Chasing Earhart

"I think her story resonates with anybody who’s ever been told no they can’t do something and maybe have been frustrated with that answer. There’s this little girl who really pushed her boundaries and whether or not she was courageous or foolhardy I think at the end of the day the courageousness is what we focus on. Her story inspires readers to say “Maybe I can try something”. Project guest Dr. Mona Kerby is a lifelong educator and librarian. Writing for children in a way that has been praised by critics, educators and fans alike Dr. Kerby has a unique way of relating larger than life icons as everyday people. Tonight on the 66th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Dr. Kerby joins us via Zoom from her home in Maryland to breakdown and discuss her book "Amelia Earhart Courage in the Sky, the process of relating Amelia Earhart to children and why she believes that Amelia's story resonates with anyone that has ever struggled to accomplish their dreams.

Following the disappearance of aviation icons Amelia Earhart, Fred Noonan and their Lockheed Electra 10E in 1937, the world speculates on their fate; creating multiple theories to explain their vanishing over the Pacific Ocean. In 2018, documentarian Chris Williamson begins an investigation over a decade in the making. Shortly after his investigation begins, he soon finds there’s much more to this story than anyone ever thought possible. The first scripted podcast from ChrisEvan Films, Inc. “Vanished: Amelia Earhart” brings together a full audio drama production from the team that brings you the “Chasing Earhart Podcast”. Look out for the first episode of "Vansihed: Amelia Earhart" on January 5th 2019 on all major podcast platforms.

“Amelia Earhart was an explorer and an adventurer who took risks and someone who was doing so in a time where it may not have been attractive or easy to do something like that as a woman. I kind of see somebody who doesn’t really care what the status quo is and is doing whatever the hell she wants anyway.” Emily Calandrelli is a lot of things. A speaker, an author a STEM advocate and a scientist. For us though she is yet another living embodiment of what Amelia Earhart stood for all those years ago. Using her powerful platform to motivate and empower young women to act, Emily is recognized all around the world as her alter ego "The Space Gal" in her rousing Ted Talks and discussions that stir emotion and action. Tonight on the 65th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Emily joins us via Zoom to discuss the current state of STEM, what needs to be done to improve the numbers of women in STEM and why she believes that the adventures of Amelia Earhart send shockwaves through STEM and aviation that still last to this day.

“The defiant human spirit is something that we all have the potential to tap into and that’s what Amelia had; she had this defiant spirit and the defiant spirit is saying “ I’m not gonna let life beat me; I’m gonna go out and live fully and fearlessly”. It’s about getting out there and doing the things that ignite you.” Janine Shepherd is a living, breathing miracle. A former cross-country ski champion, Janine was on her way to the Winter Olympics when tragedy struck in the form of an accident that left her body broken. Fighting for her very life, Janine brought herself back from the brink of death to become one of the world's most recognizable motivational speakers. Finding a second life in aviation as well as motivational speaking, Janine has shaped the hearts and hopes of millions of people all over the world. Tonight, season two of the Chasing Earhart podcast continues our icon series by welcoming Janine via Zoom to talk about her near life-ending accident, life's second chances and why she believes that Amelia Earhart demonstrated grit and tenacity by living a life filled with the "defiant human spirit".

“I think for women she was a symbol of freedom and independence and her fame made her larger than life. Her story and her disappearance live on as the ultimate historical mystery. That idea keeps her alive in people’s minds in a way that a lot of figures from history aren’t.” Of all the missing persons cases in history, perhaps no other has captured the world like that of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan. Continuing to captivate the planet now for over eight decades, their disappearance over the Pacific Ocean on the morning of July the 2nd 1937 made worldwide headlines then as well as now. Headline after headline were featured newspapers and radio all over the world as the general public waited on the edge of their seats for any news regarding the iconic pair’s vanishing. In 2018, the headlines continue to haunt us with new and often polarizing information making its way forward to fuel the fire with of the world’s obsession with finding a resolution to this iconic mystery. Tonight, season two of the Chasing Earhart podcast continues with episode 63 and project guest Sarah Pruitt joining us via Zoom to discuss her book Breaking History Vanished. Sarah gives us her thoughts on the creation of this special book, why the Amelia Earhart case was a natural fit to feature and why she believes that any information regarding the Amelia Earhart case continues to be “Breaking History”.

