Disappear in Thin Air by Olga Castillo

     

For many years, people have wondered, what happened to Amelia Earhart? Did her plane landed on an island? Did the Japanese capture her? Or did she die at sea? Amelia Earhart was a famous pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Earhart not only broke many records in her lifetime but proved that woman can have a career in aviation too. In June 1937, attempting to fly around the world at the equator, her plane mysteriously disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. No trace of Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot were ever found. Amelia Earhart just vanished, disappearing from the face of the earth. Many theories surfaced, such as the famous American aviator landed safely and returned to the United States, changed her identity and lived a long life. Some suggest the Japanese took Amelia Earhart as prisoner. However, other evidences show she may have died at sea. Whichever theories people decide to believe, Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot disappearance still remains an unsolved mystery.

Amelia Earhart was a dare devil and tomboy. She was born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas, a famous American aviator, also known as, “Lady Lindy” because her slim build and external facial features resembled that of Charles Lindbergh, a female activist, bright, fearless and highly motivated to courageously

the aviation world in an era where men dominated (“Biography”). Because of her daring adventures, Amelia Earhart was courageous and made impressions on the world. Amelia Earhart said, “Never interrupt, someone doing something you said couldn’t be done.” Amelia Earhart believed, “Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others” (Earhart). Some of Amelia’s internal traits were she was a risk taker and accepted the risk in the aeronautic career to prove men and women are equal.

Amelia started her incredible journey on January 3, 1921 and for a hobby, she began flying lessons (Winters 39). Six months later, Amelia purchased her first plane, for her 25^th birthday - a beginner’s plane she called “the Canary” (Pelt 44) (1).  Amelia Earhart’s unconventional dreams began on May 15, 1923, she received her pilot license from Federation Aeronautique Internationale; she was the sixteenth woman in the world to earn her license. On October 22, 1922, she broke women’s high altitude of 14,000 feet (“Achievements”) (“Early Life”). On June 17, 1928, Amelia was invited to become the first women to fly over the Atlantic Ocean as a passenger. Amelia embarked the challenge that changed her hobby into a career. The 20 hours and 40 minutes flight made “Lady Lindy” an instant celebrity overnight (“First Transatlantic Flight”). Amelia Earhart changed the world of a women’s career to traditional to untraditional career. Her experienced brought worldwide attention and admiration. Determined to prove a women can be successful too, she participated in the First Women’s Air Derby, winning in third place. She continued setting women’s speed record for 100 kilometers with no load and with a load of 500 kilograms. She became obsessed in breaking her previous speed records over three times. On April 8, 1934, again Amelia Earhart made history in setting new women’s autogiro altitude record with 18,450 feet (“Achievements”).

Amelia’s last flight made her famous and a legend. On June 1, 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan climbed into her Lockheed Electra determined to make the unachievable fly by flying around the world at the equator (unknown). After traveling, 22,000 miles, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, Amelia Mary Earhart and her navigator, vanished. Immediately, a rescued attempt initiated, but no fate of Amelia Earhart and her navigator, or her Lockheed Electra plane (Pelt 193). On July 18, 1937, after searching over 250,000 miles of ocean and the United Stated government spent 4 million dollars, the search party was discontinued (Winters 213).

Amelia’s internal and external traits led to achievements that far outshine the tragedy of the single incomplete fight that ended her life” (Pelt 221). Amelia demonstrated to the world, women can establish a career as well as men. “She proved, too, that women could combine marriage with careers...”and her passion for flying changed the view of passenger airlines (Pelt 222) (“Amelia Earhart Documentary”). After 78 years, Amelia Earhart and her navigator disappeared, which remains an unsolved mystery. She continues to be admired for her heroism in a time when female roles were traditional.

Many conspiracy theories emerged in the Amelia Earhart disappearance. The first conspiracy theory suggested that Amelia Earhart and co-pilot, Fred Noonan” landed on Nikumaroro Island located about 400 miles south of Howland...(Pelt 215). It is insinuated “ she could have been secretly rescued from a Japanese prison, returned to the U.S. and assumed the identity of bank Irene Bolam until her death in 1982” (storehouse.com). Although there is no proof of evidence to confirm the allegations.

The second conspiracy theory proposed that the United States had sent Amelia and Noonan to fly over Japanese holding in the Pacific to discover whether Japan had been illegally fortifying their islands in preparation for war... The plane likely landed in the area after they had difficulty locating Howland Island, and might have been captured by the Japanese… (Pelt 208). However, the United States and Japanese denied any involvement in Amelia and Noon disappearance (Pelt 209). 

The last conspiracy theory points to be the most logical theory in the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan. They recognized that the most difficult part of the journey would be crossing the Pacific Ocean (King 25). The coast to coast flight was not well planned out before take-off (biography.com). To begin with, flying to Howland Island to refuel would be the hardest with no noticeable landmark. Howland Island would not be visible from “1000 feet above sea level to land”…(Pelt 193) because Howland Island, 20 feet high, 2 miles and a half mile wide…(193). It would be difficult for them to see from above sea level because the Electra’s was carrying the extra fuel that prevented a closer visibility of the island (cnn.com) (Pelt 192). Second, the United State Coast Guard stationed the Itasca ship at Howland Island and USS, Ontario, standing near Nikumaroro Islands to provided radio support and help guide for her safely to her destination (196). As Amelia and Noonan were flying to Howland Island, she signals Itasca for assistance to land, she was barely heard and mostly unreadable to Itasca (King 31). Itasca would use different frequencies to communicate with Amelia—she was not informed of the other frequencies to use. Not only, had Itasca believed her transmitter would be in range of the radio antenna, when unsuccessfully trying to communicate with Earhart. Itasca switched over to Morse key code to communicate—she discarded the antenna and Morse key code prior to take off because she worried that excess weight may prevent the take-off (cnn.com) (Pelt 196).

The two transmitter shared the same antenna so the information was contradictory and confusing for Amelia Earhart and Itasca.

The evidence proves that Amelia Earhart and co-pilot, Fred Noonan ran out of fuel and died at sea because it appeared that all signals between Amelia and Itasca were all wrong. Conducting a Conspiracy Theory Poll, results showed that 65% of those surveyed believed that Amelia Earhart ran out of fuel and died at sea.

There is similarly between The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) and United States government theories in the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and co-pilot, Fred Noonan, who ran out of fuel and was unable to locate the island. There is several other comparison with the conclusion of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan, too (www.history.com) (www.miamiherald.com).

The United State government suggests Amelia and co-pilot, Fred Noon were unable to locate the island so they ran out of fuel, crashed and sank into sea. However, TIGHAR concluded that Amelia and co-pilot, Fred Noonan landed, made radio distress calls for help and ran out of fuel for the distress calls stop. Many around the United States reported hearing the distressed call from Amelia Earhart. The calls were considered to be hoaxed and ignored because it was believed the radio antenna was too weak to receive signals from a shortwave radio (www.history.com). TIGHAR believes that Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan did not die in the plane crash but of starvation (www.miamiherald.com). The disappearances of Amelia Earhart and co-pilot, Fred Noonan remains one of the top unsolved aviation mysteries.

            For decades, people wondered what happened to Amelia. Had the plane landed on an island? Had the Japanese captured her? Or had she died at sea? Amelia Earhart wanted to be the first female to fly around the world at the equator at whatever cost. Although Amelia did not accomplish the world flight, she forever changed the role of traditional woman. She proved women are equal to men. Her determination and inspiration influenced women to accept challenges in a man’s world.