Amelia Earhart Pioneer Female Aviator By Jim Cornish
1. Amelia Earhart:
Pioneer Female Aviator
By Jim Cornish
(1) When people hear the words “female took her to the official opening of a new airfield
aviator”, the first name that often comes to in Long Beach, California. It was here she had
mind is Amelia Earhart. her first airplane ride. It was with a
barnstormer, as stunt pilot were called then.
quot;As soon as we left the ground,quot; she later said,
Earhart’s Early Life
quot;I knew I, myself, had to fly.quot;
(2) Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison,
Earhart Become a Pilot
Kansas on July 24, 1897. She was
considered a tomboy by many of her
childhood friends because she (5) In January, 1921, Earhart began her
dared to do things that girls at the one dollar per minute flying lessons at a
turn of the century usually did not California flight school. She wasn’t a
do, like climbing trees, “natural” at flying and struggled with
quot;belly-slammingquot; her sled in taking off and landing the plane. Many
the snow to start it downhill, landings resulted in accidents, even
and hunting rats with a rifle. As when she became an experienced
a young girl, she would often go pilot. By mid-1922, thanks to her
to the local airport with her father persistent character, she received her
to watch the planes land and take pilot’s license.
off. She vowed that one day she
too would learn to fly. Her desires (6) Shortly after getting her license,
and successes, like those of many Earhart bought her first airplane. This
ordinary and famous people, came was a remarkable achievement in those
from her childhood dreams. days. Many considered flying a “man’s”
job, and women were discouraged and rarely
(3) Earhart spent her teenage years in supported in their efforts to become pilots. But,
Chicago. In 1919, at the age of in her new plane, she made her name known
twenty-two, she began to prepare for in aviation circles. She entered many and won
a career in Medicine at a university in numerous flying competitions and shows
New York. During World War I, she across the United States.
served as a military nurse in Canada.
Despite the demands of her career, Earhart Sets Her First Record
she continued to develop her interests
in flying. (7) In 1927, an America air mail pilot named
Charles Lindbergh, nicknamed Lindy, set a
(4) Earhart’s first encounter with an airplane world’s record by becoming the first person to
came on Christmas Day, 1920, when her father fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. It was an
2. achievement celebrated around the world. fuel tank. She felt she would not reach Paris as
Within a year Earhart was invited to become Lindbergh had done five years earlier. To
the first woman to make the Atlantic crossing avoid a crash, she made an emergency
by air. A float plane named the Friendship, landing in an Irish cow pasture. Despite not
flew her and a crew from Trepassey, reaching her destination, Earhart had
Newfoundland, to England. The flight through completed the Atlantic crossing solo. In the
harsh weather, including snow squalls and process, she had set a new record of thirteen
freezing rain, last 20 hours 40 minutes. She hours and thirty minutes.
instantly became famous, but she felt she did
not deserve this recognition. After all, she (10) Like Lindbergh, Earhart received many
reasoned, she was just a passenger and had awards and lots of attention for her record
not flown the plane flight. The press called her quot;Lady Lindyquot;. She
too was tall and slim, with short, wind-swept
hair. In fact, she looked so much like Charles
Earhart’s Solo Trans-Atlantic
Lindbergh she could have
Flight
passed for his sister. In
writing about the flight,
(8) As Earhart’s interests
Earhart said she had made
and abilities became well-
it to prove that quot;... women
known across the United
can do most things that a
States, many people
man can do. Not
encouraged her to make
everything,” she added,
the Atlantic crossing solo
“but certainly jobs requiring
too. This achievement
intelligence, coordination,
would secure her place in
speed, coolness, and will
aviation history foorever.
power.quot; It was a lesson that
On May 20, 1932, the fifth
would influence hundreds of young women,
anniversary of Lindbergh’s trip, Amelia began
even up to today.
her attempt. She set out from a tiny airfield in
Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and headed
towards the eastern horizon. Europe and a
Earhart Inspires Many Young
world’s record awaited her.
