Erik Lindbergh, grandson of legendary Charles Lindbergh, recently recreated his grandfather's solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Starting at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, Lindbergh departed on May 1 and arrived in Paris 17 hours later, taking up only about half the time as his grandfather had 75 years ago.

Prior to his departure, more than 250 well-wishers gathered at the tarmac at Republic Airport to cheer him on. Those present included students from Howitt Middle School, who are members of the school's Junior Historical Society, who were studying aviation history as part of their curriculum for weeks prior to the much-anticipated flight. Cablevision arranged for the students to witness the take-off, providing the students with an educational experience they will always remember.

Those present witnessed history in the making, or in this case, history in the remaking, as Lindbergh's Lancair Columbia 300 plane, which he appropriately dubbed the "New Spirit of St. Louis," positioned itself on the runway for a nonstop flight to Paris.

"The children were thrilled to witness this event," said Howitt Assistant Principal Constance Seaglione, noting that the historical society meets after school hours and focuses on studying historical events. She added that the students learned about the similarities and differences of the Lindbergh flights and focused on Charles Lindbergh's dream to be a pioneering aviator. "They spent weeks learning about the Lindbergh flights and relation to other historic events surrounding the 1927 milestone for aviation. After getting started, their thirst for knowledge about aviation history was extraordinary."

"Because of Cablevision's strong interest in education, we were able to use our resources to transform Republic Airport into an outdoor classroom," said Joan Hendricks, area director of political and community affairs, Cablevision. "Adding to the overall educational experience, the children were able to exchange stories with those who were present at the first Lindbergh flight in 1927. Erik's flight showed the students that history does repeat itself."

"It was gratifying to see the level of knowledge these young people possess about aviation history and these two flights," said Dr. Libby O'Connell, vice president, Historical Alliances and Historian-in-Residence, The History Channel. "They knew everything from how many gallons of gas Erik Lindbergh had on board for his flight to how long Charles Lindbergh's flight took across the Atlantic - it was refreshing to hear them discuss these aspects and see the look of wonder on their faces as Erik's plane took off."

In addition to educating the students before and after the trip to Republic Airport, Cablevision's Power to Learn Program and The History Channel encouraged middle school students throughout Long Island to participate in the "Lindbergh Flies Again" poster contest. Prizes will be awarded to students and schools later this month. Teachers can visit www.powertolearn.com or www.historychannel.com to find educational links and information, including programming about this historic flight and a complete listing of the official rules for the poster contest.