ARLA/CLUSTER: Projecto Amelia Earhart perto do fim

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Project Amelia Earhart flight nears its end

The commemorative around the world flight by pilot Brian Lloyd WB6RQN
crossed the Pacific Ocean, landing first at Pago Pago in American
Samoa, then Hawaii via a symbolic flyover of Howland Island.

The Mooney M20K 231 registration number N916BL named ‘Spirit’ has
expanded fuel capacity, modern satellite avionics gear, and a Ham
radio transceiver enabling WB6RQN Aeronautical Mobile to talk to
hundreds of radio amateurs.

At Pago Pago (July 23) he was greeted by a news reporter for an
interview, then got the latest weather information, with Ellie from
the National Weather Service finishing her shift and taking him to a
downtown restaurant for a meal of Samoan Oka (rockfish).

Brian WB6RQN said the next stage was the hardest leg of the trip that
was going to “push both the plane and me to the limit of our
abilities”.

He explained that the single engine propeller driven ‘Spirit’ was
fully fuelled including three hours flying time of reserve fuel
because “ there are scant alternatives should problems mount up for
any reason”.

Earlier the flight had magneto problems, a fuel vapouring scare that
caused him to turn back to New Zealand, not to mention adverse weather
with fierce winds, blasting sandstorms, severe tropical conditions,
thunder snow and high altitude ice.

After leaving Pago Pago just before sunrise with about 19 hours ahead
there was the planned flyover of Howland Island dropping a floral
wreath where Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan tried
unsuccessfully to land.

Brian WB6RQN in reflection said: “My respect for Amelia Earhart has
risen a thousand per cent now that I have flown 20,000 miles in her
shoes.

“I am talking about flying the plane and dealing with the issues that
come up as part of the flight. She was the sole pilot in her plane as
I am with mine. Speeds are comparable and I have had to deal with the
same weather she did."

Project Amelia Earhart funded by The Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum
and other donations retraces the route taken by the famous aviator in
June 1937.

Brian WB6RQN then headed for Hawaii to land at the Honolulu
International Airport (July 25).

After an overnight stay he took off again (July 26) passing over the
historic Pearl Harbor sites on his final flight over the Pacific Ocean
to Oakland California, then to the Amelia Earhart Museum in Atchison
Kansas.

The epic flight taking in about 20 countries began on June 1, was to
end at Kestrel Airpark Texas on July 30, which is the pilot’s starting
point and his home airfield.

Jim Linton VK3PC