Universal Weather and Aviation Kept Lindbergh with Wind at His Back

Universal Weather and Aviation (Booth 7421) was a sponsor of Erik Lindbergh's re-creation last month of the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight completed by his grandfather, Charles Lindbergh, in 1927. Universal provided complete flight support services from San Diego to Paris.

A Universal team was present at the X PRIZE mission control in St. Louis supporting each leg of the "New Spirit of St. Louis's" flight. The team prepared weather briefings, flight plans, landing and overflight permits, and exemptions for oceanic airspace.

Flying a Lancair Columbia 300 with GPS, satellite phone and e-mail capability, the first leg of the flight from San Diego to St. Louis finished two hours ahead of schedule. Flight plans generated from UVflightplanner.com kept Erik Lindbergh in favorable winds while reaching 200 kt.

On the second leg from St. Louis to Farmingdale, New York, the flight plans and weather briefings produced by Universal teams proved accurate once again, with Lindbergh's estimated time enroute off by only three minutes. Lindbergh's goal was to complete the third, trans-Atlantic leg of the journey within 19 hours: his actual flight time was 17 hours and seven minutes. Erik was extremely pleased with the results and Universal's work.

 

The X PRIZE Foundation's mission is to create a future in which the general public will personally participate in space travel and its benefits. Made up of teams of talented entrepreneurs and rocket experts, the first group to produce a private reusable spaceship and meet set guidelines wins a $10 million grand prize. The inspiration for the X PRIZE is derived from Charles Lindbergh's successful bid to win the $25,000 Orteig Prize in 1927.