Charles Lindbergh :: History

Charles LindberghCharles Lindbergh was born on February 4, 1902, in his grandfathers house in Detroit. The son of a attorney and U.S. congressman, he grew up on a small farm in Minnesota (Lindbergh Biography, ONL). As a child, Lindbergh showed remarkable mechanical ability. He could understand either part of his motorcycle and car as he grew older. After graduating high school, Lindbergh worked on the family farm for two years before enrolling in the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study applied science (Charles Lindbergh biography, ONL). But, after two years, Lindbergh found something else that excited him. He was more interested in the expanding field of aviation (Lindbergh Biography, ONL). He left college to attend the Lincoln public life School in Nebraska. Once graduated, he spent the next few years performing daredevil stunts at county fairs and carnivals as a barnstormer (Charles Lindbergh biography, ONL). In 1924, on advice from his father, Lindbergh enlisted in the Un ited States Army to be trained as an Army Service Reserve pilot. A year later, he graduated offshoot-class honours degree in his class and was hired by the Robertson Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis as an air mail pilot. Gaining a reputation for being a cautious and capable pilot, he flew the mail between St. Louis and Chicago (Lindbergh Biography, ONL). During the course of his job, Lindbergh heard of the famed Orteig Prize. In 1919, Raymond Orteig, the owner of Brevoort and Lafayette hotels in New York City, made an offer to flying buffs. Orteig offered a prize of $25,000 to the first aviator to fly nonstop from capital of France to New York or New York to Paris. Before 1926, no one had even attempted the feat. But, as aviation engine room developed, the challenge began appearing possible (Spirit of St. Louis, ONL). Before becoming an airmail pilot, Lindbergh hadnt even heard of the Orteig Prize, but he immediately became interested (Lindbergh Biography, ONL). In 1927, Lindbe rgh obtained a financial backing of $15,000 from a group of St. Louis businessmen, and he set out to find a plane. Hearing of Lindberghs search for a plane, the Ryan Airlines Corporation in California offered to make him a plane for $6000 (Lindbergh Biography, ONL). Working with chief engineer and designer Donald Hall of Ryan Airlines, Lindbergh designed The Spirit of St. Louis. Lindbergh and Hall designed the airplane specifically for getting to Paris. In order to cut down on weight, any item considered to heavy or unnecessary was left out including a radio, parachute, gas gauges, and water travel lights.