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Today marks the 90th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s landing in Paris after completing his historic, first solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1919, New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig, offered $25,000 to the first person to complete a non-stop transatlantic flight. On May 20, 1927, Lindbergh took off from New York in his "Spirit of St. Louis", a custom Ryan NYP (New York to Paris) single-engine aircraft. The 3,500-mile journey followed the circle route over the Canadian maritime provinces, then crossing more than 1,900 miles of open ocean. The next day, after thirty-three and a half hours, the 25-year-old flier became an international star upon landing at Paris’ Le Bourget Field. This shocking achievement changed the course of history and brought aviation to the forefront of public attention. Image: Charles Lindbergh postcard, 1927. Gift of Frank A. Norick. 2011.128.006
This image was posted on May 21, 2017.