Global Autogyro Flight a Record-Setter

April 27, 2010 — He hasn’t even reached the halfway point yet, but it appears that Norman Surplus has already broken a record or two in his attempt to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe in an autogyro. Surplus landed today in Myanmar (formerly Burma), just over a month after taking off from Northern Ireland on what’s expected to be a four-month journey. But he appears to have set a record on April 23 for solo world distance in an autogyro when he flew into Kolkata, India. On arrival there, Surplus had flown 7,118 miles since his official departure point. This is a longer distance than the previous record established in 2004 by the Expedition Global Eagle team, which traveled 6,511 miles, according to his blog and website. In addition, earlier this month Surplus was nominated for another world record - speed over a recognized course. That record is pending ratification by the Fédération Aéronautique International. Surplus has already flown his Gyrox successfully from Ireland to England, through France, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. He has negotiated mountains, seas and deserts, and says he has found interest and offers of help where ever he has landed. But he has also encountered bad weather and bureaucracy, which has been frustrating, and at times has played havoc with his travel plans. He wrote in his blog about the night he tried to store his Gyrox indoors at Chittagong, Bangladesh, during a hard rain. “Poor old Gyrox is at the airport sitting out in the open,” he wrote. “I had tried to plead my case to get her put under cover…but to no avail. The more I work with large airport administration the less I think they are actually concerned about the real needs of aircraft and aviators.” Surplus will next head to Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the Japanese Pacific Islands before flying to Russia, Alaska, Canada, and the United States. To find out where Surplus is now, click here. Surplus is an accomplished autogyro pilot who is also an experienced crewmember of a Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescue boat, which is similar to Coast Guard Rescue. His journey is also raising money for Bowel Cancer UK. Click here to donate.

Norman Surplus departs Jamshedpur for Kolkata, India. Photo credit: Cap. Karanveer Chauhan and Shalini Sharma. Norman Surplus is greeted by the staff at Jamshedpur Airport, India. Photo credit: Cap. Karanveer Chauhan Norman Surplus departs the UK on March 26. Photo credit: Norman Surplus flickr

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