Chasing Earhart

A little over a year ago we stepped away from the Amelia Earhart/Fred Noonan disappearance case forever; having nothing further to add to a project that spanned almost 15 years at the time. But it turns out, we couldn't stay away for long. Just like you'll hear time and time again in this case, we got pulled back in as new developments in multiple theories have come to the surface and are ready to be discussed. Tonight, we're back in a limited engagement with a first for us at Chasing Earhart as our returning show brings us brothers Mike & Robert Ashmore to discuss an alternate version of one of the cornerstone hypotheses' in this ever-changing case. We've been away for a while now, but now we're back as promised with new developments and interesting turns.

Our journey is over. We created something that I didn’t know that we could. And we did it together. And now as I look back on everything that we accomplished, I can finally move forward into an exciting future. One of hope. One of faith. And one where the skies are the limit. I think Amelia would appreciate that. So, goodbye Amelia & Fred. Wherever you are...

We’ve reached the final time that we’ll be discussing theory on this podcast. It’s been a long road, but we wanted to wrap with fresh faces, new ideas and a twist on this story that you’ll never see coming. If you’re familiar with this podcast or with Vanished Amelia Earhart, you’ve likely heard of the Hawaii Clipper, but you might know its fate. And no one listening would ever know that its fate is tied in with the woman we’ve been discussing for 79 episodes of our show. Tonight, we go out on a bang on this, the “go home” episode of Chasing Earhart, we’re joined by Guy Noffsinger, Jeff Reigel, and Jim Janicki of Expedition 5 to discuss the Lost Clipper and the search to find its 15-member passengers and crew and why that flight was in fact on a rescue mission to bring back none other than Amelia Earhart.

Within the Congressional Armed Services Committee, the Intelligence Community retains a non-itemized appropriation referred to simply as “the black hole”. For over two decades, part of the funding of that program went toward analyzing whether or not the human mind could be used to gather reliable information. What you are about to hear is the report that the US Intelligence Community would have received had they targeted the Amelia Earhart mystery in the interest of the people of the United States of America. Tonight, with just 3 more episodes of the podcast to go, author and investigator Scott Seeds joins us via Zoom to discuss operation stargate, the world flight mystery and how remote viewing may hold the answer to the greatest mystery of all time.

On this 82nd anniversary of the vanishing of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan, we bring you a special message from Chris Williamson & the Chasing Earhart Project.

"So many young readers are focused today on looking for heroes; looking for people who they can look up to; looking for people they can be inspired by. Amelia is a natural fit for that." Jim Buckley is a prolific author of nonfiction for young readers, with more than 150 books to his credit (and still typing!). He is the author of more than a dozen titles in The New York Times' best-selling "Who Was...?" biography series, including the Wright Brothers, Milton Hershey, Betsy Ross, Jules Verne, and Blackbeard. Buckley has written more than thirty DK Readers on a wide variety of topics, plus two recent long-form bios of Adolf Hitler and Bonnie and Clyde for Aladdin Books. For Spring 2019, he created the first book in a new series for Aladdin—a bio of astronaut Michael Collins. Buckley is the co-author of Time Inc./Liberty Street's "X-Why-Z" series and wrote and produced the Animal Planet Animal Atlas for Liberty Street. A former editor at Sports Illustrated and the National Football League, he lives in Santa Barbara, California, where he runs a successful book producing company. Tonight on the 77th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Jim joins us via Zoom to discuss his groundbreaking book "Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky" a part of the "Show Me History" series. Jim gives us his thoughts on the books creation and unique format, his ideas of making Amelia relatable to the next generation of young readers and why he believes Amelia's legacy should live on for continued generations to come.

I have always known that Amelia Earhart’s reach in legacy and inspiration loomed large over modern day aviation, aerospace and STEM. However, when we started this project many years ago, even I didn’t understand just how deep that reach stretched. Tonight, we’re all gonna find out. Amelia Earhart’s legacy and inspiration touches us all. And what she set out to achieve so long ago, is showing today if we look hard enough. A lot of people might argue that AE’s reach extends only to certain people, demographics or fields. However tonight, you’re all gonna find out, that AE’s legacy is alive and thriving in ways that will blow your mind. At just 15 years old, Julie Seven Sage is a living breathing example of what Amelia Earhart wanted to inspire in the 1930’s. If tonight’s episode tells you anything, it’s that Julie and young men and women like her are taking a legacy set so long ago to heights that would impress even Amelia Earhart herself.

