In 1996, a year that saw Berkshire Hathaway’s (BRK.A) (BRK.B) net worth jump by a staggering $6.2 billion, Buffett revealed a connection to one of the most famous figures of the 20th century: Charles Lindbergh. The link isn’t found in a direct friendship, but rather through a man named Albert Lee Ueltschi, a legendary pilot and the founder of FlightSafety International. To understand how the Oracle of Omaha ended up sharing a business lineage with Lindbergh, you have to go back to 1927 — and then forward to a $1.5 billion handshake.
Charles Lindbergh became a global icon in May 1927 when he completed the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight, traveling from New York to Paris in the “Spirit of St. Louis.” The 33.5-hour journey didn't just win Lindbergh the $25,000 Orteig Prize; it ignited a worldwide obsession with aviation.
