Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Air Timeline

Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Air 22

1897 Amelia Earhart is born in Atchison, Kansas Birth of a future aviation pioneer Amelia Mary Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas, on 24 July 1897. She grew up in Kansas, Iowa and elsewhere in the Midwest.
1908 Amelia Earhart sees her first airplane at the Iowa State Fair An unimpressive first encounter with flight Earhart saw an airplane for the first time at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. She later recalled that it was not very interesting to her at the time.
1917 – 1918 Amelia Earhart serves as a nurse's aide in Toronto Wartime hospital work in Canada After visiting her sister in Toronto, Earhart trained as a nurse's aide and worked at a military hospital caring for wounded soldiers. She also watched Royal Flying Corps pilots training nearby.
1920 Amelia Earhart takes her first airplane ride A short flight in Long Beach that changed her plans Earhart went up as a passenger with pilot Frank Hawks at Long Beach, California. She decided immediately that she had to learn to fly.
1921 Amelia Earhart begins flying lessons Learning to fly with Neta Snook Earhart began flight instruction in Los Angeles with pioneer aviator Neta Snook. She worked a series of jobs to pay for lessons and later bought her first plane, a yellow Kinner Airster.
1922 Amelia Earhart sets a women's altitude record Reaches about 14,000 feet Flying near Los Angeles, Earhart set a women's altitude record of roughly 14,000 feet. It was her first notable aviation record.
1923 Amelia Earhart receives her pilot's license Sixth woman to hold an FAI license The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale issued Earhart pilot's license No. 6268. She was the sixth woman to receive one.
1928 Amelia Earhart crosses the Atlantic by air First woman to fly across the Atlantic Amelia Earhart flew from Trepassey, Newfoundland, to Burry Port, Wales, as a passenger aboard the Fokker seaplane Friendship, piloted by Wilmer Stultz. The flight made her an international celebrity. She flew the Atlantic solo in 1932.
1929 Amelia Earhart competes in the first Women's Air Derby Cross-country race from Santa Monica to Cleveland Earhart took part in the 1929 Women's Air Derby, nicknamed the Powder Puff Derby by humorist Will Rogers. She finished third in the race.
1929 Amelia Earhart helps found the Ninety-Nines Organisation of women pilots Earhart was among the women pilots who formed the Ninety-Nines at Curtiss Field, New York. She became its first elected president in 1931.
1931 Amelia Earhart marries George Putnam Wedding to her publisher and promoter Earhart married publisher George Palmer Putnam in Noank, Connecticut. Putnam had managed her publicity since the 1928 Atlantic flight.
1931 Amelia Earhart sets an autogiro altitude record Reaches about 18,415 feet in a Pitcairn autogiro Earhart flew a Pitcairn autogiro to roughly 18,415 feet, a world altitude record for the type. She later flew the autogiro across the United States.
1932 Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic First woman to fly the Atlantic alone Amelia Earhart took off from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, and landed in a pasture near Derry, Northern Ireland, about 15 hours later. She was the first woman to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic.
1932 Amelia Earhart receives the Distinguished Flying Cross First woman awarded the honour Congress awarded Earhart the Distinguished Flying Cross for her solo Atlantic flight. She was the first woman to receive it.
1932 Amelia Earhart flies nonstop across the United States First woman to fly solo and nonstop coast to coast Earhart flew from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey, setting a women's nonstop transcontinental record. It was the first such flight by a woman.
1935 Amelia Earhart joins the Purdue University faculty Visiting faculty member and career counsellor for women Earhart joined Purdue University as a visiting faculty member advising women on careers. The Purdue Research Foundation later helped fund her aircraft.
1935 Earhart flies solo from Hawaii to California First solo flight across the Pacific to the mainland Amelia Earhart flew alone from Wheeler Field, Honolulu, to Oakland, California, in about 18 hours. She was the first person to make the flight solo.
1935 Amelia Earhart flies solo from Los Angeles to Mexico City Another long-distance first Earhart flew from Burbank, California, to Mexico City, where she was welcomed by crowds and officials. She flew back to Newark in May.
1936 Amelia Earhart acquires her Lockheed Electra The aircraft built for a world flight Earhart took delivery of a Lockheed Electra 10E, which she called a flying laboratory. She planned to use it to fly around the world near the equator.
1937 Amelia Earhart's first world-flight attempt ends in a crash at Honolulu Electra damaged on takeoff at Luke Field Earhart's first westbound attempt began at Oakland in March, but the Electra was badly damaged in a takeoff accident at Luke Field, Hawaii. The aircraft was shipped back for repairs.
1937 Amelia Earhart begins her second world-flight attempt Eastbound departure from Miami Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan left Miami on a new, eastbound route around the world. They flew via South America, Africa, India and Southeast Asia.
1937 Amelia Earhart disappears over the Pacific Earhart and Fred Noonan vanish near Howland Island Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared near Howland Island during an attempt to fly around the world. A large US Navy and Coast Guard search found no trace of them or their Lockheed Electra. Their fate is still one of aviation's best-known mysteries.