Up in the Air

Seventy years ago, an unsolved mystery took flight: Attempting to become the first woman to fly around the world, Amelia Earhart (along with navigator Fred J. Noonan) disappeared in the Pacific — her twin-engine Lockheed Electra never to be found. Before that fateful flight, Earhart had soared into history as a pioneering female pilot. She fell in love with flying when she took her first plane ride in 1920, and went on to break numerous flying records. Born July 24, 1897, Earhart was also an outspoken feminist. She believed “women can do most things that a man can do,” and her airborne achievements proved the sky wasn't the limit for ladies' ambitions. Theories still abound as to what became of the renowned aviatrix — but Earhart's ancestry isn't a mystery. Celebrate National Aviation Month by learning the plane truth about her pedigree.