The Airplane Built to Circle the Earth

Name: The Airplane Built to Circle the Earth
Genre: Documentary

University backing, presidential access, and a specially equipped Electra bring Earhart's most dangerous ambition within reach.

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Transcript

Earhart's first attempt to reach Howland Island ended with a damaged plane.
On April 19th, 1936, Purdue University announced the Amelia Earhart Fund for Aeronautical Research.
Contributions to the Purdue fund reached about $50,000.
Earhart purchased a twin-motored Lockheed Electra 10E to attempt her round-the-world flight.
Extra fuel tanks, automatic pilot, deicing equipment, and radios filled the aircraft.
She intended to study how long-distance flying affected pilots during the world flight.
Her original team included Fred Noonan and Harry Manning, with Noonan assigned to navigate Hawaii toward Howland.
After consulting weather maps and meteorologists, Earhart chose an eastward route.
The eastward route offered the stronger weather choice.
The test flight began under uncertain skies.
The three crew members escaped the crash without injuries.
The Electra was repaired in California from March through May 1937.
Earhart told Roosevelt she undertook the flight to show what women could do.
She asked for Navy permission to refuel at Midway, and Roosevelt wrote, “Do what we can.”
But on the first westward attempt, the world-flight Electra would not leave Luke Field intact.

But on the first westward attempt, the world-flight Electra would not leave Luke Field intact.

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