"It’s interesting when I watch people watch the documentary. When her face comes up on the screen, people just light up. I think she’s one of those people that is sort of an iconic figure for all the best reasons." "Fly Like A Girl" is more than just a film. It’s a movement of young girls and women relentlessly pursuing their passion for aviation. A field currently dominated by men. Hearing first-hand stories from girls and women who dared to aim higher. From a lego-loving young girl who includes female pilots in her toy airplanes, to a courageous woman who helped lead shuttle missions to space, "Fly Like A Girl" shows us that women are in charge of their own destiny. As part of the Indie Atlantic Films team, for over twelve years, filmmaker Katie Wiatt has produced, edited, and directed films for both broadcast and web. And now, Katie has made her feature-length directorial debut with the extraordinary documentary "Fly Like a Girl." Tonight, as season two of the Chasing Earhart podcasts winds down and before we fly off into the sunset Katie joins us to discuss this groundbreaking film, her thoughts on women in aviation and why she felt that Amelia Earhart deserves a place in “Fly Like a Girl"

Dr. Lois Frankel is a guest that when you look at her bio or research her career, you would never in a million years think she’d pop up as a project guest for Chasing Earhart. But oh, how little do you know…. Dr. Frankel is the president of corporate coaching international and she literally wrote the book on coaching people to succeed in businesses both large and small around the globe. Some of her best-selling books include “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office” “Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich” and “Nice Girls Just Don’t Get it”. But as you can probably imagine, those aren’t the books she's here to talk about tonight. She's here to talk about another book she Dr. Frankel recently released, and that book is called “Alternate Flight Plan: The Lost Diary of Amelia Earhart”. Yes, Dr. Frankel is an Earhart author and tonight she joins us on episode 74 of the Chasing Earhart podcast to discuss her book, Amelia's impact, and legacy and why so many people around the world still believe in Amelia Earhart.

In part, it’s the way that we identify with these individuals; the notion of getting lost at sea; the horror of that and how deeply in our core as individuals we fear something like that happening. That reaches into something that’s very personal for everybody. Forensic image processing and analyzation is one of the most crucial areas of expertise in the entire Amelia Earhart/Fred Noonan disappearance case. Used by multiple hypothesis’ in the case, it’s become a combination or art and science that has been responsible for much of the advancement in the investigation. Tonight, season two of the Chasing Earhart podcast continues with a project guest that has been highly involved both in that field and in this case. Tonight, we discuss both the science and the process of forensic image processing via Zoom with Jeff Glickman of PHOTEK. Jeff gives us his thoughts on his work on the castaway hypothesis, the anomaly in the now famous “Bevington Image” and how he arrived at his declaration on that image and why he believes that the Amelia Earhart case continues to capture and enthrall the entire world.

"As years go on, it’s not just the flight but it’s about a woman, it’s about encouraging people to be in aviation. It’s about the era." Perhaps no other institution on the planet is more recognizable than the Smithsonian. The air and space museum on Washington DC houses some of the most iconic aviation exhibits on the planet. And the museum staff are some of the most knowledgeable experts that can be found. One of the most well-known exhibits there is Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Vega. The plane that she set the transatlantic record in, now stands proudly in the “Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight” Gallery. Could it be possible that one day Amelia’s Lockheed Electra; the holy grail of aviation may find its way into the same gallery? Tonight, season two continues with the 72nd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast. We’re joined by project guests Dorothy Cochrane & Tom Crouch of Air & Space to discuss the ongoing role that the Smithsonian plays in the investigation of the disappearance, Amelia Earhart’s impact and legacy and why they believe that Amelia Earhart stood for much more than flying “for the fun of it”.

“This 50th anniversary, I’m doing it for my crew. They’re all gone now; they were about ten years older than I was. Of course, I miss them, but I can think of them. All my animals, my crew, my family; they’re all close to my heart and they’ll always be there. But this was the beginning of sharing this will people like you and people all over the world.” In 2017, on the 50th anniversary of her world flight, aviation icon and project guest Ann Holtgren Pellegreno gave a special reflective presentation in Atchison Kansas at the Atchison Public Library during the Amelia Earhart Festival. We caught it on film. Tonight, episode 71 continues our ICON series with both a regular audio release of the podcast AND for the first time ever, this very special audio/video version of the podcast presented exclusively on our YouTube channel. This film is dedicated to the crew of the The 1967 Earhart Commemorative Flight: pilot, Ann Holtgren Pellegreno, copilot Bill Payne, navigator Bill Polhemus, and owner and restorer Lee Koepke. All material contained in this presentation is owned by Ann HoltgrenPellegreno. A ChrisEvan Films production.

