Actually, he was very good at open water navigation, one of the very best, and was a pioneer in the field. The slanders against him loomed large because people were really not wanting to blame Amelia.
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Oh, I agree. Earhart was more of a daredevil than a pilot. She was very poorly prepared for that leg of the trip, which included not testing the equipment that would be used to locate the island once Noonan got them in the general vicinity. The two of them were pretty much doomed as soon as they took off. Considering Earhart’s nature, which he should have known, he can be faulted for not double checking everything.
Any idea what they used for a chronometer?
One minute of error puts you off about 15 miles.
Radio time checks? Photos do no not show a sextant port? It is unlikely they had a bubble sextant.
There was a hatch on the aircraft, so at 100 kts(?) out in the wind you make your sightings. Take three it will even it out!
Flying 6000 miles over open water and finding a very small island, wow.
Earhart had the reputation of being only an “adequate pilot.”
Her sex was more of a “qualification” than her skills. Was it her husband who encouraged her to become the world famous “aviatrix?” I think stories of the time say so.