the prize in 1927 with his aircraft the Spirit of St. Louis.

A number of people died while competing to win the prize. Six people perished in three separate crashes, and another three were injured in a fourth crash. The Orteig Prize spurred considerable investment in aviation--sometimes far exceeding the value of the prize itself--and also advanced public interest in, and the development of, aviation technology.

Background

The Orteig Prize was a $25,000 reward offered on May

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