What exactly did Amelia Earhart do that was so impressive?

Question

She seems to have gotten a lot of credit for doing not so much. She married a millionaire tycoon, who used her as a prop to build publicity. She never actually flew 'solo' anywhere. She always had a male onboard, including her last flight with her navigator. She wrecked more aircraft than any pilot of her time. Why is she so misrepresented in history, or am I missing something?

Answer 1

1897—1937, American aviator, b. Atchison, Kans. She was the first woman to cross the Atlantic by airplane (1928) and the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic (1932). She was the first person to fly alone from Honolulu to California (1935). In 1937, she attempted with a copilot, Frederick J. Noonan, to fly around the world, but her plane was lost on the flight between New Guinea and Howland Island. In 1992, a search party reported finding remnants of Earhart's plane on Nikumaroro (formerly Gardner Island), Kiribati, but their claims were disputed by people who worked on Earhart's plane, and her fate remains a mystery. In 1964, Geraldine Mock was the first woman to successfully complete Earhart's round-the-world route. Earhart was married to G. P. Putnam (1887—1950) in 1931.

Answer 2

I have frequently asked similar questions. If Amelia had been a man we wouldn't know the name at all. Perhaps an obscure footnote somewhere but absolutely no notoriety.

It would be interesting to poll a huge sampling of Americans. I would love to investigate name recognition between Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

Answer 3

Your 'question' (diatribe) is wrong, in that she DID make several solo record flights (first woman to . . .)

Still, I agree that she would have been just a footnote of aviation history if not for the 'mystery' surrounding her disappearance. Did she simply lose her way, run out of fuel, and crash? Was she forced down by the Japanese, captured and executed?

Answer 4

You have to look at it in context of the time in history. Sure, in today's world it wouldn't be impressive, but back then it was considered extremely brave and risky for a male to fly---female, just about unheard of!! So, yes, I do think she deserves a place in history (even if she did have a man sitting beside or behind her).

Answer 5

Nope your not missing anything. As a matter of fact I think you are very astute. Amelia Earhart was a huge and very rich news story. That's all

Answer 6

Her disappearance became a mystery and everyone loves a mystery. Look at Marilyn Monroe and the Black Dahlia, total mysteries both of them.

Answer 7

She was the first woman to fly a plane across the world.

Answer 8

She got lost and no one has been able to find her or the plane.

Answer 9

She tripped and became a myth