Life — December 15, 1927 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a chaotic aerial scene crowded with various aircraft, parachutes, and aviation mishaps near the Canada border. The title references Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator. The cartoon appears to mock aviation safety and competition during the early aviation era. Multiple labeled aircraft (including "America First" and "Air Yacht") show pilots in distress, with speech bubbles containing complaints about equipment failures and collisions. The bottom shows onlookers observing the aerial chaos. The satire likely criticizes either Lindbergh's influence on reckless aviation pursuits, the aviation industry's safety standards, or both. The joke seems to be that despite aviation's supposed progress, the reality remains dangerously chaotic—blaming this mess on Lindbergh's popularity or endorsement of flying. The "400 miles an hour and 5000 landings to a pair of tires" comment sarcastically suggests absurdly unrealistic aviation claims.