▁Rod gers ▁( J anu ary ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁– ▁April ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 1 2 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁av iation ▁pione er , ▁the ▁cousin ▁of ▁the ▁a for ement ioned , ▁who ▁made ▁the ▁first ▁trans cont inental ▁air plane ▁flight ▁across ▁the ▁U . S . ▁from ▁September ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁to ▁November ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁with ▁do z ens ▁of ▁stops , ▁both ▁intent ional ▁and ▁accident al . ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁publish er ▁William ▁Rand olph ▁H ear st ▁offered ▁the ▁H ear st ▁prize , ▁US $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁av i ator ▁to ▁fly ▁coast ▁to ▁coast , ▁in ▁either ▁direction , ▁in ▁less ▁than ▁ 3 0 ▁days ▁from ▁start ▁to ▁finish . ▁Rod gers ▁persu aded ▁J . ▁Og den ▁Arm our , ▁of ▁Arm our ▁and ▁Company , ▁to ▁spons or ▁the ▁flight , ▁and ▁in ▁return ▁he ▁named ▁the ▁plane , ▁a ▁Wright ▁Model ▁EX , ▁after ▁Arm our ' s ▁gra pe ▁soft ▁drink ▁Vin ▁F iz . ▁A ▁special ▁train ▁of ▁three ▁cars , ▁including ▁sle eper , ▁din er , ▁and ▁shop - on - w he els ▁full ▁of ▁spare ▁parts , ▁was ▁assemble d ▁to ▁follow ▁Rod gers , ▁who ▁planned ▁to ▁fly ▁above ▁the ▁rail road ▁tracks .