Pilot(s) name(s)
First name: Rolf Martin
Surname: Freiden
Nationality: Swiss
Other crew/passengers who completed the full circumnavigation:
First name: Manfred J.
Surname: Melloh
Nationality: Australia
Class of Aircraft: (single, twin, homebuilt, helicopter, ultra light, balloon.)
Single
Brand: (i.e.: Beechcraft): Piper
Model: (i.e.: Bonanza): Comanche 260C
Type: (i.e. A35): PA24
Name of aircraft if any (ie. Spirit of the Wind, or whatever):
Registration: HB-PON
Route (Eastbound, Westbound, via the Poles): Eastbound
How did you cross the Atlantic Ocean (North, Centre, South)? Centre (via the Azores)
How did you cross the Pacific Ocean (North, Centre, South)? South
Date of departure: June 19, 2009
Point of departure: La Cote Aerodrome (LSGP), Switzerland
Date of return to point of departure: July 12, 2009
Point of return: La Cote Aerodrome (LSGP), Switzerland
Duration: (days): 109 days in 4 distinct stages
Duration: (flying hours): 223
Distance flown: 32 600 NM / 60 375 KM
How many overnight stops did you make? : 56
How many any additional refuelling stops, if any? :
How many countries did you visit (count only where overnighted)? :
Means of communication used: HF Radio, sat telephone, e-mail by HF radio, other? :
VHF, HF, Satphone, Amateur radio by HF (HB9AAW/AM)
Did you use any satellite tracking system? Which one ?
Flight clearances: did you obtain them all, or part of them, yourself? : Partly ourselves
If not, which company did you use?: FSI (Germany)and Bo Therkildson (Denmark)
Which insurance company did you use? : AZA Winterthur, Switzerland
Which was the easiest country or region that you flew through? : European Union Countries
Which was the most difficult? : USA (Entry and Exit formalities)
Which was the best airport you landed at? : Panama City ( see our blog)
Which was the worst? : Leaving Bangor, Maine USA (KBGR), due to a new recently implemented,
very complex exit formalities on the Web,
we lost an entire day due to many bugs in the e-APIS web application and no hot line support during the week-end.
Have you applied for the FAI Circumnavigator Badge/Are you thinking of doing so? : We may consider this
Have you set or broken any records during your RTW? : No
Did you create a Website about your flight? If so, what is the URL?
http://blog.mailasail.com/comanche.hb-pon
General remarks about your flight:
Impressive, worth while, and certainely unforgetable!
Advice to other pilots:
Do it and take your time to enjoy it!
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Database Flight Number: 372