AMELIA EARHART - Last Flight by Amelia Earhart, arranged by George Palmer Putnam

Last Flight

by Amelia Earhart, arranged by George Palmer Putnam

Copyright 1937

QUOTES FOR DISCUSSION

He ne'er is crowned

With immortality - who fears to follow

Where airy voices lead.

Keats

This is the story of "Last Flight." It was to have been called "World Flight," but fate willed otherwise. It is almost entirely written by Amelia Earhart herself.

Pg. ix, Foreward

 "The time to worry," she declared, "is three months before a flight. Decide then whether or not the goal is worth the risk involved. If it is, stop worrying. To worry is to add another hazard. It retards reactions makes one unfit. Hamlet," she'd add with that infectious grin, "would have been a bad aviator. He worried too much."

Pg. x, Foreward

The next airplane which impinged upon my consciousness was about the time of the armistice.  For aviation in those days was very limited. About all a pilot could do was to joy-hop. That is (1) taking a few hearty passengers for short rides; (2) teaching even harder students to fly; and (3) giving exhibitions. The idea that airplanes could be transportation as today entered nobody's noggin.

Pg. 5

Pilots, in 1918, to relieve the monotony of never going anywhere, rolled their wheels on the top of moving freight trains; flew so low over boats that the terrified occupants lay flat on the deck; or they dived at crowds on the beach or at picnics. Today of course the Department of Commerce would ground a pilot for such antics.

Pg. 6

I think my mother realized before I did how much airplanes were beginning to mean to me, for she helped me by the first one.

Pg. 8

Anyway, I showed my pilot's license (it happened to be the first granted an American woman by F.A.I.) and inwardly prepared to start back for Boston.

Pg. 10

With these activities came opportunity to know women everywhere who shared my conviction that there is so much women can do in the modern world and should be permitted to do irrespective of their sex. Probably my greatest satisfaction was to indicate by example now and then, that women can sometimes do things themselves if given the chance.

Pg. 12

That Man-who-was-to-find-a-girl-to-fly-the-Atlantic, who found me and then managed the flight, was George Palmer Putnam. In 1913 we married. Mostly my flying has been solo, but the preparation for it wasn't. Without my husband's help and encouragement I could not have attempted what I have.

Pg. 12

That was thoroughly informal flying. Pilot landed in pastures, race courses, even golf links where they were still enough of a novelty to be welcome. In those days domestic animals scurried to the fancied protection of trees and barns when the flying monsters roared above them. Now along the airways there's not enough curiosity left for a self-respecting cow even to lift her head to see what goes on in the sky.

Pg. 13

Looking back, there are less cheering recollections of that night over the Atlantic... not the least the feeling of fine loneliness and of realization that the machine I rode was doing its best and required for me the best I had.

Pg. 17

I don't drink tea or coffee so I had none with me... I carried a thermos bottle of hot chocolate.

Pg. 22

I saw that what wind I had was with me. That was a disadvantage. You realize a plane takes off against the wind, not with it, just as a small boy flies his kite. He doesn't run with the wind to get his kite into the air, but runs against it. Of course an airplane is simply a kite with a motor instead of the small boy.

Pg. 25

However, I had the cockpit window open a bit and the cold rain beat in on me until I became thoroughly chilled. I thought it would be rather pleasant to have a cup of hot chocolate. So I did, and it was. Indeed that was the most interesting cup of chocolate I have ever had, sitting up eight thousand feet over the middle of the Pacific Ocean, quite alone.

Pg. 29

I remember saying into my little hand microphone, "I'm getting tired of this fog." My message was picked up, "I'm getting tired." So a nurse and physician were dispatched to the airport at Auckland to revive the exhausted flyer when and if she arrived. Of course I wasn't tired at all. No one should undertake a long flight who becomes fatigued after staying up just one night under normal flying conditions.

Pg. 31

The Landing at Oakland contrasted with that in Ireland in 1932. Near Londonderry, after scaring most of the cows in the neighborhood, I pulled up in a farmer's back yard. Three people came out to see what was in the airplane. I pushed the hatch back and stuck out my head. Not knowing the proper phrase for the situation I simply said, "I'm from America." It made no impression whatsoever on the reception committee.

