Lindberghs Spirit of St Louis airplane on a test flight before his transatlantic voyage. The Spirit of St Louis was designed by Ryan Airlines and built in San Diego. It was named after St Louis because of financial backing from that city. 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. Charles Lindbergh (19021974) began his transatlantic flight on 20 May 1927. He flew from New York, USA, to Paris, France, in a flight that lasted 33 hours. It was the first solo, as well as the first nonstop, transatlantic flight.