ShenziRubani
13th Jul 2004, 20:04
The renowned polar explorer, mountaineer and balloonist, David Hempleman-Adams has successfully flown his bright pink (colors of his sponsors) single-engine Cessna 210, over Cape Columbia at the northernmost point of the Canadian High Arctic. This heralds the start of the 11,500 mile challenge that will take him across the Continent, to Cape Horn.
David Hempleman-Adams and Canadian co-pilot Lorne White had been forced to delay the start of the challenge due to an engine fault discovered last week on their arrival at Eureka (CYEU), an isolated weather station 270 miles from the start at Cape Columbia. Following days of frantic calls and negotiations a new engine (from Ft Smith, Arkansas) and two qualified engineers (from Sioux Lookout, Ontario) were found and brought to Eureka to make vital repairs to the plane so the challenge could continue.
Speaking via satellite phone from Eureka, David said: "I'm thrilled that we managed to get a new engine and I'm confident that we can now get on with the Cape-to-Cape. A huge thanks must go to all the people that have helped us overcome our technical problems. It really has been a case of great teamwork.
"It was amazing to be flying again and, with the technical problems of last week now behind us, crossing over Cape Columbia was a real achievement for everyone involved."
David and Lorne took off from Eureka in the very late hours of July 12th (thanks to 24 hours of daylight) and flew further north over Cape Columbia on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island, just 500 miles from the North Pole. From there they went out over the Arctic Ocean and had a great view over the Polar ice-cap. After an amazing flight back over the mountains and glaciers, they made a perfect landing in Eureka, surrounded by curious wolves. Weather permitting they will continue heading south on their 11,500 mile journey to Cape Horn later today.
The Cape 2 Cape challenge then continues as David heads down around Hudson Bay and then over the Canadian cities of Toronto and Montreal, before heading towards North America. At this time they are making a technical stop at Sioux Lookout in Ontario.
Tonight they will try to make it to Timmins if the weather is favorable and then onto Toronto CYTZ and Montreal CYUL before heading down across the East Coast of the U.S.
David Hempleman-Adams and Canadian co-pilot Lorne White had been forced to delay the start of the challenge due to an engine fault discovered last week on their arrival at Eureka (CYEU), an isolated weather station 270 miles from the start at Cape Columbia. Following days of frantic calls and negotiations a new engine (from Ft Smith, Arkansas) and two qualified engineers (from Sioux Lookout, Ontario) were found and brought to Eureka to make vital repairs to the plane so the challenge could continue.
Speaking via satellite phone from Eureka, David said: "I'm thrilled that we managed to get a new engine and I'm confident that we can now get on with the Cape-to-Cape. A huge thanks must go to all the people that have helped us overcome our technical problems. It really has been a case of great teamwork.
"It was amazing to be flying again and, with the technical problems of last week now behind us, crossing over Cape Columbia was a real achievement for everyone involved."
David and Lorne took off from Eureka in the very late hours of July 12th (thanks to 24 hours of daylight) and flew further north over Cape Columbia on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island, just 500 miles from the North Pole. From there they went out over the Arctic Ocean and had a great view over the Polar ice-cap. After an amazing flight back over the mountains and glaciers, they made a perfect landing in Eureka, surrounded by curious wolves. Weather permitting they will continue heading south on their 11,500 mile journey to Cape Horn later today.
The Cape 2 Cape challenge then continues as David heads down around Hudson Bay and then over the Canadian cities of Toronto and Montreal, before heading towards North America. At this time they are making a technical stop at Sioux Lookout in Ontario.
Tonight they will try to make it to Timmins if the weather is favorable and then onto Toronto CYTZ and Montreal CYUL before heading down across the East Coast of the U.S.