Father and son prepare to fly around the world for pediatric cancer awareness
July 22, 2011, 03:50 pm
A father and son tandem from Julian, California, has constructed a plane together and are preparing for an around-the-world flight next year. Stephen Armstrong and his son, Charlie, built an RV-8 and are set to raise awareness about childhood cancers.
The plane took roughly six years to complete. It has a cruise speed of 195 miles per hour, a service ceiling of 20,000 feet and a 1,200-mile extended range.
The duo plans to depart from Borrego Valley Airport in California sometime next spring. The East Coast will be their first stop before they head on to Canada, Greenland, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, Japan, Russia and Alaska. The proposed journey will take the Armstrong's the better part of three months and cover a distance greater than 35,000 miles. They will visit a total of 29 countries in five continents.
The trip will serve as a fundraiser for pediatric cancer, the leading cause of non-accidental deaths among U.S. children. "The proceeds will go to the benefit of several pediatric cancer research institutes, pediatric cancer hospitals… and to a few heartbreaking individual cases whose families are unable to afford proper treatment for their child," Stephen told General Aviation News.
Before flying out of the country, general aviation flyers might want to check if their pilot life insurance covers them outside of the United States.
Are you covered? Are you overpaying? Find out! Get a Quote Now!
| 
