Amelia Earhart gained worldwide fame in 1928 when she became the first woman to fly an airplane across the Atlantic Ocean. Her lifelong accomplishments as an aviator influenced pilots in the United States and throughout the world. Her bravery encouraged women to learn to fly and fulfill their dreams. On her attempt to circumnavigate the globe at the equator, Earhart and her plane vanished and were never found. But her memory endures as a symbol of adventure, courage, and perseverance.