Lindbergh Completes Solo Transatlantic Flight

American aviator (1902–1974)

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Lindbergh Completes Solo Transatlantic Flight
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Overview

What happened

Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, military officer, and author.

Date

May 21, 1927

Location

Le Bourget Field, Paris, France

Key people

Charles Lindbergh

Outcome

On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh landed his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, at Le Bourget Field in Paris, France, after completing the first solo non-...

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed account of Charles Lindbergh's historic solo transatlantic flight, including the challenges he faced and the significance of his achievement.

What was Lindbergh Completes Solo Transatlantic Flight?

Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris, a distance of 3,600 miles (5,800 km), flying alone for over 33 hours. His aircraft, the Spirit of St. Louis, was built to compete for the $25,000 Orteig Prize for the first flight between the two cities. Although not the first transatlantic flight, it was the first solo crossing of the Atlantic and the longest at the time by nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km), setting a new flight distance world record.

Lindbergh and his father, c. 1910
Lindbergh and his father, c. 1910
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Background and consequences

The achievement garnered Lindbergh worldwide fame and stands as one of the most consequential flights in history, signalling a new era of air transportation between parts of the globe. Lindbergh was raised mostly in Little Falls, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., the son of U.S. congressman Charles August Lindbergh. He became a U.S. Army Air Service cadet in 1924. The next year, he was hired as a U.S. Air Mail pilot in the Greater St. Louis area, where he began to prepare for crossing the Atlantic. For his 1927 flight, President Calvin Coolidge presented him both the Distinguished Flying Cross and Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military award.

"Daredevil Lindbergh" in a re-engined Standard J-1, c. 1925. The plane in this photo is often misidentified as a Curtiss "Jenny".
"Daredevil Lindbergh" in a re-engined Standard J-1, c. 1925. The plane in this photo is often misidentified as a Curtiss "Jenny".
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Why it matters

He was promoted to colonel in the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve and also earned the highest French order of merit, the Legion of Honor. His achievement spurred significant global interest in flight training, commercial aviation and air mail, which revolutionized the aviation industry worldwide (a phenomenon dubbed the "Lindbergh Boom"), and he spent much time promoting these industries. Time magazine named Lindbergh its first Man of the Year for 1927, President Herbert Hoover appointed him to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in 1929, and he received the Congressional Gold Medal in 1930. In 1931, he and French surgeon Alexis Carrel began work on inventing the first perfusion pump, a device credited with making future heart surgeries and organ transplantation possible.

Related on thisDay

Witness Lindbergh's Historic Landing — May 21, 1927

Charles Lindbergh's 33.5-hour solo flight ended on May 21, 1927, at Le Bourget Field in Paris, France, with a historic landing.

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: Witness Lindbergh's Historic Landing — May 21, 1927Wikipedia source
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MLA

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APA

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Chicago

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