# Charles Lindbergh's flight--how did he navigate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2014, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659 "2014-11-26T11:12:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/41 "2014-11-28T23:45:12Z")
Lindbergh also had a drift sight - a tube pointing down at the waves with a reticle on it. Twist the tube until the reticle aligns with the waves, and it indicates the relative direction of the wind to the aircraft bearing. So, even if the crosswind hadn’t been negligible, he still could have done the math - it was fortunate he wasn’t even more fatigued, then. [An excerpt](http://books.google.com/books?id=lIld6SrHeW4C&pg=PA401&lpg=PA401&dq=drift+sight+spirit+of+st+louis&source=bl&ots=3Gd91qF0FG&sig=Zam3y9lw_-08qHbau7twQnup898&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3Qd5VIGuHMSrgwTV04DADg&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=drift%20sight%20spirit%20of%20st%20louis&f=false)from his quickie autobiography _Spirit of St. Louis_, penned on the ship back to the US, describes it. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/42 "2014-11-29T13:30:20Z")
I remember a presentation about motivation and success, where the presenter mentioned Lindbergh and said “nobody remembers the second person to fly across the Atlantic solo”. So I looked it up. ---
**Author:** ![CableCutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@CableCutter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CableCutter)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/43 "2014-11-29T23:40:23Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I could do it for most sailboats, but for something like those catamarans that they used in the America’s Cup I wouldn’t have a clue. Those things sail downwind faster than the wind itself; how do they even do that? Check out this explanation: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/63hvQABLOaE/hqdefault.jpg "DOWNWIND VMG GREATER THAN WINDSPEED (STREAM LINE)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hvQABLOaE) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/44 "2014-11-29T23:57:29Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I remember a presentation about motivation and success, where the presenter mentioned Lindbergh and said “nobody remembers the second person to fly across the Atlantic solo”. > > So I looked it up. And it was? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/45 "2014-11-30T00:57:55Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > WWII bombers had small windows for the navigator to view stars. Heck, airliners as late as the first-series 747 (1969) had sextant ports (in currently flying planes, instrument removed, fitting repurposed as an emergency smoke/fumes purge vent). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/46 "2014-11-30T03:00:29Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Heck, airliners as late as the first-series 747 (1969) had sextant ports (in currently flying planes, instrument removed, fitting repurposed as an emergency smoke/fumes purge vent). You amaze me, Sir. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/47 "2014-11-30T03:11:24Z")
Ah, it’s nothin’, one of those bits o’ trivia that occupies brain storage that would otherwise record stuff I need like where I left my other set of keys. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/48 "2014-11-30T11:47:46Z")
Now I heard that the US Navy stationed ships every 100 miles to help keep him on course. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/49 "2014-12-01T03:02:18Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > And it was? I wonder if anyone found the answer… . . . . Amelia Earhart. Certainly by no means “unknown”. Apparently after Lindbergh, there was no great attraction for a solo crossing, especially as aircraft became bigger and more reliable enough to take the sense of wonder out of it. Amelia did it as part of a solo around the world attempt 5 years later. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/50 "2014-12-01T08:09:31Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Amelia Earhart. It depends on what you mean by the Atlantic Ocean. If it includes the South Atlantic, between South America and Africa, then the second solo flight was by Bert Hinkler. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/51 "2014-12-01T18:06:38Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > So, you’re an American, huh. Well, you do know Alcott and Brown weren’t the first either- it was Lt. Commander Read, Walter Hinton, Elmer Fowler Stone, James L. Breese, Eugene Rhodes, and Herbert C Rodd,all Americans. And about a month before Alcott and Brown. But yeah- it’s us \*Americans \*who are the only ones who push their own achievements into the limelight. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/52 "2014-12-02T03:19:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Well, you do know Alcott and Brown weren’t the first either- it was Lt. Commander Read, Walter Hinton, Elmer Fowler Stone, James L. Breese, Eugene Rhodes, and Herbert C Rodd,all Americans. And about a month before Alcott and Brown. A&B were the first to do it non-stop. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/53 "2014-12-02T03:26:37Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > A&B were the first to do it non-stop. But not solo. Again, I’ve never, _ever_ heard _anyone_ claim Lindbergh was the first to cross the Atlantic nonstop. Just solo. The “first nonstop” part seems to be some fantasy passed around from Brit to Aussie to Kiwi in various pubs so they can have one more reason to pile on the Americans and never mind that it’s not true. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/54 "2014-12-02T16:47:54Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > A&B were the first to do it non-stop. And Lindberg the first to do it solo. Not to mention the first to go nonstop New York City- Paris. So, there’s several “firsts”: American Crew of NC4- Lt. Commander Read, Walter Hinton, Elmer Fowler Stone, James L. Breese, Eugene Rhodes, and Herbert C Rodd: _First to fly across the Atlantic_. (New York to Lisbon) Alcott and Brown: _First to do it non-stop_. (Flew Newfoundland to Ireland) Lindbergh: _first to do it solo, first to fly nonstop New York City- Paris._ So, it’s hardly American jingoism to say that Americans flew across the Atlantic first. Not to denigrate Alcott and Brown’s accomplishments. All of these men were pioneering heroes of aviation. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/55 "2014-12-02T18:06:18Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > But not solo. > > Again, I’ve never, _ever_ heard _anyone_ claim Lindbergh was the first to cross the Atlantic nonstop. Just solo. The “first nonstop” part seems to be some fantasy passed around from Brit to Aussie to Kiwi in various pubs so they can have one more reason to pile on the Americans and never mind that it’s not true. The “solo” part, however, was not a requirement for the [Orteig Prize,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orteig_Prize) which is what Lingbergh was competing for. The only requirement was a non-stop flight from New York to Paris in either direction. Other competing teams included multiple pilots. Lindbergh initially became famous mainly for winning this prize. > [@](#): > > 1927 saw a number of aviation first and new records. The record for longest time in the air, longest flight distance, and longest overwater flight would be set and all would exceed Lindbergh’s effort. However, no flyer gained the fame that Lindbergh did for winning the Orteig Prize. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659/56 "2014-12-02T19:02:30Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The “solo” part, however, was not a requirement for the [Orteig Prize,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orteig_Prize) which is what Lingbergh was competing for. The only requirement was a non-stop flight from New York to Paris in either direction. Other competing teams included multiple pilots. Lindbergh initially became famous mainly for winning this prize. It wasn’t a requirement for the prize, but the fact that Lindbergh flew alone was a big reason that he became more famous than other aviators, both at the time and afterward. It made too good of a story–famous aviators (Admiral Byrd and various European WWI air aces) were competing for the prize, as teams, with well-heeled backers. And here out of nowhere came this American that nobody had heard of, in his twenties and looking even younger, a frigging _airmail pilot_, backed only by a handful of St. Louis businessmen, flying alone and in a tiny airplane and carrying off the prize. The fact that Lindbergh was young, handsome, and single didn’t hurt. And lest we forget, it wasn’t just Americans who were smitten–Europe went apeshit over Lindbergh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-lindberghs-flight-how-did-he-navigate/705659.md?page=2)