Amelia Earhart was a spirited young girl when she saw her first airplane. Little did she know that her small interest in airplanes would turn into a real passion. Amelia captured the hearts of people around the world when she became the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo. In addition to being a simple aviator, she was a pioneer and an author. Amelia is a symbol of perseverance and power for American women. Even today, she is one of the most famous and respected aviators in the world. It was at the age of eleven that Amelia saw her first plane. The plane didn't impress her much at that time. She described it as “a thing made of rusty wire and wood and not at all interesting.” It wasn't until almost a decade later that Amelia became seriously interested in aviation. She was at an air show in Toronto and one of the pilots had apparently gotten bored or wanted to shake things up a bit. This pilot dove towards the ground, right where Amelia and her friend were standing. The crowd around Amelia became frightened and fled, but Amelia held on. Something inside Amelia clicked and she said, “I didn't understand it at the time, but I think that little red plane said something to me in passing (Peter 15, 25). In December 1920, Amelia's life would be changed forever. Her father, Edwin Earhart, arranged for her to take her very first plane ride with a pilot named Frank Hawks. In her book The Fun of It, Amelia wrote: "As soon as we left the ground, I knew I had to fly myself... 'I think I'd like to learn to fly,' I told the family casually that evening, knowing full well, I would die if I didn't” (Family of Amelia Earhart 1). Shortly after, Edwin took her to Kinner Field in Los Angeles...... middle of paper ......n located (Stone 112, 113, 114). For the next sixteen days, Amelia would become the center of the largest rescue attempt ever made for a lost aircraft. Some 250,000 square miles, an area as large as Texas, were excavated. The search party involved sixty-five aircraft, ten ships and 4,000 men. All their efforts would prove to be in vain. No trace of Amelia or her plane has ever been found. His disappearance would only increase his fame (Family of Amelia Earhart 2). There are countless theories today about what exactly happened to Amelia and her plane. One theory was that Amelia had actually been on a spy mission and her plane had either crashed while she was on this mission or she had been captured by the Japanese. It's up to you what you choose to believe. But none of the theories change Amelia's impact on the world. His legacy will live forever.