At 7:52 A.M., 20 May 1927 Charles Lindbergh urged his small plane off of the runway at Roosevelt Field in Long Island, New York. Thirty-three and one half-hours and 3,610 miles (5,810 km) later he landed in Paris, the first to fly the Atlantic alone. Lindbergh wanted to prove that a non stop flight was not only possible but would someday be a common way for people to travel.

Illustration of the Spirit of St. Louis

Charles Lindbergh flew the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris in a custom-built single engine, single seat monoplane called the Spirit of St. Louis.

Linking two continents, Lindbergh's flight of the Spirit of St. Louis was a landmark in aviation history. It inspired a new interest of aviation and a new era of international flight. Before Lindbergh made the first solo, nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in May 1927, most people thought it too dangerous to travel by airplane. The preferred method of travel was by car, ship, or train. After his flight people gained new confidence in air travel. Now, everybody want to fly!