Charles Lindbergh, born on February 4, 1902 changed the history of flight. As an inventor, a daredevil barnstormer, expert mechanic and master pilot, he took aviation to the next level. Lindbergh was the first person to ever cross the Atlantic ocean in one nonstop flight. In 1927 Charles flew from New York to Paris in about 33 hours. The 3,625 mile trip was record breaking, and brought Lindbergh tons of recognition. Lindbergh's feat gave Americans new confidence in flight, aviation stocks roared, and in 1929 more than 170,000 paying passengers boarded United States airliners—nearly three times the 60,000 that had flown the previous year. Even after his death in 1974, Lindbergh's legacy lived on. He paved the way for future flights, made the trip less intimidating, and helped connect nations faster.
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