Amelia had hoped to depart Miami on May 30th, but a test flight revealed a fault with the Sperry auto-pilot and with the radio transmitter. The automatic pilot problem was resolved when the rubber control fitting was changed, but the radio fault was more persistent. Pam-Am technicians decided the problem lay with the aerial antennae recently installed on the Electra. The 250-foot trailing aerial was discarded, possibly in the interest of saving weight. The Electra carried no Morse code keys, but holding down the microphone switch could have transmitted a carrier signal. In addition to the navigator, Fred Noonan, Amelia carried only necessary equipment: rubber lifeboat and life belts, in case of a forced landing at sea, some spare parts, and a few covers for philatelists. For their private farewell, George Putnam and Amelia retired into the hangar building. Fred climbed into the cockpit and George stood alongside on the wing-section, leaned in, and bade good-bye. Amelia closed and fastened the hatch. On June 1, 1937 at 5:55 a.m. Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan took off from Miami.
