Around-world pilot calls into Shropshire for pit-stop
A pilot aiming to become the first person to circumnavigate the world in an autogyro has taken a pit stop in Shropshire before he embarks on the last leg of his journey.
Norman Surplus has already flown across America, Canada and used the world's biggest stepping stones – Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands – to cross the Atlantic Ocean in his minuscule aircraft, which is now having a major service at Sleap Airfield, north of Shrewsbury.
The 56-year-old landed in the county with his aircraft, Roxy, on Monday night. Since then the Gyro Copter Head Quarters (GCHQ) have been stripping it down and getting it ready for a flight spanning Russia.
After initially starting his journey in 2010, Norman flew from his home in Larne, Northern Ireland, across the Mediterranean Sea, through Saudi Arabia, India, China and Japan before facing an inpassable Russian border.
Having overcome thunderstorms that forced him to camp in a Saudi Arabian desert and a crash landing in a lake in Thailand that set him back three months, Norman was stuck on the edge of Russia for three years before shipping Roxy to Oregon, America in 2015 where he inadvertently started his round the world trip again.
"I thought my quest was over, but it's suddenly emerged Russia are allowing flights across the country, hence why this is all a bit sudden," he said.
"The aircraft is set to be here for two days. All being well we'll do a check flight tonight and make sure the paperwork is in order.
"I'll then head to Norwich, before flying through Holland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia. My Russian visa starts on May 1, from which point I'll head to Oregon where I started and will now finish in July."
As well as becoming the first person to fly the circumference of the globe, Norman is raising money for Bowl Cancer UK, an issue that sparked his pioneering journey nearly 10 years ago.
"At the age of 43 I was told I had a 40 per cent chance of living 18 months due to bowel cancer – not much of a chance at all really," he said.
"But I had all the treatment and thankfully came through the other side. When I was lying in hospital recovering I watched a daytime TV program where they restored an old autogyro and I told myself if I ever came out I'd like to fly one – I'd never even thought about flying anything before then."
Graham Shackleton, GCHQ engineer working on Roxy, also built the aircraft before Norman's initial flight in 2010 and said parts of it had not worked since the Thailand crash landing in 2011.
"There's been a fuel indicator that hasn't worked since his little episode in Thailand," Graham said.
"I've got two days to completely go through it and make sure everything works. I'll change all the oil pipes, fuel pipes, all the filters and take the rotas off.
"It's what they call a 200 hour service, but it'll be in the space of a couple of days."
Stephen Pearce, head of GCHQ, added: "It was great Norman should choose us to prepare his flight and Graham knows the aircraft so will be able to get everything in shape.
"Politics got in the way meaning Norman couldn't complete it initially, now things have moved on and he's looking to finish what he started."
People can join Norman along his record-breaking journey via a live satellite tracker, as well as donate to his chosen charity on his Facebook page, GyroxGoesGlobal.