“She was one of those first women to push through those mail dominate field barriers; she inspired women to go into these male-dominated fields, go into aviation. She was a big start in this whole idea; getting into schools and telling her story. She continues to have that impact on girls. This is something that you can do if you really want it”. Back in the 1930’s when women were breaking through the clouds and into aviation history, the world marveled at their ability to do the things that men could do with poise, professionalism, and grace. It’s only natural that aviation would become the gateway to aerospace for a group of remarkable people that would be forever known as the Mars Generation. Alyssa Carson carries within her the fire, spirit, and determination that made Amelia Earhart an icon over 80 years ago. Breaking through barriers and pre-conceived notions, Alyssa has set her soul on a place that she calls…home. Tonight, on the 62nd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Alyssa joins us via Zoom from Baton Rouge Louisiana to discuss the Mars Generation, her journey and preparation for being the first person to travel to the red planet and why she believes that a woman from Atchison, Kansas paved the way for women to set their sights on goals that are not of this world.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that because of the status that Earhart had in her lifetime; she opened people’s minds. People that probably had never had anyone encourage them to have a career outside of the home. She was able to do that for women. People still pick up on that love she had for empowering other women. This is why we get two-year-old girls in the archives with pilot’s outfits who already have Amelia Earhart as their hero.” Of all the aspects of her storied career, perhaps the one that Amelia Earhart coveted most was her relationship with Purdue University. Lasting only a precious short time, Amelia saw her role with Purdue as the second chapter in her already historic aviation career. Poised to make a monumental impact on women in the early days of what would become the STEM movement, Amelia built relationships and made an impact that still resonates through the halls of Purdue to this very day. Known as the largest Amelia Earhart archival collection on the planet, the Purdue archives has been visited by everyone who is anyone in the Earhart community. The most cited resource in the over 400 Amelia Earhart books that currently sit on the market, authors, educators, researchers and fans continue to visit the archive every day to get a sneak peek into the life of one of America’s biggest icons. Tonight, on the 61st episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, we are joined by project guest and professor Sammie Morris of Purdue University via Zoom to break down and discuss the Amelia Earhart Collection, Amelia’s relationship with Purdue and why Amelia’s prescience and influence can still be felt throughout the campus, and all who attend there.

“I think the fact that she along with the other women had the foresight to put together a group of women that would let the world know that women fly and let them know what women can do. I think she’ll go down in history forever for having done that.” I can’t stress this enough. Bee Haydu is a legend. Over ten years ago when doing pre-research for what would become Chasing Earhart, Bee’s story came to my attention and I haven’t been able to shake it sense. At 97 years old, Bee continues to inspire women all over the world with the WASP story and she does it with a sense of humor, humility, and poise that we at the project have never seen before. Knocking down barrier after barrier, Bee and the other women of the WASP program faced trials, criticism and doubt along their journey. But that never deterred them from fighting for their right to serve their country by flying. Tonight, on the landmark 60th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, and in season 2’s first episode of its “ICON” series, Bee joins us via Zoom from Florida to discuss Women Airforce Service Pilots, her role as a beacon of aviation and why she believes that Amelia Earhart and the Ninety-Nines laid the foundation for women to become empowered and rightfully cement themselves into aviation history.

“Sally Ride once said, “you can’t be what you can’t see”. Amelia and women of that era got up in an airplane and flew and landed and got out and people went “wow that’s a girl!” It’s the same with Shaesta stepping out of the airplane and people asking, “where’s the pilot?” You just need to make it known that you really can be anything you want to be if you work hard.” Jill Meyers has made a career out of passion. Through her work with Dreams Soar and Shaesta Waiz, Jill has been pushing the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math by mentoring young women and extending all of herself for a cause she so passionately believes in. Tonight, on the 59th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Jill joins us via Zoom to give us her thoughts on a multitude of topics including the importance of STEM in the 21st century, keeping the STEM movement alive, her work with Dreams Soar and why Amelia Earhart may have inadvertently started a revolution for women in STEM over 80 years ago.

