Preparations

Lindbergh dreamed of winning the Orteig Prize, a $25,000 award promised to the first pilot to fly nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean between New York and France. In 1926, a new engine became available-the Wright Whirlwind. It seemed powerful enough to carry an air­craft that long distance.

Lindbergh convinced his employers at Robertson Aircraft Company to let him pursue the prize. He found business­men in St. Louis willing to provide the money he needed to buy a plane. He was

О The Spirit of St. Louis was photographed during flight in 1927.

unable to make a deal with one of the famous aircraft companies, so he contacted a small firm, Ryan Airlines, in San Diego, California.

Ryan agreed to build him a plane for $10,000 and promised to meet Lindbergh’s two-month deadline.

Starting in late February 1927, Lindbergh worked closely with Ryan’s mechanics to build his airplane. He wanted to have a single engine and a single crew member—himself. That way, the plane could be as small and light as possible. He took every step possible to shed weight, dropping a radio to save 90 pounds (41 kilograms) and doing with­out fuel gauges to save a few more.

On April 28, 1927, the airplane was completed. Lindbergh named it the Spirit of St. Louis in tribute to his finan­cial backers. After testing the plane, he pronounced it ready.