Pg. 32

I couldn't believe my ears. Did Wiley Post, the man who braved every sort of hazard in his stratosphere flying, really regard a simple little flight from Mexico City to New York across the Gulf as too hazardous? If so, I could scarcely wait to be on my way.

Pg. 35

My knowledge of geography ; at least theoretically -increased from week to week.

Pg. 52

Indeed, so easily was the plane moving down the runway that I thought the take-off was actually over. In ten seconds more we would have been off the ground, without landing gear tucked up and on our way southwestward. There was not the slightest indication of anything abnormal. Ten seconds later the airplane which brought us so gallantly to Honolulu lay helpless on the concrete runway, a poor battered bird with broken wings.

Pg. 71

But the plane, her landing gear wiped off and one wing damaged, was a sad sight to see. At that, the comparatively slight damage was a fine testimonial to the sturdiness of Lockheed construction - such an accident might will result in total washout.

Pg. 71

... the sad truth that the stress and strains of an airplane accident and its aftermath are just as severe financially as they are mechanically. On the prosaic dollar-and-cent side friends helped generously, but even so, to keep going I more-or-less mortgaged the future. Without regret, however, for what are futures for?

Pg. 78

In addition to routine passports and visas, in much of the territory it was necessary to secure a special authority to land a plane. Here and there were forbidden regions over which when might not fly. In and over other territories no firearms or motion picture cameras were permitted.

Pg. 78

And my mail! A good way to realize how many people would like to fly around the world is to start such an undertaking and then see what the mailman brings.

Many of my most precious letters came from youngsters.

Pg. 80

Then the custom of being "named after." It's a common phenomenon for babies to have fastened on them the names of newsworthy people, and divers infants, apparently, have been inflicted with "Amelia."

Pg. 81

Shortly before the Oakland take-off Fred was in a serious automobile accident. Soon after our return to California he survived another Highway smash-up.  So he and Mrs. Noonan or eager for him to take to the air for safety!

Pg. 84

(In the days that followed A.E. had no time to write. "We'll catch up on that later," she said. "I want to do a careful account of this final job getting ready for a long flight. It's really colorful and I think could be made interesting even for non-flyers."

The opportunity to catch up never came. Instead of filling in myself, I've chosen to present something of the story of that week before departure in words written at the time by C. B. Allen of the New York Herald Tribune, a good friend who was with us at Miami. G.P.P.)

Pg. 87

...they all naturally had preconceived notions about a woman pilot bent on a 'stunt' flight - not very favorable notions, either. It was undoubtedly something of a shock to discover that the 'gal' with who they had to do Not only was an exceptionally pleasant and reasonable human being who 'knew her stuff'...

Pg. 88

Any lingering doubts were dispelled when it developed that this particular woman aviator was not only was thoroughly familiar with every part of her airplane, but was not above helping push it in and out of the hanger or lending a hand on any job where it was needed or her advice or presence was required. A little grease or oil on her olive drab slacks or plaid, short-sleeved shirt, or even in her tousled hair habitually was dismissed by Miss Earhart with a chuckle when anyone called her attention to the matter.

Pg. 89

A great advantage in visiting a pilot is knowing that one's host comprehends a pilot's needs. Which, when much flying lies ahead, are mostly negative. We wanted quiet and sleep. When politely possible, it was helpful to avoid functions and people - even the pleasantest people, for meeting and talking to them at immeasurably to the fatigue factor, nervous and physical.

Pg. 101

But how many of the earthbound realize the relative nearness of sunlight above the cloud-covering? How many know that perhaps only three thousand feet above the gray dank world my plane, if I will it, may emerge into sunlight over a billowy sea of clouds stretching away into blue infinity.

Pg. 108

Yesterday I had my introduction to a continent new to me. Today I crossed the equator for the first time. Fred had plotted an appropriate ceremony, himself officiating as an aerial King Neptune. But at the time the Electra's shadow passed over the mythical Line we were both so occupied he quite forgot to duck me with the Thermos bottle of cold water which he later confessed had been provided for the occasion.

