▁Commander ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁Read ▁commanded ▁a ▁crew ▁of ▁five ▁on ▁the ▁NC - 4 ▁Curt iss ▁flying ▁boat , ▁the ▁first ▁aircraft ▁ever ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁trans at l antic ▁flight , ▁a ▁couple ▁of ▁weeks ▁before ▁Al cock ▁and ▁Brown ' s ▁non - stop ▁flight , ▁and ▁eight ▁years ▁before ▁Charles ▁Lind berg h ' s ▁solo , ▁non - stop ▁flight . ▁Read ' s ▁flight ▁started ▁from ▁Rock away ▁Beach , ▁Long ▁Island , ▁took ▁ 2 3 ▁days ▁before ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁P ly mouth , ▁England . ▁The ▁six ▁stops ▁included ▁lay o vers ▁at ▁T rep asse y ▁Bay , ▁New found land , ▁the ▁Az ores , ▁and ▁Lis bon , ▁Portugal . ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁upon ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁Read ▁predicted : ▁" It ▁soon ▁will ▁be ▁possible ▁to ▁drive ▁an ▁air plane ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁at ▁a ▁height ▁of ▁ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁feet ▁and ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁miles ▁per ▁hour ." ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁ran ▁an ▁editor ial ▁in ▁reaction , ▁stating : ▁" It ▁is ▁one ▁thing ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁qualified ▁av i ator , ▁and ▁quite ▁another ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁qualified ▁proph et . ▁Nothing ▁now ▁known ▁supports ▁the ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ’ s ▁forec ast . ▁An ▁air plane ▁at ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁feet ▁would ▁be