I have been a TIGHAR member since 2003 (#2583R). I'm a structural engineer; I live in Montana Wyoming. I first heard of the Earhart/Noonan disappearance when I was a boy of about 10. It amazed me that these two people and a plane could just disappear without a trace. It was many years later when I learned that people (and things) don't just disappear without a trace. They leave evidence behind. They leave traces. I turned 50 a few months ago; it is my sincere hope to see this mystery conclusively and convincingly solved in my lifetime.
I am in awe of the massive amount of information and data that TIGHAR has pulled together over the years. There are many people involved here. I don't want to praise one at the expense of others, because all are contributors in their own way; Tom King, Marty Moleski, Walt Holm, Randy Jacobsen, Ron Bright, Alan Caldwell, Bob Brandenburg, Andrew McKenna, Hue Miller, the list goes on and on. Having said that, Ric Gillespie is, in my opinion, the most knowledgeable person on the planet on the topic at hand here. I think this mystery will be solved, and it will be done in large part because of Ric's efforts. I really enjoy reading Ric's writing.