Departing on Sunday, April 10, 2016, from his home airport in Manassas, Virginia, Adrian Eichhorn is embarking on a six-week journey to become, according to earthrounders.com, the world’s 121st pilot to fly solo around the world. But for Eichhorn, this trip isn’t about getting his name in any record books.
“I hope I can inspire people, who want to get into aviation, to take that first step,” said Eichhorn.
A decorated pilot, instructor and A&P, Eichhorn rebuilt and reconfigured a 1962 V-tail Beechcraft Bonanza for a trip that includes:
While Eichhorn hopes to inspire others, he may be tapping into a little inspiration he received from aviation legend Burt Rutan. “I cornered him after a presentation to get an autograph,” Eichhorn explained. After giving Eichhorn a “perfect” sketch of the Voyager, Rutan wrote, “Adventure is the essence of life.”
It really is an honor to have a company like Jeppesen, with such a history, to be part of this.
"I'm just a private pilot." Nothing frustrates Adrian Eichhorn more than those five words. A former corporate pilot who now flies for JetBlue, Eichhorn recently completed a solo around the world flight as "just" a private pilot. The trip reminded him of the energy, effort, enthusiasm, expense and education required for "the real heroes of aviation" to remain active. Learn how Eichhorn dealt with (1) distractions, (2) fatigue, (3) being rushed and (4) complacency when they were at their extremes. Eichhorn will show you how these four hazards can creep into any flight, and how to deal with them when they do. What's more, he will share a few tips learned from the airlines that helped him get around the world - and are sure to help you get around the country.