On the morning of May 20, 1927, Charles Lindbergh climbed into the Spirit of St. Louis and took off from Long Island. Despite having never flown over open water, the 25-year-old Lindbergh was determined to win the $25,000 Orteig Prize for the first pilot to fly nonstop between New York and Paris. By the time his plane touched down at Le Bourget field 33 hours later, he was already a legend, the embodiment of the 20th century and America's place in it. Former Air Force pilot Dan Hampton has himself flown solo across the Atlantic, and brings a unique perspective to this well-rounded portrait of Lindbergh and his heroic achievement.