Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart was a famous American pilot. She was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897. She was the first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean. She disappeared in 1937 while trying to fly around the world.

Early Life

Earhart was a tomboy who loved adventure. She saw an airplane at a fair when she was 10 but was not impressed at first. At age 23, she took her first airplane ride and fell in love with flying. She worked odd jobs to pay for flying lessons.

Amelia Earhart standing beneath the nose of her airplane in 1937.
Amelia Earhart standing beneath the nose of her airplane in 1937. (Underwood & Underwood (active 1880 – c. 1950)[1] / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

In 1928, Earhart became the first woman to cross the Atlantic by plane, as a passenger. In 1932, she flew solo across the Atlantic. She set many speed and distance records. In 1937, she tried to fly around the world but disappeared over the Pacific Ocean.

Fun Facts

  • Earhart kept a scrapbook of newspaper clippings about successful women.
  • She designed her own line of clothing and luggage.
  • Her plane disappeared near Howland Island in the Pacific, and it has never been found.

Did You Know?

People have searched for Earhart's plane for decades. Despite many theories and searches, no one knows for sure what happened to her. Her disappearance remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.