Orteig then extended it to another five years, and it was in 1926 that Lindbergh had said he was going to do it.
Lindbergh had the confidence necessary to make this adventure. He thought, "Why shouldn't I fly from New York to Paris? I have more than four years of aviation behind me, and close to two thousand hours in the air. I've barnstormed over half of the forty-eight states why am I not qualified for such a flight?" (WGHB, 1997) He had convinced himself he was qualified for such a job.
Lindbergh then had to get a plane that was made for such a flight. With $2,000 of his own money, he enlisted the aid of other business men, who hesitatingly agreed to raise another $13,000 to be a new monoplane. In San Diego, the Ryan Airlines agreed to build him a special Ryan monoplane in sixty days. When it was finished, it was light, sturdy, and powerful. In bold letters on the airplane was "Spirit of St. Louis," and she performed almost perfectly. "The Spirit of St. Louis" was designed with one thought in mind: to get to Paris. The maximum range of the plane was 4,000 miles, which Paris was 3,600 miles away, so he had enough to reach his destination.
Since Lindbergh was going to attempt this flight alone, without either radio not parachute, so he could carry more fuel, he became known as "The Lone Star.".
Lindbergh was ready for takeoff. He had to wait for a long week, though, before he left, due to storms raged over the Atlantic. The weather was reported to improve; so on the morning of May 20, 1927, Lindbergh went to Roosevelt Field, where the gas tanks were filled to the brim. The takeoff, however, was difficult, since the runway was soaked of rain. But at 7:52 A.M., Lindbergh took off and started his vast flight.
Lindbergh was successful in his flight. Within thirty-three and a half hours of flying, he had covered 3,610 miles and won Orteig's prize! Lindbergh landed safely at Le Bourget Field in Paris at 10:22 P.
