One More Good Flight

Ric Gillespie, a recognized authority on the Earhart disappearance, has led twelve expeditions to the South Pacific featured in several television documentaries. A resident of Oxford, PA, his writings on the Earhart disappearance have appeared in the U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings and Naval History. His book Finding Amelia: The True Story of the Earhart Disappearance was published by the Naval Institute Press in 2006.

"Gillespie’s belief that Earhart ended up a castaway has been bolstered by decades of rigorous research that has turned up clues and unearthed fragments of evidence. His theories have crystallized into something more rigid too—hardened by effort, discovery, and defeat, much of it in humid, briny Pacific air during the many costly expeditions that he has taken to Nikumaroro, searching for signs of the famous pilot."—Popular Mechanics"Readers interested in Amelia Earhart’s disappearance need look no further than Ric Gillespie’s book. Combining intensive research in primary sources, remote underwater vehicles, forensic archaeology, and rigorous deductive reasoning, Gillespie and his team have provided convincing evidence that Earhart’s last flight ended not in a ditching at sea, but in a forced landing on an atoll in the South Pacific.  Although this book may not satisfy every skeptic, it will stand for some time as the definitive explanation for what may be the mystery of the 20th century."—William F. Trimble, Professor Emeritus at Auburn University, author of Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power“No other American aviator has gained the fame and popularity of Amelia Earhart, the puzzle of her last flight and disappearance having become the US's greatest aviation mystery. This magisterial study of Earhart considers her skills as a pilot, the nature of her aircraft, her preparation for the flight, the politics behind and government support needed to attempt circumnavigation, the nature of her radio equipment, the flight's technical challenges, and the support needed at each landing. Gillespie, a recognized authority on Earhart's disappearance, has distinguished himself in earlier studies of the famous aviator. Here, he once more shows a mastery of the diverse, abundant, and complex materials that support such a study. While Earhart is clearly the focus, other themes complement the telling of this tragedy. Some of these topics include the modifications to Earhart's aircraft, the piloting and navigational skills of Fred Noonan, the influence of Earhart's husband George Putnam in marketing and fundraising for the project, and Purdue University’s support. The US Navy's role is also explored. Detailed notes for each chapter provide additional information on this complex event. These comprehensive references suggest avenues for further exploration, which other scholars can follow with pleasure. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, graduate students, and professionals.”—Choice Magazine "In a tour de force of patient research and skillfully constructed narrative, Ric Gillespie has brought back to life an era, a cast of characters, and a tangle of circumstances and events that popular memory had melted down into a simple myth. This is history told with the emotive energy and fine-grained texture of a novel that you can’t put down."—Peter Garrison, pilot, airplane builder, author, and columnist for Flying Magazine"There is no shortage of books about Amelia Earhart, but One More Good Flight is the only one based exclusively on hard evidence. Ric Gillespie is an engaging writer able to take the reader through the bewildering array of events leading up to the 1937 attempt to encircle the globe. He uses advances in science to test the hypothesis that Earhart landed on Nikumaroro Island, where she and Noonan perished. Those who seek definitive answers about the fate of Amelia Earhart need look no further."—Richard L Jantz, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, Director Emeritus, Forensic Anthropology Center, University of Tennessee Knoxville