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Author Topic: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart  (Read 49635 times)

Ashlin Orrell

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The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« on: April 12, 2014, 03:13:33 PM »

The Stratus Project
The Search for Amelia Earhart

For those who may be interested, we have recently launched our new project to search for Amelia Earhart - The Stratus Project. We aim to conduct a deep-ocean search in the vicinity of Howland Island, picking up where Nauticos and Waitt left off. The Project leader is the director of Titanic's Dock, Colin Cobb who some of you will know from the Washington DC conference. Colin delivered the talk on Amelia's Derry landing in 1932.

We have a unique approach to the disappearance, focusing on Fred Noonan rather than Amelia herself to solve the mystery. A guy who many of you probably know, Gary LaPook, has been onboard with our project since it began two years ago. We have kept the project under wraps for so long because we have spent the time working with Gary to develop our theory, and have also been creating everything else that goes with the project, such as website, video, theory presentation etc. We have now decided that we are ready to officially launch the project and go public with what we are doing.

Please see our website and video at www.stratusproject.com


Ashlin Orrell
Deputy Project Leader
The Stratus Project


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Chris Johnson

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2014, 03:25:24 PM »

Well that's interesting! Certainly looks a well researched (through GLP) and funded (Colin?) project and even with the evidence that TIGHAR has found you'd put a £ ($) or two on crashed and sank.  The technology looks impressive and makes the next year or so very interesting in the AE cottage industry :)
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Ashlin Orrell

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2014, 03:39:43 PM »

Thanks Chris.

Yes Colin has funded the project from the start.
We wanted to go further than just discussing and analysing the disappearance... we decided to put our money where our mouth is and aim to get AUVs to our search area and hopefully solve the mystery.

There hasn't been anyone testing the crashed and sank theory for a number of years now since Waitt in 2009. Sadly Ted Waitt just didn't put his Remus' in the right place, despite searching such a vast area. The Waitt expedition was probably the most technologically advanced search for Amelia to date, and we aim to use similar technology.

Watch this space.
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Chris Johnson

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2014, 02:01:41 PM »

Thanks Chris.

Yes Colin has funded the project from the start.
We wanted to go further than just discussing and analysing the disappearance... we decided to put our money where our mouth is and aim to get AUVs to our search area and hopefully solve the mystery.

There hasn't been anyone testing the crashed and sank theory for a number of years now since Waitt in 2009. Sadly Ted Waitt just didn't put his Remus' in the right place, despite searching such a vast area. The Waitt expedition was probably the most technologically advanced search for Amelia to date, and we aim to use similar technology.

Watch this space.

Are you going to cover some of the same ground so to speak or is it all new 'virgin' areas?  What's the plan if you find identifiable wreckage - in fact how do you propose to identify any wreckage found as surely only a bonafida serial number will win over those who have other agendas?
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Colin Philip Cobb

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2014, 03:15:36 PM »

Hello again Chris :-)

Can't go into the search details at the moment.
If we do find wreckage in the deep ocean we are confident that the bulk of the plane will be next to it.
If you actually find the Electra I doubt it will be hard to identify.

Let's find it first, identifying it will be a nice problem to have.

Regards

Colin
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JNev

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2014, 06:09:22 AM »

Hello again Chris :-)

Can't go into the search details at the moment.
If we do find wreckage in the deep ocean we are confident that the bulk of the plane will be next to it.
If you actually find the Electra I doubt it will be hard to identify.

Let's find it first, identifying it will be a nice problem to have.

Regards

Colin

Colin,

I certainly enjoyed meeting you and seeing your presentation at the symposium in 2012.

I'm sure you will have an interesting hypothesis to test with Gary providing the navigational theory and wish you luck.  Certainly agree that there's nothing like physical evidence, and should you find it, identifying it would be a 'nice problem' to have, sure enough.

