French tech entrepreneur Corentin Larose plans to circumnavigate the world in 80 days, flying a two-seat Guimbal Cabri G2 beginning around June 19, he said Tuesday at Heli-Expo. Larose, who will be joined by copilot Samy Du-Dalt, said the route between the 28th and 71st parallels will take them across 16 countries and begin and end in Paris.
If successful, the Skytrek tour would be the first circumnavigation by French helicopter pilots, and the first such flight by a two-seat, and French-made, helicopter, Larose said. “This is more of a world tour," he said. "We are here to discover people, places, and things like that.” The estimated 70-leg journey will have stops that include an overnight stay in Canada’s Akpatok Island—whose inhabitants are mostly bears and wolves—and the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, he said.
Their aircraft will be outfitted with an auxiliary fuel tank in the baggage hold, and Larose and Du-Dalt will be equipped with survival gear. Cost of the circumnavigation is estimated at $282,745, Larose said, sources of which are from him, a crowdfunding campaign, and in-kind donations from more than 13 partners and sponsors.