On Tue, 6 Sep 2005 18:52:43 -0700, "Dan Finn"
wrote:


"Peter Charles" wrote in message
.. .

Emphasis on the word "solo" he was not the first to fly across, rather
the first to fly across solo. It's funny how that distinction always
gets lost.

Peter

Well, certainly not "always". In fact, I've never heard of that
problem....Do you think that might be a regional problem?

Danl

Well, OK, not "aways" how about "a lot" then.

Here's a bit from a PBS site that about sums it up.

At 25, Charles A. Lindbergh -- handsome, talented, and brave --
arrived in Paris, the first man to fly across the Atlantic. But the
struggle to wear the mantle of legend would be a consuming one. Crowds
pursued him, reporters invaded his private life. His marriage, travels
with his wife and the kidnapping and murder of their first child were
all fodder for the front page.

No mention of solo there.

Take a quick look through the Lindberg sites -- some say solo, some
never mention the word.

Ask the general public who was the first to fly across the Atlantic
(no caveats) and probably 99.9999% of the American public, and the
Canadian public as well, will say "Lindberg." Lindberg's flight was
very important and he did establish a number of significant firsts,
but being the first to fly across the Atlantic wasn't one of them.

Here's a great summation of the issue:

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtransatlantic.html

Peter

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