Adventurer James Ketchell is nearing the end of his round-the-world gyrocopter flight that began March 31. If he succeeds, Ketchell will be the first to fly the distance in a gyrocopter solo. This morning, Ketchell was off the east coast of Greenland in his Magni Gyrocopter heading for Iceland. He has already flown 20,000 nm. Ketchell, who plans to conclude his journey within the next few days in the UK, is using the flight to raise money for charities, including Over the Wall and Kindled Spirits, the latter of which support victims of child trafficking.
The Magni flies at speeds up to 82 knots and has a maximum range of four hours. Ketchell's gyrocopter is equipped with a suite of Trig Avionics, including a TY91 radio and a TT21 transponder linked to a TN72 GPS position source that provides mode-S and ADS-B Out capability. These avionics allow Ketchell to operate in some of the world’s most congested airspace, including New York City. There, Ketchell was cleared for a flyby of the Statue of Liberty.
Ketchell began his worldwide adventures in 2010 after recovering from a severe motorcycle accident. His previous accomplishments include rowing solo across the Atlantic, climbing Mt. Everest, and completing an 18,000-mile international cycling trip, three feats he labeled a “global triathlon.”