“I truly believe that this was a woman who was an adventurer and who wanted to break barriers in many, many ways.” Tonight, you’ll hear from an author that takes a different approach to her writing and her thoughts on Amelia Earhart’s relevance. Project guest Patricia Lakin has written multiple children’s books including the well received and long lasting “Amelia Earhart: More Than a Flyer”. Tonight, we continue our children’s series on the landmark 70th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, as Patty joins us via Zoom from her home in New York to discuss Amelia Earhart’s childhood and how it shaped her destiny to become “more than a flyer”.

“This wasn’t about a flight. This really was about what Amelia worked so hard to teach. Amelia didn’t fly and do these things to say ‘look what I can do’. She did it to say ‘look what you can do’.” The moments you hear at the opening of tonight's episode, took place 21 years ago on what was the 60th anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s circumnavigation attempt around the world. Project guest Linda Finch arriving in Oakland, in the same manner in which Amelia would have arrived, to crowds of adoring fans, admires and media is not only inspiring but bittersweet. 21 years later, on the 69th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast and the continuation of our ICON series, Linda joins us via Zoom to reflect on her world flight, Amelia’s impact and legacy, and the message that Amelia stood for that Linda so strongly believes in.

“I think Amelia is more well known than possibly even Lindberg. Amelia is just part of the psyche of the public. She was a really positive role model doing some amazing things; certainly laying it all out there on the line. The mystery of the disappearance adds to her story." Considered by many to be a purist when it comes to locating Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10E, Dana Timmer has been an advocate for the "Ditch & Sink" hypothesis since he started investigating the events that occurred on the morning of July the 2nd 1937. Working with and earning the professional respect of many of the world's premier experts in nautical exploration, Dana led the very first deep water search for Amelia Earhart, Fred Noonan and their Lockheed Electra 10E in 1999 and he's been feverishly working this case ever since. Working with the team of Michael Williamson and Arthur Wright at Williamson & Associates, Dana believes that it's just a matter of "when" for the location and retrieval of the holy grail of aviation. Tonight, on the 68th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast Dana joins us via Zoom from Vienna Austria along with Mike Williamson and Arthur Wright joining us from Seattle Washington to discuss "Expedition Amelia" and why they collectively believe that the interest, in this case, is high, the technology is there and the time to end Amelia's story is now.

"A lot of it was just imagining myself in Earhart’s shoes on Nikumaroro and thinking about what she’d do." Our first three-peat on the podcast, Dr. Tom King formally of TIGHAR returns for a different kind of discussion on his third sit down with us. Dr. King's latest novel, "Amelia Earhart Unrescued" is a prequel to his earlier novel "13 Bones" and takes a unique approach in telling the story of the final days of Amelia Earhart's life as she battled the elements, and herself on Nikumaroro Island. Combining his thirty years of research on the "castaway hypothesis" with some creative liberty and elements of fiction, Dr. King provides an interesting look at what Amelia Earhart must have endured if she ended up on Nikumaroro on the morning of July the 2nd 1937. Tonight, as season two of the Chasing Earhart podcast continues, Dr. King joins us via Zoom to discuss his new novel, his thoughts on what might have happened to Amelia Earhart had she successfully returned from her world flight and recent events regarding his career and professional future in Archaeology.

"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.

The said it couldn't be done. They were wrong. "Chasing Earhart: The Discussion Panel" was a resounding success! From those in attendance to the over 21,000 of you that watched it online via YouTube live, you were part of the largest discussion panel on the life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart of all time. Now relive that day in episode fifty-two of the Chasing Earhart podcast! Season two of the podcast continues with the podcast version of this historic panel. Join panelists Gary LaPook, Doug Westfall, Bill Snavely, Larry Inman, Sammie Morris, Chris Williamson, Lisa Cotham, Kate Jerome, Ann Holtgren Pellegreno, Shaesta Waiz, Dr. Tom King, Astronaut Abby, Scott Philbrook, Jessica Cox, Forrest Burgess & Dick Spink as moderated by Dr. Joshua Wolf. Relive all of the discussion as we discuss Amelia's impact, legacy and disappearance in front of a live crowd during the 2018 Amelia Earhart festival in Atchison Kansas!

