you hear all these stories about how unstable it was and everything like that, but all these old airplanes are unstable. i think the instability rumors got going because, you know, when you fly a cessna or piper or something, you trim it up on smooth weather and you can let it go without even touching the controls. all these airplanes here, you have to constantly fly the airplane, so they get the word out that they re unstable. but they re not dangerous or anything like that. may 21st, 1927. after 33 1/2 hours in the air and 3,600 miles, charles lindbergh reaches his destination, landing at lay bow jay field near paris, greeted by thousands of cheering fans. in a borrowed suit, he heard such acclaim as is accorded few men. the daring aviator fulfilled his dream and, in the process, collected the $25,000 prize offered to the first pilot who crossed the atlantic alone. the world rejoiced with him.