waiting friends . His flight makes him part of an elite group of just 200 small aircraft pilots to complete a flight around the world .
You might ask , “ Who would make a solo flight round the world in a tiny plane that was built in 1981 ?” No surprise — Edmondson has been an adventurer since childhood .
“ As a boy , there was nothing I enjoyed more than going out into the forest , exploring and camping and building makeshift vehicles to race down the hills around our home ,” says Edmondson . “ As a teen , I was passionate about racing high-speed sailing catamarans . I was lucky enough to grow up in the countryside in the U . K ., so there was a lot of opportunity for exploring the outdoors .”
His interest in flying developed into a passion as a teenager , and he obtained his pilot ’ s license in his early 20s . “ I whiled away my hours on a flight simulator , including a simulated flight around the world . Once I did learn to fly for real , I very quickly found that I loved setting out on long adventures , and the completion of one would just inspire me to plan bigger the next time .”
After completing flights across the U . S ., Europe and the length of Africa , a global flight seemed like the natural next step .
Some legs of the flight took long hours to complete , such as the flight from Hawaii to the west coast of the U . S . “ Staying awake and properly alert is certainly a challenge on these very long flights , especially the 17-hour leg from Hawaii to California ,” explains Edmondson . Much of the flight took place at night .
“ Although the aircraft has an autopilot , I do not trust it enough to close my eyes for a while ! I stay alert by constant monitoring of the aircraft , as well as required regular check-ins over the radio with air traffic control .”
His plane is also equipped with an audio system that can be connected to music and podcasts . He also made sure to keep his energy levels up with snacks , as well as staying hydrated .
Crossing the Indian Ocean proved challenging , as it was monsoon season , and he had no radar on the aircraft . He had to
avoid flying into any clouds , which might be concealing a storm with violent wind currents that could have been dangerous for the small craft .
His next lengthy trip will be a flight to Antarctica ! Though he ’ s still very early in the planning stages , he considers this to be a much more straightforward journey in terms of safety .
You can follow Ross Edmondson ’ s planning and find more interesting details on his trip around the world on Facebook at facebook . com / katamarinoflying . His flights help support African Promise , a charity in the Kasigau region of Kenya that helps schools with meals and educational materials . All of Edmondson ’ s flights are self-funded , with 100 % of donations going directly to the charity . n
NORTH ALLEGHENY | SPRING 2024 21