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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0369.PDF
MAY 26, 1927 NEW YORK-PARIS Lindbergh's Non-Stop Flight Across the Atlantic CAPT. CHARLES LINDBERGH, a hitherto little-known (on this side of the Atlantic) American pilot set out from New York, piloting a Ryan monoplane fitted with a 220 h.p. Wright " Whirlwind " engine, on May 20 at 8 a.m. (12.50 p.m. B.S'.T.) with the object of flying non-stop to Paris, a distance of a little over 3,600 miles. On May 21, at 10.22 p.m. (B.S.T.) hclanded at Le Bourget, amidst scenes of enthusiasm and excite- ment unparalleled in the world of flying. The fact that the 3,600 miles between New York and Paris has been covered by air in 33J hours non- stop flight is, in itself, a remarkable and record- breaking event, but the circumstances under which this record has been achieved make it without doubt the " biggest noise " that has yet happened in the history of aviation. For Lindbergh accomplished his journey single handed, in a machine (specially built for the flight in 60 days) with but the minimum of equipment—he had neither wireless nor the special navigating instru- ments usually employed on flights such as this—and without any elaborate pre- parations. In fact, when he started from New York there were not many who thought he would get through and the attempt was varyingly described as " sporting," " daring," and fool-hardy." Certainly, on the face of it, he had little chance of succeeding, for there was not only the question of his being able to withstand the strain of over 30 hours of piloting, navigating and engine noise, without relief from a second person, but flying as he was in a simple land 'plane, there was very little hope, in the event of anything going wrong and necessitating a forced descent in the Atlantic, of rescue—especially as he THE NEW YORK-PARIS FLIGHT : Capt. Charles Lindbergh, Legion of Honour, who piloted, single- handed, his Ryan monoplane 3,600 miles across the Atlantic, from New York to Paris. This photograph was transmitted by telephone wires from St Louis to New York. was not equipped with wireless. However, he did get through and, we think, refuted the nickname " Flying Fool " that had been applied to him, for although luck no doubt played a big part in his success, he none the less displayed con- siderable skill, courage and endurance in carrying out his task. Before he left New York on Friday morning, Lind- bergh received very favour- able weather reports, which, except for an early stage of the flight, proved correct. With his Ryan monoplane weighing some 4,750 lbs. all up, the take-off naturally presented some difficulty, but favoured with a long slope for his initial run, which had been specially prepared for Commander Byrd's flight, the machine got away without mishap. His journey along the coast passed without inci- dent, but on reaching Nova Scotia (that night) his first troubles commenced. Here he encountered rain and snow, and he endeavoured to avoid this, first, by coming down low to within a few feet of the water, and then ascending to several thousand feet, but without success. It was not until he had flown about 1,000 miles through this bad patch that he struck fine weather once more. Fortunately, the night section of the flight was a short one, owing to the northern latitude. Lindbergh passed over St. Johns about midnight, and early next morning his machine was sighted by a C.P.R. liner about 500 miles from Newfoundland. The next news of his where- abouts came the following day from the steamer Hilve- sum, which reported having seen him flying fast 500 miles from the Irish coast early in the afternoon. During the Atlantic crossing Lindbergh did not sight any THE NEW YORK-PARIS FLIGHT: The Ryan monoplane "Spirit of St. Louis," fitted with a 220 h.p.Wright "Whirlwind " engine, on which Capt. Charles Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris in 33 J hours. 331
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