• The final answer on Amelia Earhart: Amelia Earhart puts to rest the speculation and rumors surrounding Earhart’s disappearance. The Longs prove that she was pushing the limits of technology and simply pushed too far. With the primitive conditions Earhart was flying under—no radar, unreliable communication—she missed Howland Island, her next stop.. • An expert author and pilot: Elgen Long has more than forty years of combat and civilian flying experience. During World War II, he flew planes virtually identical to the Electra that Earhart flew, making him one of the few living pilots who understands the conditions she flew under. Elgen and his wife, Marie, spent more than twenty-five years, interviewed more than 100 witnesses, and traveled more than 100,000 miles researching this book. . • A new movie: Amelia , starring Hilary Swank, will be released by Fox Searchlight in fall 2009. The screenplay is based on three books, including Elgen and Marie Long’s Amelia Earhart , and Elgen Long served as a technical advisor to the film..