Although it might sound crazy, friends of Applied Precision 3D, 5 in the Sky, headed on the ambitious, once-in-a-lifetime expedition - around world in a single engine aircraft.
On June 16, 5 in the Sky took off from Vancouver, British Columbia. Since then, they have touched down in the Yukon, Nunavut, Northern Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. In the next couple of days, they will continue their journey across Ontario and further eastwards.
The 5 in the Sky team with the GA8 AirVan aeroplane 'Moose'
The expedition is about discovering and spreading love. The 5 in the Sky team are going low and slow, making a point of seeking out small, more remote and hard-to-get, but interesting places. Along the way, they are stopping at SOS Children's Villages in various countries. The team aims to raise $1 million for the charity SOS Children’s Villages, which provides safe homes for vulnerable children. Click HERE to support their campaign.
The Route
Departing Vancouver, BC Canada and touching down in 50+ countries through North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. In total, the expedition will cover over 70,000 kilometers taking 14 months to complete in two phases.
The route will cover two antipodal locations on the planet: Lima, Peru (A) and near Phnom Penh, Cambodia (B).
In the first stage of the expedition, 5 in the Sky plans to:
- Fly across Canada to Newfoundland
- Head to the world-famous aviation exposition at Oshkosh, Wisconsin
- Continue south to Florida
- Head southwards through the Caribbean to South America, visiting the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, then return to eastern Canada
The second stage of the expedition:
- Cross the North Atlantic via Greenland and Iceland
- Fly across Europe to Egypt, the Middle East, India and onwards to Japan
- Travel through Eastern Russia to cross the Bering Strait into Alaska
- Return to Vancouver and mark the completion of the circumnavigation
Check the complete route here.
Who's Flying?
The 5 in the Sky teams have five Porters from BC: as chief pilot, Ian Porter (‘Dad’), Michelle (‘Mom’), two daughters, Samantha and Sydney, who help out as pilots, and 14-year old son Christopher.
Ian, a friend of Applied Precision 3D, runs a successful aerospace business and has flown paragliders, paramotors, sailplanes, and fixed-wing aircraft in many places around the world for the last four decades. The two daughters, Samantha and Sydney, started flight training on the same day in 2020 and have been flying since. They both plan to take an active role in flying and also hope to inspire other young women to become pilots. Both daughters are taking a year off from school while their brother, Christopher, will study online.
The Plane
The 5 in the Sky team will undertake the around-the-world expedition in their fully outfitted Gippsaero GA8 AirVan aeroplane, lovingly named “Moose”. Manufactured in Australia, the GA8 AirVan is a single-engine utility aircraft that has been designed for use in remote areas and from austere air strips, performing tasks such as passenger services, parachuting, humanitarian aid and search and rescue operations. Its design emphasizes ruggedness and ease of use. It carries up to 8 people including pilots and is capable of cruising at 220 km/h (125 knots) for up to 5 hours and reaching an altitude of up to 20,000 feet.
We have faith in the courage and determination of 5 in the Sky to overcome the uncertainties of flying to numerous countries over the course of a year. All the best to the 5 in the Sky team!
Follow the expedition @fly5inthesky on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok or 5inthesky.com
Support fundraising $1M for the global charity SOS Children's Villages HERE
Source: 5inthesky.com