Amelia Earhart Became the First Woman to Fly Solo Coast-to-Coast Across North America

On August 25, 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo coast-to-coast across North America. Earhart flew from Los Angeles to Newark in 19 hours and five minutes over a 2,477 miles flight. While presently this figure may seem like a long time for a trip between the two metropolises, this was a groundbreaking number at the time.

Earhart’s modified Lockheed Vega 5B commanded the registration NR7952.  It was powered by an air-cooled, supercharged 1,343.804-cubic-inch-displacement Pratt & Whitney Wasp C nine cylinder radial engine. The Wasp C was rated at 420 horsepower at 2,000 r.p.m. at Sea Level. It was 3 feet, 6.63 inches long, 4 feet, 3.44 inches in diameter, and weighed 745 pounds. It drove a two-bladed Hamilton Standard controllable-pitch propeller through direct drive.

Earhart flew mostly at an altitude of 10,000 ft.