Ryan NYP Spirit of St.
Louis
First Nonstop Solo Transatlantic Flight
On May 21, 1927, Charles A.
Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in
history, flying his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis 5,810
kilometers (3,610) miles between Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York, and
Paris, France, in 33 hours, 30 minutes. With this flight, Lindbergh won the
$25,000
prize offered by New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig to the first aviator
to fly an aircraft directly across the Atlantic between New York and Paris.
When he landed at Le
Bourget Field in Paris, Lindbergh became a world hero who would remain in
the public eye for decades.
The aftermath of the flight was the "Lindbergh boom" in aviation: aircraft
industry stocks rose in value and interest in flying skyrocketed. Lindbergh's
subsequent U.S. and Central and South American tours in the
Spirit demonstrated the potential of the airplane as a safe,
reliable mode of transportation.
Gift of Charles A. Lindbergh
Wingpan: |
14 m (46 ft) |
Length: |
8 m (27 ft 8 in) |
Height: |
3m (9 ft 10 in) |
Weight, gross: |
2,330 kg (5,135 lb) |
Weight, empty: |
975 kg (2,150 lb) |
Engine: |
Wright
Whirlwind J-5C, 223 hp |
Manufacturer: |
Ryan Airlines Co. |