Linda Finch

Linda (Dueler) Finch, also known as Linda Finch Doctor (born March 13, 1951), is an American businesswoman, aviator, and aviation historian from San Antonio, Texas. Finch had 30 years of experience in the construction industry, making prefabricated buildings, and operating healthcare facilities. She began her career managing nursing homes in her twenties and owned several nursing homes in her thirties. Finch became a pilot and purchased an airplane that she used in her nursing-home business. She later added construction firms to her portfolio.

Finch's primary aircraft interest was World War II-era planes. She has restored vintage aircraft and has participated in air shows and airplane races. Finch became a member of the Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force).

Finch is best known for her 1997 World Flight, which recreated (and completed) Amelia Earhart's world-record attempt. She flew a restored 1935 Lockheed Electra 10E, which was the type of plane that Earhart flew in 1937 on her around-the-world attempt. Finch's Electra was modified, with a Global Positioning System, increased fuel capacity, and modern communications equipment. She followed Earhart's route as closely as she could and completed the 26,000-mile trip around the world in 73 days. With Pratt & Whitney (who funded the restoration and flight), Finch established the You Can Soar educational and motivational program, which enabled students in 200,000 classrooms to follow her flight. Its website was viewed 30 million times.

The magazine Flying characterized her as a "Veteran aircraft restorer and accomplished warbird pilot."

Finch left John Marshall High School at the age of 16. Finch worked as a bookkeeper in New Jersey, Texas, South Dakota, Montana, and Illinois. Some of Finch's jobs were at nursing facilities. Her third marriage, in 1983 to businessman Delos Finch, lasted for ten years.

Business career Finch has owned and operated retirement communities, nursing homes, and a construction firm that manufactured prefabricated buildings. that in 1997 owned four nursing homes and one retirement property. At that time, her businesses employed 500 people and earned $14 million annually. Finch stated that any deficiencies were corrected by that time.

Finch then purchased a North American T-6 Texan, a World War II trainer. She restored it in the 1980s and became a member of the Confederate Air Force (now the Commemorative Air Force) to begin participating in air shows. Earhart was expected to land at the tiny Howland Island in the South Pacific on July 2, 1937. When they did not arrive, they were thought to have become lost.

Preparations Finch acquired the type of plane that Earhart flew, a 1935 Lockheed Electra 10E. Of the fifteen Lockheed Martin Model 10 Electra planes that were manufactured, only two were available in 1997. She acquired it in 1994 When it arrived on a truck, it was full of rat's and bird's nests. The plane's wings were detached from the fuselage, with $3 million spent on the educational program and $1.5 million for the plane. The navigational equipment for the Electra and the plane that flew along with Finch were donated by the Universal Avionics Systems Corporation out of Tucson. The former 10-passenger-seat airliner was reconfigured for its new mission. Passenger seats were removed and additional fuel tanks were installed, Two nine-cylinder Wasp engines were assembled from spare parts. Her team for each flight included two navigators, two Pratt & Whitney employees, and promotional staff. one of whom was Peter Cousins, took turns assisting Finch as she flew around the world. eastward along the equator The plane has a cruising speed of . Her stops included the Martin Luther King School for Girls in Dakar and, in Egypt, at the Queen of Hatshepsut temple. Nor would she land on Howland Island or Lae, Papua New Guinea because there were not sufficient services or proper runways to land there. Finch landed at Oakland International Airport that day, where she was met by a large crowd.

You Can Soar

An educational program entitled You Can Soar which allowed more than a million people around the world to observe and participate in her journey for free.

Legal cases Between May 16 through May 20, 1994, the Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS) made onsite visits to the Dublin Nursing Center in Dublin, Texas, owned by Finch, to investigate the facility for violating the state's Health and Safety Code. Due to the number of violations that they found, Finch agreed to have the nursing center operated by a trustee. The violations included insufficient nursing staff, residents with severe pressure sores, others severely malnourished, negligent care of sores and malnourished patients, and poor sanitation processes for linens and food management. In March 1995, the state Attorney General's office became involved in the case. Five years later, they announced a record-level settlement of $300,000 against the nursing center.

In 1997, Finch was sued by Julie Markel, who had been an employee and friend, over allegations related to the nursing homes owned by Finch. Finch's firm, World Flight, sought and obtained a court order to prevent Markel from speaking with sponsors of the Earhart re-creation.