Weatherwatch: How the weather affected early flight record attempts
A century ago, René Fonck tried and failed to cross the Atlantic despite having clear weather
TL;DR
- René Fonck's 1926 attempt to be the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic from New York to Paris failed.
- Despite clear weather, Fonck's Sikorsky S-35 had trouble taking off from a rough runway, leading to a crash and fire.
- Two crew members died in Fonck's crash; he survived.
- Charles Lindbergh later struggled with take-off from a muddy runway but successfully completed the transatlantic flight.
- Lindbergh's successful flight in 1927 made non-stop transatlantic travel a reality.