Great Lakes Aviation Detectives

08/24/2026

08/21/2026

08/19/2026

08/13/2026

She was the first woman to cross the Atlantic ocean by air, to pilot an autogyro, to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress.Amelia Earhart was an

08/12/2026

08/09/2026

08/08/2026

08/05/2026

Everyone remembers Captain "Sully" Sullenberger landing Flight 1549 on the Hudson River. But nobody remembers the three flight attendants who actually saved 150 lives. 🕊️

Sheila Dail, 57. Joined US Airways in 1980. More than 28 years of flying. On January 15, 2009, she was in the cabin when a bird strike disabled both engines. She had less than four minutes from impact to evacuate 150 people. She got them into life jackets, opened emergency slides, and guided everyone to safety—all while the plane was sinking into freezing water. 💪

Doreen Welsh, 58. Joined US Airways in 1970. Nearly 40 years of experience. The most senior of the three. While passengers panicked, she stayed calm, directed people forward, blocked passengers from opening rear doors (water pressure wouldn't allow them to open anyway), and kept the evacuation moving. After this flight, she retired. She couldn't fly again after that day. 🙏

Donna Dent. Also part of the crew. Also unsung. Also heroic. Worked alongside Dail and Welsh to get 150 people out of a sinking aircraft in minutes.

One of them was cut on the leg during the impact—a serious injury requiring surgery—but didn't stop working until everyone was safe. Captain Sullenberger walked the cabin twice after evacuation to make sure no one was forgotten. But it was these three women—trained for this exact nightmare—who made it possible.

Sully got the book deals. The movie. The talk shows. The fame. These three got a footnote in history. But on January 15, 2009, 150 people survived because Sheila Dail, Doreen Welsh, and Donna Dent knew exactly what to do under impossible pressure.

We remember them today. ✈️

08/04/2026

On September 4, 1943, RCAF Liberator 589D barrel-rolled into Gander Lake after engine failure on takeoff, killing all four crew — and when military divers found it days later, the bomber slipped off a ledge mid-recovery, taking three crewmen's remains with it into the depths forever. On the 79th anniversary of the crash, an international dive team descended into pitch-black 5°C water and found it upside down — landing gear pointing upward, tires still inflated — perched precariously above a 250-meter drop. 👉 Full story: https://dailytopis.com/divers-confirm-discovery-of.../