the Atlantic, Amelia felt guilty considering that she hadn't done any of the work. This is why she later flew across the Atlantic solo. -
First person to fly solo from Los Angeles to Mexico City; 13hrs 23min
In 1935, Amelia made a “friendship flight” from Los Angeles, to Mexico, ending the flight in New York. The flight began on the nineteenth of April in 1935 and ended nearly three weeks later in New York. The landing at Newark Airport, near New York, was proof that Amelia was still a national hero – thousands thronged the runway just to catch a glimpse at the daring pilot. -
Began flight around the world
Amelia was the first person, male or female, to attempt a flight around the world. Her plane disappeared only 7000 miles before the flight was over. -
Disappeared
On the second of July, just a couple of months after she began her flight around the world, Amelia was confirmed missing only 7000 miles from completing her world flight.
Most people think the plane crashed in shark infested waters. Even if Amelia did survive the crash, the sharks would have killed her.
A stranger theory is that she survived the world flight, moved to New Jersey, remarried and changed her name to Irene Craigmile Bolam.