What really happened to Amelia Earhart? Since Earhart and her navigator disappeared during their around-the-world flight attempt in 1937, the world has searched in vain for an answer to this question. The culmination of thirteen years of research into this tantalizing mystery, The Earhart Enigma: Retracing Amelia's Last Flight brings to life Earhart's final days in an attempt to reconstruct what exactly took place. Offering candid assessments of prevailing theories about Earhart's fate, author Dave Horner marshals evidence from a variety of sources, proving that Earhart was neither lost at sea nor wrecked on Nikumaroro. Integrating information garnered from numerous interviews, Pacific Islander folklore, and US and Japanese military documents, Horner argues instead that Earhart ventured north of her intended destination in search of a place to land her Lockheed Electra. Blending drama, mystery and shocking revelations with the steady balance of an objective investigator, Horner's findings provide a definitive answer to this fascinating riddle. ​Tonight, season two of the Chasing Earhart podcast kicks off with our 51st episode; Dave calls in to discuss his book "The Earhart Enigma" the legacy of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan and why he believes that the "Earhart Enigma" has captured the imagination of the world for 81 years.

Just seven days out from "Chasing Earhart: The Discussion Panel" Chris Williamson sits down with Kaye McIntyre to discuss next weeks' landmark event, the Amelia Earhart disappearance case and his personal thoughts on the Chasing Earhart project thus far.

A special announcement from Chris Williamson & Chasing Earhart.

“Hopefully I can motivate kids to go out and try new things. Here I am at sixty-three, in a single engine aircraft, flying around the world. You can go out and do something amazing, too.” -Brian Lloyd ​Brian Lloyd is the first solo aviator to complete the historic Earhart equatorial route. Spirit has endured fierce winds, blasting sandstorms, and severe tropical weather along the equator. It has not been an easy flight, due to the long flight hours and complex logistics. On July 14th, Spirit’s engine failed momentarily at 21,000 feet over the Pacific ocean, forcing Brian Lloyd to land in New Zealand for repairs. Everywhere he went, he invited ground crew and friends to sign the airplane with a marker pen. It became a mission of outreach and goodwill. The plane’s fuselage and wings are now covered in signatures that bear witness to the huge network of support that it takes to fly around the world. At the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum in Atchison Kansas, Lloyd was awarded the medal from the Ninety-Nines, the famous international organization of women pilots founded in 1929, of which Amelia Earhart was its first president. Several world records were set by Brian Lloyd and Spirit on this flight: First solo flight of the Historic Earhart Equatorial Route and first male pilot to fly the Historic Earhart Equatorial Route in a propeller aircraft. ​Tonight on this special 50th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Brian joins us via Zoom to break down and discuss his historic world flight, Project Amelia and why Amelia Earhart continues to have a lasting impact on aviation, and aviators all over the world. ​ ​

Sarah Stewart Taylor is a fiction writer and journalist who lives with her family on a farm in Vermont. Her non-fiction has been published in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and many other publications. She is the author of the Sweeney St. George mystery series, from St. Martin’s Minotaur. The first book in the series, O’ Artful Death, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. As S. S. Taylor, Sarah writes The Expeditioners series of adventure novels for middle grade readers. Tonight on the 48th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Sarah joins us via Zoom from her home in Vermont to break down and discuss her Eisner Award-nominated graphic novel "Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean" Amelia's impact and legacy and why she believes that the younger generation continue to be inspired by Amelia's courage.

Michele Albion was raised in Maine and was a history nerd from a very young age. Her first job, at fourteen, was as a docent at a 1754 fort in Augusta called Fort Western. She later worked at the Maine State Museum and attended college at the University of Maine. While earning her Master’s Degree in Museum Studies at The George Washington University, she worked in the curatorial department of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. In 1992, Albion was hired as Curator at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, Florida. She became fascinated with how very active Thomas and Mina Edison were in their Florida community. After moving to New Hampshire she wrote The Florida Life of Thomas Edison, which was published in 2008. Her second, The Quotable Edison, was released in February 2011. Her third book, The Quotable Henry Ford won the Henry Ford Heritage Association Book Award at sesquicentennial of Henry Ford’s birth. The Quotable Eleanor Roosevelt released in September 2013. Tonight on the 47th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Michele joins us via Zoom to break down and discuss The Quotable Amelia Earhart, and the very compelling way that Michele chose to tell Amelia's story through the words of the legend herself.

Von Hardesty is a former curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. He has written widely on aerospace history. His books include Great Aviators and Epic Flights; Lindbergh: Flight's Enigmatic Hero; Air Force One: The Aircraft that Shaped the Modern Presidency; and Epic Rivalry: The Inside Story of the Soviet and American Space Race. On the 46th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Von joins us via Zoom to discuss Amelia Earhart's impact and legacy and the role that the Smithsonian plays in keeping that legacy alive 80 years after she disappeared.

