Who the heck is Parker Aerospace?

[Tom Harnish]

Obscure news source is reporting that a team sponsored by Parker Aerospace is looking for Amelia and Noonan on Mili Atoll.

"There is an underground hospital built by the Japanese on Jaluit," Jeffery said. "Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan were in this hospital after they crashed," he said. "There might be some evidence there."

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Marshalls-aviation-history-people/2015/01/25/id/620544/#ixzz3Ps6tSe4S

[Krystal McGinty-Carter]

Its being picked up by other news sources as well. Let them look. Its their time and money. Everyone is entitled to their theory and opinion and anything that keeps Earhart in the headlines is a win for anyone involved in the search.  Ill stick with Niku until someone proves me otherwise.

[Andrew M McKenna]

Parker Aerospace is a division of Parker Hannifin.  Interestingly one of their products is aviation wheels and brakes.

http://www.parker.com/portal/site/PARKER/menuitem.14ecfc66e7a40c1af8500f199420d1ca/?vgnextoid=43cb5242ade5c110VgnVCM10000032a71dacRCRD&Keyword=AEROSPACE

I don't think the "dust cover" or the access plate they think they found are related to a L-10, but it is interesting that they've been able to attract sponsorship and are out there doing it, hopefully legally and properly documented.

AMCK

[Steve Lyle Gunderson]

This was posted on TIGHARs facebook page earlier today.

GOOD LUCK - BUT CLEAN UP YOUR ACT
According to this article in the Japan Times, some folks who are trying to prove the Japanese Capture Theory are going to look for the Electra at Mili Atoll where last year they found two small pieces of aluminum they say may have come from Earhart's plane. The fact that photos prove that Earhart's plane didn't have parts like that doesn't seem to bother them. They're also planning to search an "underground hospital' on Jaluit Atoll where they believe Earhart and Noonan were treated before being transported to prison on Saipan. We're very familiar with Jaluit. There is no underground hospital on Jaluit. Jaluit is a coral atoll. You can't build an underground anything on a coral atoll. There is a large abandoned Japanese above-ground bunker on Jaluit. I've been in it. It's empty.

TIGHAR has no problem with these folks testing their hypothesis with expeditions to the Republic of the Marshall Islands but they need to comply with the historic preservation laws of that country and get the required permits from the Historic Preservation Office in Majuro. So far they have disregarded those laws and protocols. It's the kind of behavior that gives Americans a bad name and harms all historical field research in the Pacific.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/.../earharts-plane-sought-on-re.../...

Earhart's plane sought on remote Marshalls atoll | The Japan Times

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/.../earharts-plane-sought-on-re.../...

Earhart's plane sought on remote Marshalls atoll | The Japan Times

Here is a direct link to the article, FWIW.

[Michael Calvin Powell]

I know nothing about them but they must have the necessary permits since they appear to have the endorsement of the President of the Marshall Islands (who no doubt values the publicity):

http://www.mvariety.com/regional-news/73215-american-group-looks-for-amelia-earhart-clues-on-remote-marshalls-atoll

[Monty Fowler]

Pinkie claps for them at least trying to go through channels this time.

5 to 1 then end up with the same kind of aircraft parts Fred Goerner found. I believe his were from a G4M Betty.

LTM, who knows a longshot when he sees one,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 ECSP

[Ric Gillespie]

A little background should help explain President Loeak's apparent endorsement of Amelia Research, Inc.

According to reliable sources, the recovery of the two artifacts at Mili last year was accomplished not by anyone in the American group but by a prominent Marshallese businessman (we know his name) with powerful political connections - hence no need to bother with archaeological permits.  According to the article, "(President) Loeak invited the team to visit Mili and has assigned government Historic Preservation Office staff to assist the investigation."  The group of Americans sponsored by Parker Aerospace has reportedly now gone to Mili with "more sophisticated equipment to find other parts." RMI Historic Preservation laws require that this kind of work be carried out under the direction of a degreed archaeologist. As far as we know, no one in the group of Americans has any archaeological training. The RMI Historic Preservation Office currently does not have a degreed archaeologist.
We can only conclude that whatever searching is being done at Mili is being done without archaeological protocols. Should they happen upon historically significant artifacts, whether related to Earhart or (more probably) WWII, the damage done will be permanent.

[Jerry Germann]

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/search-for-amelia-earharts-plane-continues-in-marshall-islands/1411347  ( click on white arrow, surrounded by orange rectangle to listen)


https://earharttruth.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/new-mili-search-uncovers-more-potential-evidence/

Seems work has ended.....The broadcast and article from the Mike Campbell site ,mentions the finding of a few more items to be studied.
It appears they hold to the belief that the first two objects they discovered are electra related, in light of the pointed observations made by forum members regarding them, in the dust cover thread.
http://tighar.org/smf/index.php/topic,1602.msg35183.html#msg35183

[Jerry Germann]

Interview with Mr Spink on recently;

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/could-latest-finds-in-marshall-islands-finally-solve-earhart-mystery/1412891
Click the line ,highlighted in blue, to open,(audio).... then click white arrow in orange rectangular box to listen.
Would be interesting to see any new photos, of the objects they found.

[Ric Gillespie]

Would be interesting to see any new photos, of the objects they found.

This is an article from the Feb. 6 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.  Not much of a photograph.

[Jerry Germann]

Marty,
         I think Ric broke Bruce's record....

[Andrew M McKenna]

Looks like more cover plates for the external power port that didn't have a cover plate.

They still haven't established that the "dust cover" is even part of an Airwheel, or that Airwheels even had dust covers.

amck

[Ric Gillespie]

Looks like more cover plates for the external power port that didn't have a cover plate.

Exactly. Too many cover plates. (One is too many.)

They still haven't established that the "dust cover" is even part of an Airwheel, or that Airwheels even had dust covers.

I expect that they'll ultimately pull a General MacArthur and just fade away.

[Craig Romig]

I was doing a search. And accidently ran onto this.  I think railroad wheels and dragging a plane sounds far out to me.

https://earharttruth.wordpress.com/tag/mili-atoll/