Two Women

CCXXIX

Amelia describing the relative size of Howland Island, late June 1937

Earhart and Noonan remained grounded at Bandoeng as the mechanics worked like dervishes to puzzle out what was going on with the Electra. They repaired the glitch in the fuel analyzer (yet again) but whatever was wrong with the Electra seemed systemic: Another malfunction occurred, and after that one was fixed, another system went on the fritz. In turn, repairs were made to the balky cockpit instruments, then the Sperry autopilot, and then to the Radio Direction Finder. The ghost in Amelia’s machine was a poltergeist and it seemed to want to keep her firmly on the ground. 

Then, finally, as the Electra was pronounced repaired, the weather closed in. It rained unrelentingly until midday on June 27^th.  Perhaps a more superstitious person might have thought that the universe was telling her something, but if it was, Amelia (who often claimed to be psychic) ignored the messages.  The Electra and its two-person crew lifted off for Koepang, on the Dutch East Indian island of Timor, and raised it before nightfall.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the world, her friend, fellow self-identified psychic, and séance partner Jackie Cochrane set a U.S. National Women’s Speed Record of 203.895 miles per hour in her Beechcraft Staggerwing. Friends though they were, A.E. probably winced a bit when she heard the news --- she was sitting on the ground in enforced idleness while Jackie passed her by.

Jackie Cochrane