Record Around-the-World Gyroplane Flight Progresses

March 31, 2010 — When some people are diagnosed with cancer they think of it as a death sentence and basically wait to die. But Norman Surplus made it the reason to fly 27,000 miles around the world in a gyroplane. It is the only type of aircraft that has never been flown around the world. Surplus, an Irish businessman, departed Larne Borough Council Sandy Bay Playing Field in his open-cockpit tandem gyroplane on March 22. According to his Website, he had landed safely just south west of Pescara, which is on the east coast of Italy, on Tuesday. The around-the-world adventure will take about four months to complete, and will have Surplus crossing the Saudi desert, the Pacific Ocean, the Rocky Mountains and the North Atlantic. He’ll detour around China, which wouldn’t approve him through its airspace, and he’ll have to carry an official guide in place of his collapsible ferry tank through Russia. You can read about his adventures on his Gyro Goes Global Website, or find out exactly where he is using SPOT GPS technology. Surplus is flying an MT-03 gyroplane powered by a 115 HP turbo Rotax 914 modified to carry inflatable fuel bags that he says will increase its range from 300 to 800 miles. That should allow for longer distance “hops” over the North Atlantic. He’s also wearing a special survival suit he had built especially for the journey. In addition, he has had considerable sea rescue training and he is Second Coxwain (captain) on Larne’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution all-weather rescue boat. "The trip is designed to promote hope and encouragement for cancer sufferers across the globe,” Surplus, 47, told the UK Independent. “I want to say there can be life worth living beyond the very real challenges of cancer treatment." Surplus was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2003 at age 40 and given a 40 percent survival rate. He learned how to fly after his cancer treatment ended. He also hopes to raise awareness and funds for bowel cancer through his travels. Click here to donate.

Adventurer Norman Surplus hopes to set a record for circumnavigating the world in an autogyro. Photo credit: AP from BBC News Norman Surplus poses with his wife and children before starting his around-the-world flight.

• 2012 - 02/07 -Migration Ends as Whooping Cranes Decide to Stop Flying
• 2012 - 02/07 - NASA Unveils Future Commercial Aircraft Designs
• 2012 - 02/01 - NASA Launches Space Race Blastoff on Facebook
• 2012 - 02/01 - Biologist Aims for Greenest Around-the-World Flight
• 2012 - 01/27 - Ground Broken for New Atlantis Home