New activity: Female Aviator Talk

Barbara: My almost-but-not-quite-husband, A.D., is a pilot so he’s always asking me if I want to go to his monthly aviation group meeting (just to be polite) and I’m always declining (being not so polite), but this time I decided to attend due to the speaker.

Ann Pellegreno is the first woman aviator to complete the around the world flight path that Amelia Earhart was attempting before she disappeared somewhere in the Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. And let me tell you, this 86-year-old woman may be diminutive in size, but her mind was sharp as a tack. She gave a slide show presentation of her journey and remembered everything about the plane, the parts, the functions, the path – everything. When she met Amelia’s sister at the end of her journey, it was very touching for her. The thing that really struck me was the similarity in their journeys at a crucial point. Amelia was unable to see the tiny Howland Island where she was supposed to land at, not knowing she was only 10 miles away; that was the last time she was seen. When Ann got to where Howland Island should be she almost didn’t find it either due to the weather conditions so history could have repeated itself. Luckily, she finally did and was able to land there and then complete the journey. Bravo Ann!