Pg. 116

I went tourist and took pictures of burros loaded with produce and human beings.

Pg. 122

Cows seem to have a special place about the fringes of my flying. A group of them were munching breakfast in the heavy grass at the edge of Fortalezas airport when we appeared at dawn. They just didn't like the commotion created by the Electra's engines warming up. They showed their hurt feelings not by silly protest, but gravely stalking away, turning a cold shoulder (plus hind-quarters) on the interloper. Proud cows, those. Likely they were kin to some haughty hero of the bull-ring.

Pg. 122

At luncheon I could hardly realize that I was in South America, for the food was so like that at home - corn on the cob and apple pie a la mode. Speaking of food, everyone took pity on us

Pg. 125

With him especially I was ashamed of my illiteracy. But my French is rudimentary, particularly the aviation brand, which is not taught in school. Instead I remember questions about my uncle's health and my aunt's umbrella, about walking in the "jardin" and shutting the " fenêtre," none of which helps appreciably.

Pg. 141

Incidentally, all the advanced class about passports, permissions, medical certificates and such, apparently was love's labor lost. Up to Dakar no one had asked for passport. There were no custom examinations, no inspections. About the only formality was signing the police register in St Louis. Officialdom expected us, knew our plans, and that our papers were in order. So why be troublesome? All together an understanding attitude.

Pg. 142

You remember, of course, George Adolpus, the Goop who made his mother cry?

"The Goops they gug and gumble,

They spill their broth

On the tablecloth,

They lead disgusting lives."

Pg. 154

Daybreak starts had been the order of our going because it was wise to get flying finished by noon when possible. Normally, the greatest heat came after midday, to be avoided both by man and machine. Not that either Fred or I particularly minded the occasional broiling of cockpit or fuselage (often the outer coating of the plane's metal was too hot to touch, while the temperatures of its innards sometimes were so high for our piece of mine we avoided recording them). But very hot air can make difficult flying. It is thin and lacks lifting power.

Pg. 158

From the heights we saw the Red Sea. It is not red, but blue. (Both the Blue and the White Nile are green.)

Pg. 167

Massawa admits to being one of the hottest cities in the world. In the summer the thermometer often hits 120 degrees in the shade. For a typical July the mean temperature was 94, twenty degrees hotter than the average for the hottest month in New York - truly a mean temperature!

Pg. 167

Just what is a "monsoon"? I sought the answer to that question long ago. The books say the name was originally given by the Arabs to seasonal winds which blow approximately six months from the northeast and six months from the southwest. In India, the term is especially used for the rain which falls from June to September when the prevailing winds shifts to the Southwest.

Pg. 194

So much for "book learning." Practical experience commenced the following morning. During the hours of the night the monsoon went to work, although only mildly. Its full fury was reserved until we were safely - or unsafely - in the skies.

Pg. 194

I felt as if I were dreaming, to be flying over such fabulous waters, with the shores of Siam on the right and Cambodia on the left.

Pg. 204

Along that day's route I was interested to see charming towns which looked from the air much like those at home. Many had familiar white circles in emergency and regular landing areas, but, unlike those in the United States, few buildings displayed community names on the roofs to help flyers locate exact position.

Pg. 204

The fields and valleys were upholstered with a deep piled green jungle in an unbelievably continuous covering made by separate trees. There were gashes in the verdant carpet of the hills and lowlands, where the roads of rubber plantations and tin mines challenged the forest. But the green growth is unconquerable. Given its head, it swallows up man's puny scratchings almost overnight in the hungry way the jungles have.

Pg. 205

I explained our disagreeable habit of getting up at three in the morning and falling asleep immediately after dinner.

Pg. 206

I end. A.E.'s book with a paragraph reproduced from a letter she wrote me before a dangerous flight - a letter to be read if it proved to be Last Flight. G.P.P.

Please know I am quite aware of the hazards I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.

Pg. 228