Jay Faerber is a critically-acclaimed writer of comic books and television. He has co-created and written such titles as Elsewhere, Copperhead, Noble Causes, Dynamo 5, and Near Death at Image Comics, and has worked on such iconic titles as Green Lantern, X-Men, and Superman. He has also written for the TV series Zoo, Ringer and Star-Crossed, and the animated series Avengers Assemble. On the 45th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Jay joins us via Zoom to break down and discuss his critically-acclaimed and wildly popular Elsewhere Series starring Amelia Earhart. In this conversation, we discuss why Amelia was a perfect fit to be the star of this story, and get Jay's thoughts on Amelia's legacy and impact on pop culture in the 21st century.

After finding a previously-unknown 1932 film of Amelia Earhart at Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, project guest Bill Zuk began a long odyssey across Canada, which has taken him to the places in Canada where Amelia had visited or lived. From serving in the First World War as a Nurse's Assistant in Toronto to using Newfoundland as the "jumping-off" point on her two transatlantic flights, over seven other instances of Amelia's visits to Canada have been identified, including a tuna fishing expedition in 1934 with her sister Muriel. On July 2, 1937, imagine the world's most famous woman, setting out on a groundbreaking circumnavigation of the globe, and suddenly disappearing. Amelia Earhart and her navigator were lost over the South Pacific yet, today, over 80 years later, the search for Amelia Earhart continues, with historians and researchers trying to probe the mysteries of this fascinating icon. Tonight on the 44th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast learn about her early life, the many connections to Canada and why Amelia's star has never faded, in a conversation with Bill Zuk, historian, author and filmmaker.

Candace Fleming awarded herself the Newbery Medal in fifth grade after scraping the gold sticker off the class copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and pasting it onto her first novel—a ten-page, ten-chapter mystery called Who Done It? She’s been collecting awards (her own, not Elizabeth George Speare’s) ever since. Today, Candace is the versatile and acclaimed author of more than twenty books for children and young adults, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize honored The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Russian Empire; Boston Globe/Horn Book Award-winning biography, The Lincolns; the bestselling picture book, Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!; and the beloved Boxes for Katje. On the 43rd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Candace joins us via Zoom to discuss her book "Amelia Lost: The Life & Disappearance of Amelia Earhart" Amelia's impact and legacy and why the title "Amelia Lost" doesn't mean what you think it means.

After 145 days, 22 countries visited across five continents, and 32 outreach events inspiring more than 3,000 young girls and boys, Shaesta Waiz completed her global solo flight on October 4, 2017, returning to Daytona Beach International Airport to mark the completion of this historic circumnavigation for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and aviation education. At the age of 30, Shaesta is the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft. On the 42nd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Shaesta joins us via Zoom to discuss her career thus far as an aviatrix, the role Amelia Earhart plays in the lives of women all over the world, the formation and ongoing work that Dreams Soar is engaging in on behalf of STEM and her unexpected role as an ambassador of hope for people all over the world.

Amelia Earhart was a pioneer of aviation, flying all over the world, breaking records and becoming a voice for women along the way. Among many of the questions often asked regarding Amelia's career is "How could she afford it?" How did Amelia raise the money needed to finance her groundbreaking flying career? It's a question that many have asked and few have answered. Until now. Tonight on the forty-first episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, we sit down with author and project guest Barbara Schultz to discuss her book "Endorsed by Earhart: How Amelia Financed her Flying" to discuss the many creative ways that Amelia and her husband George Putnam used to finance her flying during the golden age of aviation. From being the face of countless products to having her own fashion and luggage lines as well as a growing public speaking career, Amelia Earhart invented ways to finance her passion while showcasing her other many talents to the world.

What is the most important aspect when it comes to the disappearance of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan? Is it confirmation bias? How about skepticism? Is it important to be skeptical of any information that is put out there when investigating a hypothesis? How about when it comes to your own? Tonight, on the 40th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, we sit down with project guest Brian Dunning of Skeptoid to discuss the Amelia Earhart case, why the world continues to be so invested in her and Fred Noonan's fate, confirmation bias and the importance of being skeptical of your own work as well as others.

