FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Download: PDF TXT Brian Lloyd Pilots His Plane Round The World - Flight Followed Historic Route on Earhart 80th Anniversary - Spring Branch Texas, USA. August 4, 2017 - Brian Lloyd, solo-flying his single-engine aircraft Spirit, landed at Kestrel Air Park today, completing his circumnavigation of the globe. He was accompanied over the last few miles by an escort of pilots in eight planes flying in formation with him. On the ground, a reception and hangar party welcomed him home. At the celebration, Brian Lloyd said, "How do I say, 'thank you' to everyone here and abroad who has helped me along the way on this epic journey? I couldn't have done this solo flight without the time, effort, and good will of hundreds of people out there around the world." He began the round-the-world flight at that same spot on 31 May 2017, then flew to Miami on 1 June to commemorate exactly eighty years since the famous Amelia Earhart flight began. For two months, he followed the historic Earhart equatorial route, stopping at dozens of airports that were once grass and dirt airstrips where Earhart had landed. Some of those airstrips have grown up to become sprawling international airports, while others simply don't exist anymore, or are in the midst of conflict zones. Brian Lloyd completed the historic route on 30 July, by landing at Oakland, California, which was Earhart's unfulfilled final destination. He retraced the steps of Amelia by visiting the historic building at Oakland airport where she had stayed during her original flights. Brian Lloyd said, "I am driven by the spirit of historic flights. It is important to remember the aviation pioneers like Amelia Earhart, and their contributions to aviation. Their bold actions made today's air travel possible for all of us." Lloyd's route included an homage overflight of Howland Island, that tiny atoll in Pacific Ocean where the famous flight was mysteriously lost in 1937. He dropped two large pink tropical flowers over the site in memoriam for Earhart and Noonan. When he reached Hawaii, Brian Lloyd said, "My respect for Amelia Earhart has risen a thousand times now that I have flown 28,000 miles in her shoes. Speeds are comparable, and I have had to deal with the same sort of weather that she did." Brian Lloyd is the first solo aviator to complete the historic Earhart equatorial route. Spirit has endured fierce winds, blasting sandstorms, and severe tropical weather along the equator. It has not been an easy flight, due to the long flight hours and complex logistics. On July 14th, Spirit's engine failed momentarily at 21,000 feet over the Pacific ocean, forcing Brian Lloyd to land in New Zealand for repairs. Everywhere he went, he invited ground crew and friends to sign the airplane with a marker pen. It became a mission of outreach and goodwill. The plane's fuselage and wings are now covered in signatures that bear witness to the huge network of support that it takes to fly around the world. At the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum in Atchison Kansas, Lloyd was awarded the medal from the Ninety-Nines, the famous international organization of women pilots founded in 1929, of which Amelia Earhart was its first president. Several world records were set by Brian Lloyd and Spirit on this flight: First solo flight of the Historic Earhart Equatorial Route, and first male pilot to fly the Historic Earhart Equatorial Route in a propeller aircraft. Upon landing in Texas, Brian Lloyd commented, "Hopefully I can motivate kids to go out and try new things. Here I am at sixty-three, in a single engine aircraft, flying around the world. You can go out and do something amazing, too." Brian Lloyd's aircraft, a Mooney M20K 231 with tail number N916BL, is outfitted with 200 gallons of fuel capacity and modern satellite avionics gear, giving it a 3000 mile range. But, like the Earhart's famous Lockheed Electra plane, there is a High Frequency (HF) radio in Spirit. Brian Lloyd used the HF radio to communicate with hundreds of ham radio operators all over the world while he was in flight, using the callsign "WB6RQN Aeronautical Mobile". About: Brian Lloyd, 63, is a pilot, flight instructor, engineer, educator, and radio operator. He lives near San Antonio, Texas, USA. The commemorative flights like Project Amelia Earhart, are co-sponsored by The Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum, a non-profit in Texas, and many other individuals who contribute to support the flights through donations. Project Amelia Earhart website: http://projectameliaearhart.org Press Kit: http://projectameliaearhart.org/press Note: There are still some Flight Patches left, for those who want them. They are given to contributors to the flight. It is the same patch that Brian Lloyd wears on his flight suit, a high quality round sewn embroidered patch that has velcro hook on the back. Brilliant red, white, royal blue, with gold, and forest green. Project Amelia Earhart 80th Anniversary Flight Patch Project Amelia Earhart 80th Anniversary Flight Patch HF belly antenna on Spirit. WB6RQN / Aeronautical Mobile. Constructed of Dayton-Granger aeronautical antenna hardware. Photos: 31 July 2017 on the apron of Oakland airport, upon Brian Lloyd's completion of the solo flight of the "Historic Earhart Route" portion of the circumnavigation. photo ©2017 Bonnie Crystal photo ©2017 Bonnie Crystal photo ©2017 Bonnie Crystal .
What an amazing experience to go through and a grand accomplishment; I'm sure he will be proud of this for the rest of his life. I listened on his 17 and 20M frequencies a number of times but never managed to hear or work him---but I am so glad that many others did. This is also going to give our hobby a good PR boost. My XYL and I really enjoyed reading Brian's well-written posts along the way, too. Well done, OM and we're all glad you made it home safe and sound. 73, Jeff
Awesome adventure, Brian! You are a very brave soul, trusting that single-engine in oceanic and remote continental operations! Congratulations on your achievement! Blue skies and Tailwinds!
In preparation to meet Brian at his historic landing at Oakland airport, I had a few paper QSL cards printed for him. I prepared one of those cards ahead of time for his signature in person: it was for a QSO we had while he was over the Pacific Ocean near Tonga. But, for this event, I thought this paper QSL would be a great memento to keep. I don't know what Brian's plans are for paper QSL. As far as I know, Brian WB6RQN only uses eQSL.cc This paper QSL is one of only 3 paper ones that exist so far. I printed 3 of them on a color laser printer just before going to the airport to meet him. He filled out one of the other cards for another ham who he met during the Oakland stop who had worked him on 14MHz and other freqs. QSL card of Brian Lloyd WB6RQN / Air Mobile confirming HF radio communication at 0415 UTC on 23 July 2017 with Bonnie Crystal KQ6XA on 14346.0 kHz USB ALE photo ©2017 Bonnie Crystal
Video: Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN Aeronautical Mobile, checks out the cockpit controls, HF radio, and data logging systems in the aircraft "Spirit" after his solo flight completing the historic Earhart route at Oakland airport, California, USA, on 31 July 2017. The airplane is a Mooney M20K 231, with modifications to the avionics, communications, and fuel capacity for long distance oceanic flights. Project Amelia Earhart 80th Anniversary Flight. Micom 3 HF Radio (upper right) in control panel of Brian Lloyd's aircraft Spirit
Video: Brian Lloyd landed his aircraft "Spirit" after his solo flight completing the historic round-the-world Earhart equatorial route at Oakland airport, California, USA. On 31 July 2017, while at Oakland, he visited "ARINC" Rockwell-Collins Aeronautical Communications Center, where they use HF radio for air traffic control radio operations over the oceans. He also visited the historic Oakland airport building where Amelia Earhart stayed in the 1930s, which now houses the CAP #188 Amelia Earhart Squadron. Project Amelia Earhart 80th Anniversary Flight.
Dr Brian; Thank you for your contribution to aviation history & Ham Radio !! Please have a cold one on Us, and the Sprit Too !! CU on the bands, 73 ..... WX8NN
I followed Brian's flight path from the website almost everyday. Many times I said, "Whew!" after he reached each planned incremental destination. One small leg of his journey at a time! I think it's all fantastic. W5MP