"You’re not gonna be happy when you know what really happened to her. It’s not going to feel better; knowing she crashed in the ocean or got captured and tortured by the Japanese. I know it feels bad now that it’s a mystery but half the solutions this mystery has are terrible. Be prepared for a sad, sad ending to this story. " David Avallone is never shy about expressing his feelings. Considered by all that know him as a passionate thinker, David has a unique way of expression that cause his readers to think about their own feelings in a brand-new way. Tonight, on the 58th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, David joins us via Zoom to break down and discuss his story “Doc Savage: Ring of Fire” why he chose Amelia Earhart to star opposite Doc in that adventure and why Amelia’s actions in the 1930’s continues to make a stand for women in the 21st century.

“That’s where I first had that connection where I had read about Amelia Earhart; that moment was when I realized the opportunity she gave to a lot of women and the empowerment that she was able to give a lot of women to follow their dreams in STEM.” A member of Forbes prestigious “30 under 30” Paige Kasselen has spent her career in uncharted waters. At 22 years old, Paige made worldwide headlines as the youngest American on the ground crew for the historic record breaking solar impulse flight; a feat that would thrust her into the spotlight and make her the poster woman for STEM; shining the spotlight on the field of electrical engineering. Paige has parlayed that notoriety into a formative speaking career, always being mindful of her responsibility to young women wherever she’s featured. Tonight, on the 57th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Paige joins us via Zoom do discuss her role on Solar Impulse, the responsibility that comes with being a rock star of STEM and why the memory and legacy of Amelia Earhart inspires her and all of those in the STEM community.

“When you find the airplane; no matter where it is. You now have an obligation to explain what happened. How did it get there and to explain the last moments of Amelia Earhart; her story is unfinished at this point, and we need to finish it.” Part of our original 25, project guest Tom Dettweiler has lived a life on the ocean. Taking part in some of the biggest nautical finds in history, including the discovery of the Titanic, Tom has built a career out of becoming a historical biographer for those cases that have no ending; often finding himself on the other side of history in the modern era. Tonight, on the 56th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Tom makes his podcast debut via Zoom to discuss the crash and sink hypothesis, excavating the Electra in a variety of nautical environments, and his personal thoughts on why the case of Amelia Earhart Fred Noonan and their Lockheed Electra 10E may in fact be, the holy grail of aviation.

"It seems that Japan would never admit to their role in the capture of Amelia Earhart. The records are gone; you're not gonna find them" ​Les Kinney has been researching the Amelia Earhart case for over a decade. Part of what is now known as our original twenty-five, Les has been on the Chasing Earhart radar equally as long. After finding what is now known in the public as the Jaluiet dock photo in the National Archives, Les has become the go-to investigator and is at the center of the whirlwind that is known as the Japanese capture hypothesis. ​Tonight, on the 55th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Les makes his debut as a project guest via Zoom from Seattle to break down and discuss Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan in the Marshall Islands, his personal thoughts on the Nikumaroro Bones and Post Loss Radio messages, his investigative work on one of the most important missing person’s cases of all time, and why the United States Government may know much more about the fate of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan than anyone ever thought possible.

In 1926, there were countless ways to die in an airplane. Propeller blades snapped and broke, and planes went down. Wings failed, folding backward or tearing away completely. Control sticks got stuck, sending airships hurtling toward crowds or hangars. And all too often, engines just stopped in mid-flight, forcing pilots to scan the ground below for a farmer’s field or a cow pasture—anyplace where they might land in a hurry. “In such a crisis, there is no time to think,” said one early pilot. “You either automatically do the right thing or you die.”  Tonight, on a special midweek release for the 54th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast and on the night of his book’s release, author and project guest Keith O’Brien joins us via Zoom right before the kick off of his tour to talk the lives and careers of aviation icons, Ruth Elder, Ruth Nichols, Louise Thaden, Florence Klingensmith and Amelia Earhart. Individually, these women have some of the most incredible aviation stories of all time. They are legends, icons, and heroes. But collectively they are simply known…as Fly Girls.

If you’ve been following the Amelia Earhart case at all in the past thirty years you will know the name Ric Gillespie. A little over one year ago we spoke with Ric for a little over two hours about the work that TIGHAR had done to that point on the island if Nikumaroro. It was a big show for us back then as we started out the podcast. Over the course of the last year a lot of developments have been made in the Earhart case on multiple fronts. Tonight on the 53rd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Ric joins us via Zoom from TIGHAR HQ to discuss Betty Klenck’s notebook the radio distress signals report that TIGHAR released just a few days ago on what would have been Amelia Earhart’s 121st birthday and the reasons why he believes that the case of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan is closed.