page_title: Linda Finch
section_title: Recreation of historic flight
hierarchical_section_title: Linda Finch / World Flight 1997 / Recreation of historic flight
caption_attribution_description: English: Accompanies map of her route, the red line.
context_page_description: Linda Finch is an American businesswoman, aviator, and aviation historian from San Antonio, Texas, with a career including more than 30 years experience in the construction and operation of health care facilities and the construction of prefabricated buildings.
  Finch developed an interest in flying in the early 1970s and was particularly interested in World War II era aircraft. She has restored vintage airplanes and participated in races and airshows.
  She is most noted for her 1997 World Flight, recreating and completing Amelia Earhart's attempted world record. She flew a restored 1935 Lockheed Electra 10E, the same type of plane that Earhart flew in 1937 as she attempted her world flight. The plane was modified to contain a modern Global Positioning System, increased gasoline capacity, and modern communications equipment. She followed Earhart's route as closely as she could and completed the 26,000 mile trip around the world in 73 days.
  Partnered with Pratt & Whitney, who funded the restoration and flight, Finch established the You Can Soar educational and motivational program that allowed students in 200,000 classrooms to follow her flight.
context_section_description: Finch's recreated flight began from Oakland International Airport at Oakland, California March 17, 1997, 60 years after Amelia Earhart's 1937 around-the-world flight attempt from the same airport.
  Finch's flight plan was patterned after Amelia Earhart's route. It involved stopping at 36 places in 18 countries. The trip took 73 days and ended May 28 at the Oakland Airport. The trip was 26,000-miles, during which her cruising speed was just 90 miles per hour. She generally flew in increments of 8 to 12 hours at a time. The Electra's cabin was not pressurized and it did not carry oxygen and, like Earhart, Finch flew below 10,000 feet (3,000 m) for most of the flight.
  Finch touched down on five continents, mirroring Earhart's route and its stops. She flew a total of 224 hours, visiting 18 counties and making a total of 34 landings. She flew an additional 1,000 miles to drop a single wreath over Howland Island from her aircraft to honor the pioneering aviator. (Amelia Earhart disappeared on her way to Howland Island on July 2, 1937.) Finch's last leg, the longest of the world flight, was made on May 28. It was an estimated 18-hour flight to cover 2,000 miles (3,200 km) between Hawaii and Oakland, California. At the time of the flight in 1997, Finch was 46 years old, seven years older than Earhart's age on her final flight.
caption: Display commemorating her flight, at the Oakland Aviation Museum, accompanying map.
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