All the best -
- Jeff Neville

Former Member 3074R
 
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Monty Fowler

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2014, 05:57:01 PM »

Best of luck to your group, Colin - the fundraising will be the challenge (well we know THAT!)

Just remember, if you do find what you think is Amelia and Fred's airplane, photos alone aren't going to cut it. You're going to have to bring an identifiable piece of it to the surface and have it independently verified. Otherwise, it/s just ... photos of pieces of metal. Could be anything that came from anywhere.

I say that only because that's the standard TIGHAR is being held to by its numerous detractors, so what's good for the goose should be good for the gander as well, right?

LTM, who finds dry paint really interesting right now,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 CER

 
Ex-TIGHAR member No. 2189 E C R SP, 1998-2016
 
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JNev

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2014, 06:31:58 AM »

Thanks Chris.

Yes Colin has funded the project from the start.
We wanted to go further than just discussing and analysing the disappearance... we decided to put our money where our mouth is and aim to get AUVs to our search area and hopefully solve the mystery.

There hasn't been anyone testing the crashed and sank theory for a number of years now since Waitt in 2009. Sadly Ted Waitt just didn't put his Remus' in the right place, despite searching such a vast area. The Waitt expedition was probably the most technologically advanced search for Amelia to date, and we aim to use similar technology.

Watch this space.

Obviously true since nothing was found.  Whether Stratus can find the 'right place' is likewise a large test as well - as Gary LaPook himself once said, the Pacific is a big ocean.

Stratus' approach seems very much based on Gary getting 'inside of Fred's head', as it were, to provide a basis for a hypothesis.  I would suggest that when it came to navigation, Fred's intellect may have rivaled the Pacific in terms of vastness.  As I recall, Gary predominantly believes that Fred would have had Earhart doggedly searching for Howland until gas ran out, then splash-n-sink - which of course is a possibility, but contrary to the clear notion of a land-plane navigator seeking alternate landfall.  Which is what contemporaries of Noonan, like Friedell, seemed to think at the time.  Of course Friedell and others didn't find the lost ship then either.

Good luck - the Pacific is a large and expensive lawn to mow.
- Jeff Neville

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Colin Philip Cobb

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2014, 05:03:13 PM »

Hello Monty and Jeff

Yes the 2012 conference was good fun.
Nearly 2 years ago now.
We are aware of the challenges ahead regarding a deep ocean search, and are prepared to do what we can to resolve this mystery.
I've full confidence in Gary's abilities, his experience and knowledge is as vast as noonan's, and to me stands the best hope of finding the Electra.
I will keep you posted as to any further developments.

Colin
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JNev

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2014, 06:15:27 AM »

Hello Monty and Jeff

Yes the 2012 conference was good fun.
Nearly 2 years ago now.
We are aware of the challenges ahead regarding a deep ocean search, and are prepared to do what we can to resolve this mystery.
I've full confidence in Gary's abilities, his experience and knowledge is as vast as noonan's, and to me stands the best hope of finding the Electra.
I will keep you posted as to any further developments.

Colin

Best of luck to you, truly, Colin.  That was an outstanding and fascinating presentation you gave on Earhart's Irish arrival and visit.  I also really want to see Titanic Dry Dock and Pump House one day and I love what you are doing there.  Great stories deserve to be told well, and you are a master.

Noonan's navigator's shoes: very large, like the Pacific is to oceans.  Gary's a great guy and smart - and like most of us, has an opinion or two.  Every organization has to have a direction and must 'find Howland' in the way they believe best, for sure. 

