Amelia Mary Earhart (time line)

Leaves Columbia University after one semester

Joins her parents in Los Angeles, California

Takes her first flight with Frank Hawks

Completes her flying lessons with Neta Snook and purchases her first aircraft - the Kinner Airster

L–R: Neta Snook and Amelia Earhart in front of Earhart's Kinner Airster

Sells Kinner Airster and buys an automobile

Drives her mother to Massachusetts and settles with her younger sister, Muriel

Is recognized as the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean as a passenger (June)
Buys Avro Avian Airplane

Writes 20 Hrs. 40 Min
Completes the first transcontinental flight by a woman (Sept/October)

Amelia Earhart, Los Angeles, 1928

Acquires a single engine Lockheed Vega aircraft

Competes in Women's Air Derby (Santa Monica to Cleveland) - finishes in third place

Helps organize The Ninety-Nines (November)

Sets the women's world flying speed record of 181.18 mph (July)

Acquires her air transport license (October)

Becomes the first president of The Ninety-Nines

Marries George Palmer Putnam in Noank, Connecticut (February)

Acquires an autogiro and sets a women's autogiro altitude record of 18,415 feet (April)

Completes her first solo transcontinental flight in an autogiro for the Beechnut Company (May/June)

Writes The Fun of It 

Becomes the first woman (and second person) to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in her single engine Lockheed Vega and the first person to cross the Atlantic twice by air

Sets women's record for fastest non-stop transcontinental flight (Los Angeles, California to Newark, New Jersey) in 19 hrs and 5 mins (August)

Is awarded the Army Air Corps Distinguished Flying Cross

Becomes the second non-British pilot to receive Honorary Membership in the British Guild of Airpilots and Navigators

Is awarded the Gold Medal of the National Geographic Society, presented by President Herbert Hoover

Receives honorary membership in the National Aeronautic Association

Wins the Harmon Trophy as America's Outstanding Airwoman

Studio portrait of Amelia Earhart, c. 1932

Participates in the National Air Races in Los Angeles, California

Breaks her own North American transcontinental record with a flying time of 17 hours, 7 minutes, 30 seconds

Wins the Harmon Trophy

Is the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean from Honolulu, Hawaii to Oakland, California in 17 hours and 7 minutes (January)

Is the first person to fly solo from Los Angeles, California to Mexico City, Mexico by official invitation from the Mexican Government (April)

Is the first woman to compete in the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio

Named America's Outstanding Airwoman by Harmon Trophy committee

Earhart and "old Bessie" Vega 5b c. 1935

Takes delivery of Lockheed twin-engined airplane financed by Purdue University (July)

Starts to plan her round-the-world flight


Earhart in the Electra cockpit, c. 1936

Begins her round-the-world flight in Oakland, California and sets a record for east-west (Oakland to Hawaii) travel in 15 hours and 47 minutes (March)

Ground loops plane while taking off from Hawaii for Howland Island and badly damages it (March)

Airplane is repaired and a second round-the-world attempt is started from Miami, Florida (June)

Disappears near Howland Island July 2, 1937


Amelia Earhart and Lockheed Electra 10E