On May 20, 1932 — Amelia Earhart made history. After a 14 hours and fifty six minute journey, she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Her route brought her from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland to Derry, Ireland. Earhart had intended to reach Paris in her Lockheed Vega, nicknamed the “Little Red Bus”, but ended her flight in Derry after she encountered some ice and some minor engine problems. Reportedly, when she landed a confused farm worker asked where she had come in from. She turned to him and said “America.”

Amelia Earhart in Ireland after her 14 hour and 56 minute solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

Earhart was a true American pioneer: not only did she shatter any glass ceiling she could but she proved to be a massive influence on the then new field of aviation. Though she had not been the first to cross the Atlantic, she managed to do the same journey in half the time as Charles Lindburgh. However, what made her Trans-Atlantic flight even more impressive in realm of aviation was the fact that she had used a commercially available plane. Without being lost in the mire of technical information, Earhart’s plane had been one that any person could purchase, provided they had the funds.

The Vega 5B was part of the Vega line from Lockheed and a “mass produced” aircraft for the time. For reference, there was only one Spirit of Saint Louis: the one which was flown by Lindbergh and had been custom built for his own flight across the Atlantic. The Vega would also play a role in other record breaking flights in addition to being used by Wiley Post, another prominent American aviator, to prove the existence of the jet stream.

The Lockheed Vega 5B used by Earhart in her history making flight can be seen today at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

While planes are certainly engineering marvels all on their own, they fail to accomplish much without a pilot guiding them. Earhart was an anomaly in that she had decided to learn to fly after seeing an airshow with her father. She took lessons when she had the cash and was noted by her instructor as not having a “natural aptitude” for flight. Of course, this didn't stop her from chasing her dreams of being a ground breaker in early aviation. After a PR flight arranged by her future husband, publicist George Putnam, she was dubbed “Lady Lindy” by the press. However, Earhart really wasn't too similar to Lindbergh, save for the fact they both flew planes. While both aviators had also received distinguished flying crosses for their exploits, Lindbergh was a bit of a glory hound who loved the spotlight more than most.

Earhart found herself famous for exploits but ultimately dedicated her celebrity status to increasing public trust in aviation. At the time, plane travel was still relatively new and nowhere near the level of safety it is today. Even experienced pilots sometimes lost control and were fatally wounded. Earhart would represent the Ludington Airline and the Airline Transportation Group, which would later become Trans World Airlines or TWA. In fact, Ludington would go on to run the first regional flight shuttles between Washington, D.C. and New York City.

Earhart and her flying instructor, Neta Snook Southern. They are pictured here in 1921, standing in front of Earhart’s Kinner Airster — an American built aircraft designed to hold two people.

In short, Earhart was a true pioneer in the air as well as on the ground. By the time she planned her fateful flight to circumnavigate the globe, she had cemented her place as one of the greatest aviators of the early days of flight. Today, she is remembered primarily for her mysterious disappearance and her transatlantic flight. While both were critical to her life, they offer an incomplete picture of her long, accomplished career. The winning of trophies or crossing of seas is certainly thrilling but without the work Earhart did to develop the prowess of aviation, flying might have just been a hobby as opposed to the major method of transportation it is today. So while there are many people you can thank the next time you take a plane to an exotic destination, don’t forget Amelia Earhart.

If you would like to know more about Earhart, Lindbergh, or any of the other Americans that sought adventure in the skies consider booking a tour of the Air and Space Museum with Historic America!

Amelia Earhart: More than “Lady Lindy”

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