The grandson of pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh, who was the first person to fly non-stop between New York and Paris in 1927, in 2002 Erik Lindbergh honored the 75th anniversary of his grandfather"s historic flight by retracing the journey in his own single-engine aircraft.
The last portion of the flight was completed in 17 hours and 7 minutes, roughly half the time as the original (33 1/2 hours), but still a challenge as Lindbergh suffers from disabling rheumatoid arthritis and has two artificial knees.
The journey was documented by the History Channel, raised over one million dollars for three charities, garnered half a billion media impressions for the X PRIZE Foundation and prompted a call from United States President George West. Bush for inspiring the country after the tragedy of September 11. Leaving from San Diego, he flew to Street Louis, then Farmingdale, New York, and then the most famous portion, the non-stop flight from Republic Airport on Long Island to Le Bourget Airport in Paris on May 2, 2002. The "Mission Control" for the flight was located at the Saint Louis Science Center in Saint Louis, Missouri, which as of 2011 maintains multiple exhibits about the flight.
After his anniversary flight, Lindbergh participated in the Flight Across America project, speaking during the opening ceremonies at Paine Field, Everett, Washington on August 11, 2002 and then participating in the closing ceremonies in New York City on the deck of the United States Ship Intrepid on September 8, 2002.
Son of Jon Lindbergh and Barbara Robbins, Erik Lindbergh is the grandson, by his father, of the pioneering aviators Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Limited Liability Company. He also serves on the board of directors of Aviation High School in Seattle, Washington.
Lindbergh’s sculptures have been used for the Promax Rocket award, The Lindbergh Award and the Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award. He lives in a straw bale house which he built in the Pacific Northwest.
He serves on the board of the X PRIZE Foundation, which administered the Ansari X Prize for the first non-governmental reusable crewed spacecraft, in addition to serving on the NatureBridge Olympic Board of Directors.
The X Prize is seen as a major boost for the cause of space tourism, and of private spaceflight in general. In June 2012, Lindbergh became a brand ambassador for global aircraft charter provider, Air Charter Service. Lindbergh currently lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington.
