FORM FOR CONFIRMATION OF ROUND THE WORLD FLIGHTS
Pilot(s) name(s)
First name: Polly
Surname: Vacher
Nationality: UK
Class of Aircraft: (single, twin, homebuilt, helicopter, ultra light, balloon.) Single
Brand: (i.e.: Beechcraft): Piper
Model: (i.e.: Bonanza): Piper Dakota
Type: (i.e. A35): PA28 235
Name of aircraft if any (ie. Spirit of the Wind, or whatever):
Registration: G-FRGN
Route (Eastbound, Westbound, via the Poles): Over North Pole and into Antartica
How did you cross the Atlantic Ocean (North, Centre, South)?
How did you cross the Pacific Ocean (North, Centre, South)?
Date of departure: 6 May, 2003
Point of departure: Birmingham International Airport
Date of return to point of departure: 23 April, 2004
Point of return: Birmingham International Airport
Duration: (days): 352
Duration: (flying hours): 550
Distance flown: 60 000NM
How many overnight stops did you make? : 352
How many any additional refuelling stops, if any? : 0
How many countries did you visit (count only where overnighted)? : 30
Means of communication used: HF Radio, sat telephone, e-mail by HF radio, other? : HF, satphone
Did you use any satellite tracking system? Which one ?
Flight clearances: did you obtain them all, or part of them, yourself? : No
If not, which company did you use?: Jeppesen trip planning (sponsorship)
Which insurance company did you use? : Aon Insurance/Global Aerospace (sponsorship).
Which was the easiest country or region that you flew through? : America
Which was the most difficult? : Antarctica
Which was the best airport you landed at? : Birmingham International Airport
Which was the worst? : Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman
Have you applied for the FAI Circumnavigator Badge/Are you thinking of doing so? : Yes and have been awared the Circumnavigator Badge.
Have you set or broken any records during your RTW? : Yes: First woman to fly solo in Antartica.
First person to fly solo around the World landing on all seven continents.
Fastest person in class to fly from Ushuaia to Rothera (FAI).
Did you create a Website about your flight? If so, what is the URL?
General remarks about your flight:
This was a charity flight to raise funds for and awarness of "Flying Scholarchips for the Disabled' (FSD). http://www.toreachforthesky.org. With this flight and my first flight around the World (2001) over £400,000 was raised. As a result FSD has been started in Australia, USA and Norway. A book "Wings Around the World" about the polar flight has just been published by Grubstreet. This flight was my second solo round the world flight in the same aircraft. The first was in 2001 going East to West.
Advice to other pilots:
The polar regions are difficult to fly in because of weather and ice in particular. "Patience" is the name of the game. Antartica is protected by the Antartic Treary. It IS possible to obtain permission to land at the bases but this permission is difficult to obtain. It is important to obtain these permissions and not entrer Antartica without them- otherwise you may jeopardise opportunities for others who may wish to follow. I am happy to talk to any pilot about my experiences on : pvacher@aol.com
Please indicate here if you agree that we may use the information contained here on the Earthrounders website: I am happy for the Earthrounders to use the above information.
Database Flight Number: 102
First name: Polly
Surname: Vacher
Nationality: UK
Class of Aircraft: (single, twin, homebuilt, helicopter, ultra light, balloon.) Single
Brand: (i.e.: Beechcraft): Piper
Model: (i.e.: Bonanza): Piper Dakota
Type: (i.e. A35): PA28 235
Name of aircraft if any (ie. Spirit of the Wind, or whatever):
Registration: G-FRGN
Route (Eastbound, Westbound, via the Poles): Over North Pole and into Antartica
How did you cross the Atlantic Ocean (North, Centre, South)?
How did you cross the Pacific Ocean (North, Centre, South)?
Date of departure: 6 May, 2003
Point of departure: Birmingham International Airport
Date of return to point of departure: 23 April, 2004
Point of return: Birmingham International Airport
Duration: (days): 352
Duration: (flying hours): 550
Distance flown: 60 000NM
How many overnight stops did you make? : 352
How many any additional refuelling stops, if any? : 0
How many countries did you visit (count only where overnighted)? : 30
Means of communication used: HF Radio, sat telephone, e-mail by HF radio, other? : HF, satphone
Did you use any satellite tracking system? Which one ?
Flight clearances: did you obtain them all, or part of them, yourself? : No
If not, which company did you use?: Jeppesen trip planning (sponsorship)
Which insurance company did you use? : Aon Insurance/Global Aerospace (sponsorship).
Which was the easiest country or region that you flew through? : America
Which was the most difficult? : Antarctica
Which was the best airport you landed at? : Birmingham International Airport
Which was the worst? : Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman
Have you applied for the FAI Circumnavigator Badge/Are you thinking of doing so? : Yes and have been awared the Circumnavigator Badge.
Have you set or broken any records during your RTW? : Yes: First woman to fly solo in Antartica.
First person to fly solo around the World landing on all seven continents.
Fastest person in class to fly from Ushuaia to Rothera (FAI).
Did you create a Website about your flight? If so, what is the URL?
General remarks about your flight:
This was a charity flight to raise funds for and awarness of "Flying Scholarchips for the Disabled' (FSD). http://www.toreachforthesky.org. With this flight and my first flight around the World (2001) over £400,000 was raised. As a result FSD has been started in Australia, USA and Norway. A book "Wings Around the World" about the polar flight has just been published by Grubstreet. This flight was my second solo round the world flight in the same aircraft. The first was in 2001 going East to West.
Advice to other pilots:
The polar regions are difficult to fly in because of weather and ice in particular. "Patience" is the name of the game. Antartica is protected by the Antartic Treary. It IS possible to obtain permission to land at the bases but this permission is difficult to obtain. It is important to obtain these permissions and not entrer Antartica without them- otherwise you may jeopardise opportunities for others who may wish to follow. I am happy to talk to any pilot about my experiences on : pvacher@aol.com
Please indicate here if you agree that we may use the information contained here on the Earthrounders website: I am happy for the Earthrounders to use the above information.
Database Flight Number: 102