One year ago, almost to the day of this recording I sent an email to Dr. Richard Jantz of the University of Tennessee. At the time of our initial conversation, Dr. Jantz was mid-way through his anthropological research and analysis of a set of bones originally found in 1941 on then Gardner island now known as Nikumaroro Island. Originally, examined by Dr. D.W. Hoodless, and determined to be male the bones were lost and to this day have yet to be located. Fast forward to 2018, and Dr. Jantz’ comprehensive analysis of the original Hoodless report; it is Dr. Jantz who has determined that in his opinion Dr. Hoodless had it all wrong and the bones that were originally examined many years ago were in fact that of woman. A woman that Dr. Jantz believes is none other than Amelia Earhart. Tonight, on the 39th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast Dr. Jantz joins us via Zoom from his office in Tennessee do discuss and break down his paper "Amelia Earhart and the Nikumaroro Bones: A 1941 Analysis versus Modern Quantitative Techniques" in a worldwide exclusive interview. To quote from the abstract of Dr. Jantz’ paper "To address the question of whether the Nikumaroro bones match estimates of Amelia Earhart’s bone lengths, I compare Earhart’s bone lengths with the Nikumaroro bones using Mahalanobis distance. This analysis reveals that Earhart is more similar to the Nikumaroro bones than 99% of individuals in a large reference sample. This strongly supports the conclusion that the Nikumaroro bones belonged to Amelia Earhart." Is this case closed? Is the mystery of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan solved once and for all? You be the judge.

Just when you thought it was safe to stop talking about Amelia Earhart! Recorded just two days after episode thirty-seven, Scott and Forrest re-join us to discuss the latest developments in the Amelia Earhart case including the theft and recovery of Amelia's Terraplane in Los Angeles, the International Women's Day Amelia Earhart Barbie, and the paper that swept the world by storm by Dr. Richard Jantz. Join us for an un-expected continued discussion with Scott & Forrest!

Scott & Forrest have been called the 'Click and Clack of esoterica' by their listeners. Their mission is to take a look at legendary strange and unusual events from throughout history and interview people who've had close encounters with the unexplained. It was Astonishing Legends that gave Chris his model in early 2014 for what would eventually become the Chasing Earhart podcast. A hugely popular podcast focusing on the mysterious and unexplained, Astonishing Legends continues to capture the imagination and excitement of fans all over the world that are fascinated with mystery and intrigue. On the 37th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Scott and Forrest join us via Zoom from Blanket Fortiana in Los Angeles, California, for our longest discussion yet, to discuss the robustness of the Amelia Earhart disappearance case and all of the aspects that make it Astonishing!

Andy Sherrell received his B.S. degree in Ocean Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology and has over 15 years of experience in the oceanographic community. As a former employee of Oceaneering International, Inc., he has worked on numerous deep-sea search and salvage operations to depths of 20,000ft. His experience includes locating and recovering downed aircraft and various other lost items for both the commercial and military industries. Andy’s work has included being first on the scene to begin searching for an airplane’s ‘black box’ to working with film crews to find and document historic shipwrecks. He enjoys working as a mission planner, operator, technician, and engineer throughout all phases of these exciting operations. On the 36th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Andy chats with us about deep sea exploration, the tools of the trade and the incredible work that the Waitt Institute has done in the search for Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan's Lockheed Electra.

“This is kind of like hidden history that I’m hoping to get out." Rob Ellos is the definition of a dedicated Amelia Earhart researcher, and he's put that dedication to good use. Over the years, Rob has become an Amelia Earhart presentation expert; giving his presentations to a variety of audiences; from kindergarten to retirees. Depending on the audience, Rob tailors his presentations by discussing Amelia's impact, legacy, and connection to children as well as the disappearance case and the Japanese capture hypothesis in unique and groundbreaking ways that leave a lasting impact on any audience that he presents to.  In the thirty-fifth episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Rob joins us via Zoom from his home in Minnesota to discuss the art of the Amelia Earhart presentation, the Japanese capture hypothesis and it's many key witnesses and artifacts and why he believes he knows what really happened to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan.

Rebecca Behrens lives and writes in New York City, where she also works as a copy editor. She is the author of When Audrey Met Alice, which BookPage called “a terrific work of blended realistic and historical fiction;” Summer of Lost and Found, which School Library Journal praised for its “deft writing;” and The Last Grand Adventure, which Kirkus recommends as “a quirky, heart-rending journey.”  On episode thirty-four of the Chasing Earhart podcast, and the eve of her novel's release, Rebecca joins us via Zoom to discuss "The Last Grand Adventure", and why she believes Amelia Earhart is a great fit for young adult novels.