Linda Finch - World Flight 1997

World Flight 1997

Finch’s main notability is that she had faithfully recreated the ill-fated last flight of Amelia Earhart. To fulfill Amelia Earhart's dream, the recreation of the 1937 around-the-world flight of Earhart was known as "World Flight 1997." Finch’s flight marked the 60th anniversary of Earhart's failed effort as well as centennial of her birth.

History records that Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, the first woman to fly nonstop across the United States and first woman to fly from Hawaii to the west coast of California. The whole world was watching Amelia Earhart when she began her global attempt and of course then mourned her when the plane came up missing without a trace. Earhart was lost somewhere in the south Pacific Ocean. Finch hoped in her recreation of the Earhart circumnavigation, that children around the world would understand Earhart’s courage, hope and determination, and find heroes in their own lives - heroes that would teach them to also "reach for the sky".

Finch flew a restored 1935 Lockheed Electra 10E, the same make and model aircraft as Earhart on her last journey. Finch did this historic flight, and education and communication program with the help of a large team, including navigators, provided by the Jeppeson Company, including Denny Ghirendelli, each navigator flying part of the route.