The world's premier FREE educational website for learners + teachers of English
See all 52 weeks
This Week in History

This Week in History

First Solo Non-Stop Atlantic Flight

21 May 1927

Charles Lindbergh becomes the first person to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh became the first person to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean. He flew a plane named The Spirit of St Louis from New York to Paris. The flight took thirty-three and a half hours and covered a distance of 3,600 miles. A huge crowd of over 100,000 people welcomed Lindbergh on his arrival in France. Soon after completing the flight, he returned to the USA and became a national hero in his home country.

solo (adverb): alone; unaccompanied; without another person
flight (noun): a journey or trip by air; an act of flying
non-stop (adverb): without stopping or pausing
cover (verb): travel (a specified distance)
hero (noun): someone who is admired for their courage or outstanding achievements

Postage stamp - Spirit of St Louis
Issued in 1927 as a tribute to Charles Lindbergh, this USA postage stamp depicts Lindbergh's plane Spirit of St Louis and (dotted line) the "Great Circle Route" that he flew from New York to Paris.

Test your understanding:

During his flight across the Atlantic Ocean, Charles A. Lindbergh flew

  1. in an easterly direction
  2. in a westerly direction
  3. in a southerly direction

A huge crowd of over 100,000 people watched as Lindbergh's plane

  1. took off
  2. landed
  3. flew across the Atlantic

Lindbergh became a national hero in

  1. the Atlantic Ocean
  2. France
  3. the USA

Teacher's Notes - how to use This Week in History in your classes

Contributor: Matt Errey creator of Word Up