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Charles Lindbergh’s Journey Aboard the Spirit of St. Louis

Charles Lindbergh's Journey Aboard the Spirit of St. Louis: A visulization of the flight course with hourly narrative accounts about the journey.

By Justin Sorensen


45-years ago today, Charles Lindbergh (an American aviator, author, and explorer) passed away at the age of 74. Growing up, Lindbergh demonstrated great interest in the mechanics of motorized transportation and while he had enrolled in college as a mechanical engineering student, he later dropped-out in pursuit of his true passion – aviation. While Lindbergh completed many memorable flights during his career, the one that continues to stand out over 90-years later is his world-famous solo transatlantic flight aboard the Spirit of St. Louis.

Charles Lindbergh’s Journey Aboard the Spirit of St. Louis

On May 20, 1927 at 7:52am, Lindbergh began his transatlantic flight from the muddy, rain-soaked runway of Roosevelt Field (Long Island, New York) aboard the Spirit of St. Louis. Although he was not the first to complete this journey, he was the first to complete it solo and non-stop. The 3,600-mile journey would take Lindbergh 33 1/2 hours to complete, arriving at the Le Bourget Aerodrome (Paris, France) on May 21, 1927 at 5:22pm (10:22pm local time).

In remembrance of Charles Lindbergh and his historic flight, our Map Monday release for this week presents a cartographic visualization containing details on the flight path and estimated segments traveled during each hour of the journey. Additionally, the incorporation of hourly accounts provided by Lindbergh allows the cartographic map to become an educational tool in the storytelling process, providing viewers with a new method for engaging with the information.

Interested in learning more about Charles Lindbergh’s journey? Check our this resource available at the Marriott Library:

About Map Monday from GIS Services:

Throughout the semester, GIS Services will be releasing bi-weekly maps on a variety of topics, demonstrating ideas and uses for incorporating geospatial technology into research and projects you are developing. To view our collection of maps, projects, or to learn more about the geospatial services offered through the J. Willard Marriott Library, please visit the GIS Services website @ www.lib.utah.edu/services/geospatial

Happy Mapping!

Justin Sorensen | GIS Specialist
Creativity & Innovation Services / GIS Services
justin.sorensen@utah.edu

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