Heroines of the Sky

Linda Finch made headlines this year when she completed the equatorial flight around the world that Amelia Earhart mapped out and attempted in 1937. Finch saw to the rebuilding of an old Lockheed Electra 10-E, the same type of plane Earhart flew, and one of only two left in existence. While some critics have grumbled that Finch had the advantage of LORAN navigation and even Internet access, and therefore, she wasn't really reenacting the Earhart flight (which was reduced to celestial navigation toward the end), no one doubts that it took pluck for a late 20th century woman to dare to complete the landmark effort started by a legendary woman born in the last century. This documentary was completed before Finch set off, so there is no video of her trip or her triumphal return. However, we know she succeeded, just as she and other female pilots interviewed here declare that Earhart did: inspiring generations of girls to imagine what they could do with their lives. The only fault with this otherwise masterful documentary is the use of a British narrator to read Earhart's letters and log entries. With the playing of the 1930's song about Earhart "Our American Girl," the British narrator was an odd choice for the filmmakers. Anyway, it's a superb tape which will inspire aviation fans as well as children. Highly recommended. Aud: I, J, H, C, P. (R. Reagan)