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Jeffrey Pearce:
Page 206 in the Longs' book shows that Earhart was sent the July 1 Howland surface wind speed of 14 mph from the northeast and the 9000 feet above sea level winds of 31 mph from the east-northeast. Could Earhart have increased her altitude in the last moments of the flight to use the much faster higher altitude winds as a tailwind and thereby go further on her north south line of direction? Would this have increased her speed and miles flown significantly in the last few minutes of flight? Also, why did we not hear more from Earhart after her last in air broadcast at 0843 IST, Page 210 in the Longs' book. At this point she had been flying her line of position 157-337 for some undetermined time since her previous in air broadcast ending at 0803 IST when she reported(in her 0742 IST in air broadcast) she was circling at 1000 feet? Did Earhart not broadcast from the air after 0843 IST or did she broadcast but wasn't heard?

Martin X. Moleski, SJ:

--- Quote from: Jeffrey Pearce on December 11, 2016, 04:49:59 PM ---Page 206 in the Longs' book shows that Earhart was sent the July 1 Howland surface wind speed of 14 mph from the northeast and the 9000 feet above sea level winds of 31 mph from the east-northeast.

--- End quote ---

By what means was this information sent? 

If by code, she and Noonan didn't receive it--neither could transcribe code fast enough.

If by voice, what evidence do you have that she received it?  I don't see any acknowledgments in the transmissions heard from NR16020 during the fatal flight.


--- Quote ---Also, why did we not hear more from Earhart after her last in air broadcast at 0843 IST, Page 210 in the Longs' book. ... Did Earhart not broadcast from the air after 0843 IST or did she broadcast but wasn't heard?

--- End quote ---

Your guess is as good as anybody's, I suppose.

Mine: reception was not as good on her "daytime frequency" (6210 kcs) as on her "nighttime frequency" (3105 kcs) for that distance.  The transmission timeline shows that nothing was heard from her on 6210 kcs until she was four hours out.

Ric Gillespie:

--- Quote from: Jeffrey Pearce on December 11, 2016, 04:49:59 PM ---Page 206 in the Longs' book shows that Earhart was sent the July 1 Howland surface wind speed of 14 mph from the northeast and the 9000 feet above sea level winds of 31 mph from the east-northeast. Could Earhart have increased her altitude in the last moments of the flight to use the much faster higher altitude winds as a tailwind and thereby go further on her north south line of direction?

--- End quote ---

As Long points out, Earhart had already left Lae when Itasca's message arrived so she never saw it.  Therefore she could not take any action based on that report.  Even if she had received it, climbing to take advantage of winds aloft would put her above the scattered cloud deck, preventing her from seeing what she was looking for.


--- Quote from: Jeffrey Pearce on December 11, 2016, 04:49:59 PM ---Also, why did we not hear more from Earhart after her last in air broadcast at 0843 IST, Page 210 in the Longs' book.

--- End quote ---

The last transmission came at 08:55 Itasca time. See Last Words.


--- Quote from: Jeffrey Pearce on December 11, 2016, 04:49:59 PM --- At this point she had been flying her line of position 157-337 for some undetermined time since her previous in air broadcast ending at 0803 IST when she reported(in her 0742 IST in air broadcast) she was circling at 1000 feet?

--- End quote ---

Earhart did not say she was circling.  See Things Not Said.


--- Quote from: Jeffrey Pearce on December 11, 2016, 04:49:59 PM --- Did Earhart not broadcast from the air after 0843 IST or did she broadcast but wasn't heard?

--- End quote ---

There's no way to know, but if she broadcast on 3105 on her next scheduled transmission time at 09:15, her signal was blocked by an attempt by Itasca to contact her on 3105.  If she was transmitting on 6210 she was too close to Itasca to be heard on that frequency.  When she left Lae she had an arrangement to make position reports on 6210 every hour at 18 minutes past the hour.  Lae didn't hear her until she had been gone for four hours.

Jeffrey Pearce:
Marty,

I do not have Elgin Long's book with me so I cannot use it to reply BUT I WILL GIVE YOU A THOROUGH REPLY WHEN I HAVE THE BOOK IN FRONT OF ME. I will answer each of your questions when I can again reference the book. I do remember in recalling the book that Earhart was sent Howland Island surface and I believe 9000 ft wind data for a period of days before she left Lae. This wind data was obtained via weather readings obtained at Howland Island. This is my understanding.

Thanks to you.

Jeff
Member 3396S

Jeffrey Pearce:
Marty,

I just spent probably over an hour composing a somewhat detailed reply to your post but I guess the time police caught me and deleted what I had written. I'll try again tomorrow. I will add that it just seems realistic to think that Earhart and Noonan had some kind of knowledge about the winds at Howland.

Jeff
Member 3396S

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