First solo transatlantic flight. Computer artwork of the airplane Spirit of St Louis near the coast of Ireland, flown by Charles Lindbergh (19021974) on the first solo transatlantic flight. Lindbergh took off from Long Island, New York, USA, at 07:51 in the morning on 20 May 1927. He flew all that day, through the night and on through a second day of flying, reaching the coast of Ireland late that afternoon. Night had fallen when he finally landed in Paris, France, after a total of 33.5 hours in the air. The airplanes wingspan was 14 metres. A single nosecap propeller was powered by a Wright radial motor. The cockpit, below the wing, did not have a forward window, and a periscope was used to see what was in front of the airplane.