begin on mine. He had simply been asked by a friend of his in New York to cast about for an eligible woman who would go as substitute on the expedition.
Just what the qualifications of eligibility were I have never found out—but I went to New York as a candidate to be looked over. There I learned that the sponsor of the flight was the Honorable Mrs. Frederick Guest of London, the former Amy Phipps of Pittsburgh. She had quietly purchased a tri-motor Fokker from Admiral Byrd and planned to name it the Friendship as a symbol of good-will between her own and her adopted country.
“Was I willing to fly the Atlantic?”
“In the event of disaster would I release those in charge from all responsibility?”
“What was my education—if any?”
“How strong?”
“How willing?”
“What flying experience?”
“What would I do after the flight?”
These were some of the questions rained upon me.
It was made clear that the men in the flight were being paid. Having established that, I was asked if I was prepared to receive no remuneration myself. I said “Yes,” feeling that the privilege of being included in the expedition would be sufficient in itself.
