Debrief

Amelia Rose Earhart shares more than a name with her legendary aviatrix ancestor. She is recreating some of the flying milestones that led up to Amelia Mary Earhart’s 1937 attempt to encircle the globe. Amelia Rose hopes to fly around the world in 2015. She blogs her adventures online.

Started in aviation…Having the name Amelia Earhart [her namesake and sharing common ancestry] always prompted people to ask me if I was a pilot. I so desperately wanted to be able to say yes.

Early challenges…Financing a passion that at times seemed impossible to afford while in college…I had to make sacrifices and really plan for what made me happy most: flying.

Tough lessons…Extended time away from the airplane meant that I would slow down the speed of my learning. I tried to tell myself that I could take one lesson a week and still move forward, but I was spending so much time reacquainting myself with the airplane that time was lost on learning new material.

Favorite aviation activity…Planning for a cross-country flight. It covers all aspects of flight, from the romantic daydreaming of where you want to fly, to the practical calculations of fuel, distance, and aircraft performance. It takes you out of your comfort zone; it forces you to plan ahead, work with other pilots in unfamiliar airspace, and each flight is truly an adventure.

Advice for students…Never, ever, ever, stop loving the romance of flight. Allow yourself to fall in love with the sky, the airplane, and the feeling of taking off on a new adventure each time you fly. Pilots are extraordinary people, and we are lucky to be born with such a passion for adventure.