Report from 'The Age'
Johanson overwhelmed by Adelaide reception
An Australian pilot stranded in Antarctica after running low on fuel says he was overwhelmed by the reception he received when he landed in Adelaide last night.
Jon Johanson, who became the first pilot to fly a home-made plane solo over the South Pole, said he was surprised to learn of the high profile he had gained during his plight.
"It was almost overwhelming, there were so many people there, so many well wishers," he told the Nine Network.
"From where I've been I haven't fully been aware of everything that's gone on and it's surprised me so much.
"And then to have such a welcome home, what more could you wish for?"
Head winds jeopardised the 47-year-old's initial course to Argentina following his record flight over the South Pole and forced him to land at the joint United States-New Zealand McMurdo-Scott base on the Antarctic.
Mr Johanson asked US and NZ officials to sell him the 400 litres of fuel he required to return to NZ but, despite Australian government appeals, they refused under a policy of discouraging tourists to the base.
Relief came on Friday when British pilot Polly Vacher, who was forced by bad weather to abandon her attempt to fly around the world over both poles, offered Mr Johanson her spare fuel stored at the base.
Mr Johanson said rather than jeopardising his quest, he had taken the safe option.
"We re-built the plane so that we could fly literally right over the Antarctic continent," he said.
"By the time we made it to the South Pole we knew that things were going to be tightish and the team back here had actually contacted the British to see if we could use them as a safety outlet if we needed them and they basically said no.
"When that happened we really didn't have too many options on keeping it safe.
"I was very close to getting to where I wanted to but I always put safety first."
Mr Johanson flew home via Invercargill in New Zealand, where he said he received apologies from Kiwis embarrassed by their country's refusal to supply him fuel.
Mr Johanson's partner Sue Ball said it was lovely to have the pilot back home.
- AAP