Hello ! Allow me to introduce myself — I ’ m Erik : aviator , flight instructor , mountain biker , skier , artist , gymnast , and , oh yeah , the grandson of maybe one of the coolest people in aerospace history .
In 1927 , my grandfather , Charles A . Lindbergh , electrified the world by flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean . He flew for 33 hours from New York to Paris in his plane , the Spirit of St . Louis . This was a huge deal because no one had ever done it before ! Imagine doing something so incredible that the whole world , people of all ages and from every country , were talking about it . That ’ s how famous he became , even more than your favorite pop star today !
His groundbreaking flight changed the world of aviation forever , proving that with bravery and determination , even the wildest dreams can come true . His story inspired me personally to overcome a debilitating disease diagnosis at age 21 and to continue pursuing my own dreams in aviation . In 2002 , I retraced my grandfather ’ s historic flight , flying from New York to Paris in an aircraft called the New Spirit of St . Louis . Spoiler alert — I made it !
22 LET ’ S GO AEROSPACE