Until someone lays hands on the grail it is however an educated crap shoot in my view.  Do keep us posted.
- Jeff Neville

Former Member 3074R
 
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Colin Philip Cobb

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2014, 07:29:19 AM »

Hopefully we have a better than average chance at this.
But until the Electra is found it's anyone's game.
As to Titanics Dock in Belfast, all on this forum are welcome to visit me here at Titanic Quarter HQ. If any wish to visit Northern Ireland and experience the Titanic Heritage and a trip to the Amelia Landing site in Londonderry please contact me at:
info@titanicwalk.com

Thanks
Colin
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JNev

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2014, 07:47:34 AM »

Hopefully we have a better than average chance at this.
But until the Electra is found it's anyone's game.
As to Titanics Dock in Belfast, all on this forum are welcome to visit me here at Titanic Quarter HQ. If any wish to visit Northern Ireland and experience the Titanic Heritage and a trip to the Amelia Landing site in Londonderry please contact me at:
info@titanicwalk.com

Thanks
Colin

I will look forward to taking you up on that one day, thanks Colin.
- Jeff Neville

Former Member 3074R
 
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Kent Beuchert

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2014, 01:01:43 PM »

Somehow the claim that Gary's knowledge is as vast as Noonan's doesn't instill confidence - Noonan failed
to find Howland Island, remember?  Personally, I believe there exists reliable evidence from many independent sources in several formats that makes the idea of a splashdown extremely implausible.
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Andrew M McKenna

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2014, 03:37:43 PM »

I, and I'm sure others, miss Gary's contributions to the discussion on the forum.  Now we know what he's been spending his time on over the past two years.

The problem I have with Gary's way of seeing things is that it seems to come from his modern day view of what Amelia and Fred "would have" done, i.e. they would have set up an expanding box search for Howland, or how he dismisses potential evidence such as the Navy overflight or the post loss radio signals.  Gary is convinced that the Navy flyers "would have" spotted AE and FN with some 95% certainty during a 20 minute search, and therefore dismisses the possibility that they could have been on Nikumaroro at the time of the overflight. 

Similarly, he dismisses the post loss signals as being broadcasts out of Russia on reciprocal bearings to those that converge near Nikumaroro, but doesn't explain the lack of such receptions being heard prior to the flight (OK, maybe they just weren't reported), or more importantly why such random Russian transmissions just happen to peter out 5 days post loss.  If Gary is right, the incidence of reported receptions should actually increase with the vastly increased number of listeners, but they don't, they peter out and stop altogether just when the entire world was listening most intently.  One wonders what Gary thinks of the sonar anomaly that is the subject of TIGHAR's next expedition.

How does Gary explain these things?  He doesn't, he conveniently ignores them and everything else related to TIGHAR's work on Nikumaroro because it does not match up with his crashed and sank theory.  They are simply a series of odd coincidences to be ignored.  I see a series of odd but possibly related events as the dots that need to be connected in order to solve a mystery.

The website is a nice slick piece of work full of opportunities to "support" the Status Project, but it doesn't indicate what anyone gets for contributing.  To me, with all the secrecy, it looks like a big commercial publicity venture.  Don't get me wrong, looks like you're having a lot of fun with all of this, but without any disclosure from the Stratus Project it is impossible to evaluate the merits of the current thinking and what Gary has channeled from Fred that has been overlooked by all the other Earhart researchers.  Without some sort of visibility into the nitty gritty of your research, I'd be hesitant to donate money to the project. 

Colin - perhaps you can elaborate on whether all of this is a commercial venture, and what you plan to do with the aircraft after you dredge it up from the bottom somewhere near Howland?

Conversely, what are you going to do if the Electra is found in the deep water next to Nikumaroro?

Are you sure you don't want to hedge your bet and apply some of your funding to the Niku deep water anomaly search?  :-)

Looking forward to our next Guinness together.

Andrew

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Monty Fowler

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Re: The Stratus Project - The Search for Amelia Earhart
« Reply #14 on: April 27, 2014, 06:21:40 PM »

*points up* What Andrew said.

One of TIGHAR's strengths is that absolutely nothing is hidden. It's ALL out there. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Always has been. Always will be.

You can all thank me later for getting that catchy theme song stuck in your heads for the rest of the night  ;D

LTM, who finds dry paint really interesting right now,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 CER
Ex-TIGHAR member No. 2189 E C R SP, 1998-2016
 
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