OTD Amelia Earhart

January 11, 1935

“All Ok“

Amelia Earhart departs from Hawaii & becomes the first person to fly solo from the Hawaiian islands to California.

Why This Mattered

Although Amelia became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic just year’s earlier, becoming the first person to fly solo from Honolulu to Oakland, CA was arguably a far greater accomplishment.

It’s a longer trip, with more time over the water, and greater risk to the pilot.

“The night I found over the Pacific was a night of stars. They seemed to rise from the sea and hang outside my cockpit window, near enough to touch, until hours later they slipped away into the dawn.”

Amelia Earhart describing her 18-hour journey that included a rainy takeoff (complete with worrisome emergency crew nearby) and a hot chocolate at 8,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean.

Amelia’s Firsts

• First woman to fly solo nonstop across America (1932).
• First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (1932).
• First person to fly solo from Hawaii to California (1935).
• First person to fly solo from Los Angeles to Mexico City (1935).
• In 1937, Amelia started her fateful final voyage, attempting to fly around the world.

Amelia didn’t just fly. She also created a fashion line for “the woman who lives actively” that included flight suits for female aviators and wrinkle-free clothing for the female traveler.