Weekly Online Lesson Online Lesson Archive Grade Level: 5-8 Subject: History

The First Transatlantic Flight

75 years ago, Charles Lindbergh became the first man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, from New York to Paris. The transatlantic trip took Charles Lindbergh 33 1/2 hours, and aviation would never be the same. This year the aviation hero's grandson is attempting to duplicate the famous 1927 flight. He expects to make it in less than 21 hours.

On April 14, 2002, aviator Erik Lindbergh took off from San Diego bound for St Louis, retracing the first leg of his grandfather's journey. From St. Louis, Erik plans to fly to Farmingdale, New York, where he will begin his crossing of the Atlantic on May 1.

Erik Lindbergh's New Spirit of St. Louis, made of a glass-and-carbon composite and outfitted with modern communications technology and safety gear, was built in Bend, Oregon, for $289,000. Its average cruise speed is 184 mph, compared to the 108 mph of the original Spirit of St. Louis, which was built for $10,580.

In this week's online lesson you will learn about Charles Lindbergh and his groundbreaking transatlantic flight.

Milestones of Flight

This week's lesson begins at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. This is the permanent home of Spirit of St. Louis, the plane piloted by Lindbergh across the Atlantic and built under his direct supervision. Go to the Milestones of Flight gallery and choose Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis". For a better look at the aircraft, click the thumbnail image. Then go back and read the page. Who was Raymond Orteig and what was his connection with the first transatlantic flight? Where did Lindbergh fly the Spirit of St. Louis after his New York-to-Paris success? Why was Lindbergh's plane named Spirit of St. Louis? Why couldn't Lindbergh see directly ahead when flying the aircraft?

You can learn more about the aircraft by clicking (a different) Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis" at the bottom of the page. This takes you to the exhibit page. Who was the principal designer of the aircraft? Name several necessary modifications. What was the first record broken by Lindbergh in this aircraft? Where in Paris did Lindbergh land, and how many people greeted him? What was the destination of the final flight of this aircraft?

Charles Augustus Lindbergh Home Page

For extensive information about the life of Charles A. Lindbergh and his transatlantic flight, point your browser to CharlesLindbergh.com. You will find a great collection of resources here, but you should start with The Flight, the first link at the top. This is a detailed account of the historic flight, including several direct quotes from Lindbergh's memoirs. Why did Lindbergh decide to leave on May 20th? Describe his takeoff. Why could he not fly through big clouds over the Atlantic? How close to the waves did Lindbergh occasionally fly? How did he know he was getting close to Ireland? How was Lindbergh received by the French when he landed? How did he get back to America?

Scroll back to the top of the page and click Spirit of St. Louis. This page has some additional details about the plane and tells more of the complete story. Why did Lindbergh want a single-engine plane? Describe the Ryan Airlines building, and explain why Lindbergh was so unimpressed. Who were Charles Nungesser and Francois Coli, and what happened to them? Why was this tragedy good fortune for "Lucky Lindy"?

Return again to the top of the page and click Charles Bio. The transatlantic flight was only one of many successes Lindbergh enjoyed during his lifetime. What did Lindbergh do after his transcontinental flight? Where did he meet Anne Spencer Morrow? What happened to the Lindberghs' 20-month-old son? Why did some Americans accuse Lindbergh of being a Nazi sympathizer? What was his involvement in World War II? What was his involvement in the conservation movement, and what did he campaign for?

Before leaving this site, click Movie Clips at the top and watch several short movie clips of the takeoff and landing. Click Audio Clips to hear several short sound clips of Lindbergh and others.

Time 100: Heroes & Icons

Time Magazine lists Charles A. Lindbergh among the most influential people of the 20th Century. At the Time 100: Charles Lindbergh page, read the tribute by his youngest daughter, Reeve Lindbergh. She describes her father not as a pioneer of aviation, but of mass-media celebrity. What was her reasoning for this? How did his celebrity affect his life? According to Reeve, how did her father's flight inspire others? Why did Lindbergh rarely talk about the past? Why, later in life, did he say he would rather have birds than airplanes?

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