The Spirit of St. Louis, the plane which aviation legend Charles Lindbergh flew when he became the first man to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean on May 21, 1927.  Charles Lindbergh made his final flight in the Spirit of St. Louis from St. Louis to Washington D.C. on April 30,1928 upon which he donated it to the Smithsonian.  The Spirit of St. Louis has just been lowered from the ceiling where it is displayed in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM)  in Washington D.C. for routine maintenance.  Experts at NASM are going to be carrying out conservation work  on the fabric, and the engine, as well as assessing the condition of the Spirit of St. Luis is structurally to make sure that it will be able to preserved for future generations to enjoy.  While it is on the ground visitors to the National Air and Space Museum will have a unique up close look at a one of a kind piece of aviation history.

Sprit of St. Louis being lowered to the ground in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. Photo Credit: smithsonianmag.com

A short video about the work that NASM will be doing on the Spirit of St. Louis