Geographic Society supplied a video camera for the plane, which had Internet access and a fax machine. Despite modern equipment aiding navigation and communication, flying a heavy plane built for short distanceswas hazardous; Finch had to contend with heat and loud noise from the engines during flight. Another plane was outfitted with modern communication and navigational equipment to accompany her. Finch's team for the flight included Pratt & Whitney employees, two navigators, and a staff which promoted the flight. Recreation of historic flight Finch's recreated flight began at Oakland International Airport in Oakland, California on March 17, 1997, 60 years after Amelia Earhart's around-the-world flight attempt from the airport. Finch's flight plan, patterned on Earhart's route, included 34 stops in 19 countries. The flight took 73 days, ending on May 28 at the same airport. Finch's cruising speed on the trip was , and generally flew eight to 12 hours at a time. The trip took about 225 hours of flying time. The Electra's cabin was not pressurized; it did not carry oxygen and, like Earhart, Finch flew under for most of the trip. She touched down on five continents, mirroring Earhart's route and its stops. Finch visited 18 counties, with a total of 34 landings. She flew an additional 1,000 miles to drop a wreath over Howland Island from her aircraft to honor Earhart. (Amelia Earhart disappeared on her way to Howland Island on July 2, 1937.) Finch's last leg, the flight's longest, was on May 28: an estimated 18-hour flight covering between Hawaii and Oakland, California. She was met by a large crowd, and had a reception and dinner at the Western Aerospace Museum in Oakland. Finch was 46 at the time of the flight, seven years older than Earhart was on her final flight. You Can Soar Finch hoped that children around the world would get an educational experience from her venture. She tied her flight to the educational series, You Can Soar. The flight and education programs were supported by Pratt & Whitney. Finch's team and Pratt & Whitney developed a free, multimedia curriculum which was sent to schools for fifth- through eighth-grade students. The curriculum included geography, time zones, weather gauging, and Earhart's legacy. Addressing the countries which Finch visited, the program's cultural-studies portion taught poetry, language, and art. Finch met with schoolchildren throughout the United States and Europe. The computer equipment in her aircraft