 After two years of service in France, he was discharged in 1919 and joined "The New York Times" as an assistant real estate editor and general assignment reporter.In 1927 Lyman was named aviation editor and one of the first stories he covered was Charles Lindbergh's non-stop "New York to Paris" solo flight in May 1927; the two remained friends for 45 years, to Lyman's death in 1972.Late in December 1935, Lyman provided exclusive coverage of the Lindbergh family flight from the U.S., made in secret, to live in self-imposed exile.