1902-1974

American Aviator

Charles Lindbergh flew the first non-stop solo flight in a powered flying machine over the Atlantic Ocean in

1927.

He covered 3,600 miles (5,794 km) from New York to Paris in 33 hours and 30 minutes, an astonishing achievement for the time, and showed the possibilities of the airplane.

Charles Lindbergh grew up on a farm in Minnesota and was at the University of Wisconsin majoring in engineering when he became fascinated by flying machines. After two years, he quit to learn to fly. He became a barnstormer and traveled to fairs and air shows giving demonstrations of flying. Wanting more instruction, he attended Army Flying School in Texas and became a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Service Reserve. Then he took a job with Robertson Aircraft in St. Louis. In 1926 he flew the inaugural flight of a new airmail route between St. Louis and...