Susan Oliver, who plays the flying instructor for Amelia Earhart in early scenes, had been an actual pilot for a dozen years at the time of filming. She was a co-winner of an annual Powder Puff Derby race from coast to coast at one time, and she also had piloted a small plane across the Atlantic. Oliver had a glider pilot's license, a commercial pilot's license, multi-engine and instrument ratings, and was qualified to fly co-pilot in twin-engine Lear jets. She had 850 flight hours logged, 80 in jets.
The Bill Bixby connection: Susan Oliver was a guest-star in The Magician, Bill Bixby's excellent cult series; Susan Clark appeared with Bill in The Apple Dumpling Gang; finally, Jack Colvin was David Banner's tormentor in Bixby's 4th series, The Incredible Hulk.