Quiz of the Day
Amelia Earhart Day: Aviation Pioneers
Friday, 24 July 2026
From the Wright brothers' first flight to Earhart's disappearance — the daring pioneers of the skies
1. Amelia Earhart disappeared in 1937 while attempting to become the first woman to do what?
- Fly around the world at the equator
- Cross the Atlantic solo
- Fly non-stop across the Pacific
- Reach an altitude of 10,000 metres
Earhart was on the longest possible route around the world — following the equator — covering about 29,000 miles. She vanished over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island during the most challenging leg of the journey. Despite extensive searches, no confirmed wreckage has been found, though numerous expeditions continue to this day.
2. Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932, following which male pilot's first solo crossing in 1927?
- Charles Lindbergh
- Wiley Post
- Eddie Rickenbacker
- Howard Hughes
Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris in 33.5 hours in his Spirit of St. Louis, landing to a crowd of 100,000. Earhart's 1932 crossing was faster — 14 hours 56 minutes — and she landed in Northern Ireland rather than her planned Paris destination due to mechanical problems. She was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the first woman to receive it.
3. Where did the Wright Brothers make the first powered, controlled aeroplane flight in December 1903?
- Dayton, Ohio
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
- Washington D.C.
The Wrights chose Kitty Hawk for its strong, steady winds and sandy landing areas. Orville flew first, travelling 37 metres in 12 seconds on December 17, 1903. By the fourth flight that day, Wilbur flew 260 metres. The local newspaper barely noticed — it took years for the world to appreciate what had happened.
4. The 'sound barrier' was first broken in October 1947 by which American test pilot?
- Neil Armstrong
- Bob Hoover
- Jimmy Doolittle
- Chuck Yeager
Yeager flew the Bell X-1, nicknamed 'Glamorous Glennis' after his wife, to Mach 1.06 (over 1,127 km/h) on October 14, 1947. He flew with two secretly broken ribs from a horse-riding accident, using a broomstick handle to lock the cockpit because he couldn't raise his arm. He kept the ribs secret to avoid being grounded.
5. Amelia Earhart held which landmark role in aviation before her record-breaking flights?
- First female passenger to cross the Atlantic (1928)
- First woman to obtain a commercial pilot's licence
- First female air traffic controller
- First female co-pilot on a commercial flight
Earhart's first Atlantic crossing was as a passenger and logbook keeper — but the attention she received as 'Lady Lindy' helped launch her career and funding opportunities. She was clear that she had done nothing except sit in the plane, calling herself 'just baggage.' She spent the next years learning to truly earn the recognition.
6. The first commercial jet airliner service began in 1958 with which aircraft?
- de Havilland Comet
- Lockheed Constellation
- Douglas DC-8
- Boeing 707
The Comet actually began jet passenger service in 1952, not 1958 — but suffered catastrophic crashes due to metal fatigue around its square windows. After redesign, the Comet 4 re-entered service in 1958 just days before Boeing's 707. The 707 ultimately dominated, but the Comet pioneered the era of commercial jet travel.
7. Which woman is considered the world's first licensed female pilot?
- Raymonde de Laroche
- Amelia Earhart
- Harriet Quimby
- Bessie Coleman
French actress Raymonde de Laroche received Fédération Aéronautique Internationale pilot's certificate No. 36 in March 1910 — making her the world's first officially licensed female pilot. Harriet Quimby became the first licensed female pilot in the US in 1911. Bessie Coleman was the first Black woman to earn a pilot's licence (in France, 1921, as the US refused to train her).
8. The Concorde supersonic passenger aircraft flew from London or Paris to New York in approximately how long?
- 7 hours
- 2 hours
- 5 hours
- 3.5 hours
Concorde crossed the Atlantic in about 3.5 hours — half the time of conventional jets. Passengers could see the curvature of the Earth from its cruising altitude of 18,000 metres. The fleet was retired in 2003 following a fatal crash in 2000, rising maintenance costs, and falling passenger numbers after 9/11.
9. Earhart famously promoted women in aviation through which organisation she founded?
- Sky Women International
- National Women Pilots Association
- The Ninety-Nines
- Women Airforce Service Pilots
The Ninety-Nines was founded in 1929 — the name comes from the 99 of 117 licensed female pilots who responded to the invitation to join. Earhart was its first president. The organisation still exists today with over 6,000 members worldwide, providing scholarships and promoting women in all aspects of aviation.
10. Howard Hughes, the eccentric aviator and billionaire, set a record in 1938 by flying around the world in what time?
- 21 days
- 14 days 6 hours
- 7 days 12 hours
- 3 days 19 hours
Hughes completed the journey in 3 days, 19 hours, 17 minutes — cutting the previous record in half. He navigated 23,000 km with a crew of four in a Lockheed L-14. Hughes was greeted by a ticker-tape parade in New York. His later years saw severe obsessive-compulsive disorder progressively isolating him from the world he had once mastered.
11. The Spitfire, one of WWII's most famous fighter aircraft, was designed by which British engineer?
- Sydney Camm
- Geoffrey de Havilland
- R.J. Mitchell
- Barnes Wallis
Reginald Mitchell designed the Spitfire knowing he was terminally ill — he died of cancer in 1937, a year before it entered RAF service. He never saw it in combat. The Spitfire's elliptical wing was distinctive, difficult and expensive to manufacture, but aerodynamically superior. It remained in production throughout WWII with continuously improved engines.
12. The International Space Station orbits Earth at approximately what altitude?
- 200 km
- 800 km
- 1,200 km
- 400 km
The ISS orbits at roughly 400 km above Earth, travelling at 7.7 km/s and completing 15.5 orbits per day. At this altitude, it experiences about 15 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. It's visible to the naked eye from Earth as a bright, fast-moving star-like point — NASA's 'Spot the Station' tool gives pass times for any location.
13. The WWII aviators who flew missions over Germany known as the 'Hump' were crossing which treacherous mountain range?
- The Urals
- The Caucasus
- The Himalayas
- The Alps
Flying 'the Hump' meant crossing the eastern Himalayas between India and China to supply the Chinese and Allied forces after Japan cut off the Burma Road. At altitudes up to 7,000 metres in unpressurised aircraft without oxygen, in severe weather, over 1,000 Allied aircraft were lost on the route — one of WWII's most dangerous supply operations.
14. Amelia Earhart received a Purdue University appointment to what unusual role?
- Navigator-in-residence
- Professor of aeronautical engineering
- Science correspondent
- Career adviser for women
Purdue University appointed Earhart as 'Careers Counsellor for Women' in 1935 — a groundbreaking academic role focused on encouraging women to pursue non-traditional careers. Purdue also funded the Lockheed Electra aircraft she used for her final round-the-world attempt. The plane, nicknamed her 'flying laboratory,' was the most advanced available at the time.
15. Which airline, founded in 1919, is the world's oldest continuously operating commercial airline?
- Qantas
- British Airways
- KLM
- Lufthansa
KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij — Royal Dutch Airlines) was founded on October 7, 1919, making it the oldest airline still operating under its original name. Its first commercial flight carried two British journalists from Amsterdam to London. KLM is now part of the Air France-KLM group but operates as a distinct brand.