Women
(9) Earhart’s Atlantic crossing was difficult and
dangerous. She flew her Lockheed Vega, now (11) By the 1930's, Earhart had accomplished
equipped with a large tank a radio and new a lot for female pilots. In 1929 she helped
navigation instruments, for the long trip. During found the “Ninety-Nines,” an international club
the trip she flew through a lightning storm, and of women pilots and served as its first
once almost crashed into the ocean. Blown off president from 1930 to 1932. She used every
course and battling strong winds, she opportunity to promote careers for women in
approached Ireland. After thirteen hours of aviation and to support the use of airplanes for
non-stop flying, the exhaust pipes of her Vega the transportation of passengers. By 1931,
were burned out and fuel was leaking from the there were about 300 licensed women pilots in
3. the United States, many of whom were inspired unsolved mysteries of the 20th century. On the
by Earhart. most difficult leg of the trip, Earhart and her
navigator vanished near an island in the
Pacific Ocean. Intense searching by both the
Earhart Sets Many New Records
American and Japanese armed forces found
no trace of them or their plane. People began
(12) At a time when women were extremely
to speculate about her disappearance. Some
rare in technical and scientific areas, Amelia
argued that the flight was a spy mission to
Earhart became even more famous as she set
gather data on Japan prior to the United States
many other records around the world. After her
entry into World War II. Some even believe
trans-Atlantic flight in 1932, Earhart continued
she was the victim of an abduction by aliens.
to set new records and beat others set by
Most people, especially in aviation, firmly
other aviators, both male and female. In
believed that Amelia Earhart, driven by her
January 1935, for example, she outdid her
passion for flying, disappeared in an accident.
Atlantic flight in distance by making a solo
This was supported by stories from the
flight from Hawaii to California, the first pilot to
islanders of the area who tell of a downed
successfully make the trip. Her numerous
flight. Recently, a metal fragment was
accomplishments during the 1930's earned her
recovered from one of the islands and
the Distinguished Flying Cross, the first
positively matched to the type of metal used in
women to win the award. Many of her firsts
her plane. But no wreckage or bodies have
were associated with new equipment such as
ever been recovered.
two-way radio, new propeller controls and
improvements in aircraft design.
(15) Although only a few facts are known about
the July 2, 1937 disappearance in the central
Earhart’s Attempt to Fly Round Pacific, one thing is certain: Amelia Earhart
the World had made a unique and timeless contribution
to aviation and to women in aviation which will
(13) In July 1936, Amelia Earhart received a
go unchallenged for decades to come.
new plane. It was designed for a
round-the-world flight. If she succeeded, it
Earhart Remembered in Gander
would not be an aviation first, but it would be
the longest– nearly 48,000 kilmetres. It would
(16) To honour her accomplishments in
be completed in stages and closely following
aviation, one of the first streets in the new town
the equator.
of Gander was named Earhart Street and is
located off Fraser Road, just down from our
(14) The round-the-world flight placed Amelia
school.
Earhart in the center of one of the greatest
6. Identifying Topics:
What are the topics in this passage on Amelia Earhart?
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Which topics would likely contain information on each of the following?
a. How Earhart spent some of here childhood time?
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b. What conditions Earhart faced on her solo trans-Atlantic flight?
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c. When Earhart got her pilot’s license?
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d. What happened to Earhart on her round-the-world flight?
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Finding Facts:
Scan the passage and find the information that complete the following.
Earhart’s birthday: ________________________________________________________________
Where Earhart landed in Europe: _____________________________________________________
The day Earhart disappeared: _____________________________________________________
The name of the women’s pilot organization she founded: ________________________________
The date Earhart started her solo flight across the Atlantic: ________________________________
Where Earhart started her solo trans-Atlantic flight: _____________________________________
The kind of pilot that gave Earhart her first ride: _____________________________________
The kind of airplane Earhart use the fly the Atlantic: _____________________________________
7. Reading Comprehension Questions
1. What connections did Amelia Earhart have to Canada and to Newfoundland?
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2. Why was Earhart called a “tom-boy” by her friends?
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3. What difficulties did Earhart have during her flight across the Atlantic?
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4. Why was Earhart called “Lady Lindy”?
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8.
9. Your opinion
1. Do you think Earhart would be called a “tomboy” today? Why or Why not?
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2. How was Earhart an inspiration to young women?
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3. What kind of person must Earhart have been to accomplish her goals in aviation?
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