The Spirit of ST Louis by Charles A. Lindbergh Page B
Authors: Charles A. Lindbergh
Tags: United States, General, Historical, History, Biography & Autobiography, Biography, Transportation, Transatlantic Flights, Adventurers & Explorers, Air Pilots, Aviation, Spirit of St. Louis (Airplane)
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for that flight. But who is in your organization at St. Louis?"
"There are a number of men. There's Mr. Bixby of the State National Bank. There's Mr. Knight of the brokerage firm of Knight, Dysart, and Gamble. There's Major Lambert, after whom the airport is named. There's Major Robertson, president of the Robertson Aircraft Corporation – –"
I can see that Levine is impressed by my partners.
"You have your money all raised?" he asks.
"No, only part of it," I answer. "We're not going to raise much money until we know what plane we're going to buy. We can raise the money all right, but we think the manufacturer ought to contribute something too. A flight to Paris would be worth a lot in advertising."
"We would contribute to such a flight," Levine tells me. "We would give you a good price on the Bellanca. It is worth $25,000. For that flight, we will sell the plane for $15,000. That would be a contribution of $10,000."
Fifteen thousand dollars! I thought I could cover the entire project for that amount—fuel and tests included. "That's considerably more than we expected to pay," I say. "Is it the lowest price you'd consider?"
"Fifteen thousand dollars is cheap for our Bellanca," he replies. "We could not take less. Remember it is the only existing plane capable of flying from New York to Paris! It needs only gasoline tanks. It can start whenever you are ready."
Levine won't budge from his price. Bellanca and Chamberlin extol the virtures of their plane, but take no part in the business negotiation.
"You never seem to load it down too much," Chamberlin asserts. "The wing keeps right on lifting, and it has wonderful stability."
"I designed the fuselage like an airfoil to give more lift— and the wing-strut fairings too," Bellanca breaks in.
"It can easily break the world's record for nonstop range," amberlin continues.
"Yes," says Bellanca. "A flight from New York to Paris could set a new world's record for distance. But, Captain Lindbergh, I like your plan of making an endurance flight first with my plane. It would be a good test of the engine. Also it would give us important data on fuel consumption – I feel sure my plane can break the endurance record."
"For a plane like ours, fifteen thousand dollars is a low price," Levine repeats.
"I'll have to go back to St. Louis before I can give you a definite answer," I say finally. "I'll have to talk to my partners."
18
Then the Bellanca is for sale. At a high price, but it's for sale. I can still make the flight for less than twenty thousand dollars—considerably less. "Don't turn it down if it costs a little more than you expect," Bixby and Knight had said. "Come back and we'll talk it over."
Success seems in my grasp as I board the train for St. Louis. This is the eleventh day of February. The next time I head westward I'll be at the controls of the world's most efficient airplane. It's only necessary to get a cashier's check, return east, and then I'll have possession of the WrightBellanca.
19
"What would you think of naming it the Spirit of St. Louis?"
Bixby's question strikes vaguely through my ears. I'm staring at the shredded and color-stained fingers on a slip of paper in my hand--FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. This slip can be traded for the Wright-Bellanca, and this slip is mine--"Pay to the order of Charles A. Lindbergh" it says on the back.
The Spirit of St. Louis – – it's a good name. "All right, let's call it the Spirit of St. Louis." My eyes go back to the check. "I didn't know you were going to make this out to me personally," I say.
Bixby laughs. "Well Slim, Harry and I decided that if we couldn't trust you with a check, we ought not to take part in this project at all."
"When do you plan on starting back to New York?" Knight asks.
"I'll take the train this afternoon," I tell him.
"We'll start setting up a Spirit of St. Louis organization while you're away," Bixby says. "Let us know as soon as you can when
"There are a number of men. There's Mr. Bixby of the State National Bank. There's Mr. Knight of the brokerage firm of Knight, Dysart, and Gamble. There's Major Lambert, after whom the airport is named. There's Major Robertson, president of the Robertson Aircraft Corporation – –"
I can see that Levine is impressed by my partners.
"You have your money all raised?" he asks.
"No, only part of it," I answer. "We're not going to raise much money until we know what plane we're going to buy. We can raise the money all right, but we think the manufacturer ought to contribute something too. A flight to Paris would be worth a lot in advertising."
"We would contribute to such a flight," Levine tells me. "We would give you a good price on the Bellanca. It is worth $25,000. For that flight, we will sell the plane for $15,000. That would be a contribution of $10,000."
Fifteen thousand dollars! I thought I could cover the entire project for that amount—fuel and tests included. "That's considerably more than we expected to pay," I say. "Is it the lowest price you'd consider?"
"Fifteen thousand dollars is cheap for our Bellanca," he replies. "We could not take less. Remember it is the only existing plane capable of flying from New York to Paris! It needs only gasoline tanks. It can start whenever you are ready."
Levine won't budge from his price. Bellanca and Chamberlin extol the virtures of their plane, but take no part in the business negotiation.
"You never seem to load it down too much," Chamberlin asserts. "The wing keeps right on lifting, and it has wonderful stability."
"I designed the fuselage like an airfoil to give more lift— and the wing-strut fairings too," Bellanca breaks in.
"It can easily break the world's record for nonstop range," amberlin continues.
"Yes," says Bellanca. "A flight from New York to Paris could set a new world's record for distance. But, Captain Lindbergh, I like your plan of making an endurance flight first with my plane. It would be a good test of the engine. Also it would give us important data on fuel consumption – I feel sure my plane can break the endurance record."
"For a plane like ours, fifteen thousand dollars is a low price," Levine repeats.
"I'll have to go back to St. Louis before I can give you a definite answer," I say finally. "I'll have to talk to my partners."
18
Then the Bellanca is for sale. At a high price, but it's for sale. I can still make the flight for less than twenty thousand dollars—considerably less. "Don't turn it down if it costs a little more than you expect," Bixby and Knight had said. "Come back and we'll talk it over."
Success seems in my grasp as I board the train for St. Louis. This is the eleventh day of February. The next time I head westward I'll be at the controls of the world's most efficient airplane. It's only necessary to get a cashier's check, return east, and then I'll have possession of the WrightBellanca.
19
"What would you think of naming it the Spirit of St. Louis?"
Bixby's question strikes vaguely through my ears. I'm staring at the shredded and color-stained fingers on a slip of paper in my hand--FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. This slip can be traded for the Wright-Bellanca, and this slip is mine--"Pay to the order of Charles A. Lindbergh" it says on the back.
The Spirit of St. Louis – – it's a good name. "All right, let's call it the Spirit of St. Louis." My eyes go back to the check. "I didn't know you were going to make this out to me personally," I say.
Bixby laughs. "Well Slim, Harry and I decided that if we couldn't trust you with a check, we ought not to take part in this project at all."
"When do you plan on starting back to New York?" Knight asks.
"I'll take the train this afternoon," I tell him.
"We'll start setting up a Spirit of St. Louis organization while you're away," Bixby says. "Let us know as soon as you can when
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