6 December 2006
<b>Update 06/12:</b> The flight has begun. First scheduled stop, Waco.
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<b>Original story:</b> You may recall that three years ago, Jennifer Murray and Colin Bodill jumped into a helicotper and attempted to fly round the world via the North and South Poles. There was something of a race on at the time: both Jon Johanson and Polly Vacher, in fixed wing machines, were trying something similar (but different) and all pretty much converged on the South Pole at the same time.
Of the three, Polly never made it to the Pole, having bad weather and fuel worries; Jon reached the Pole but was then stranded; and Jennifer and Colin reached the Pole, but then crashed and both were seriously injured.
Nothing daunted, they’re trying it again. They are currently in Fort Worth, Texas, awaiting the moment, later today, when they will lift off to start the trip down through Central and South America, and onto the Antarctic. The trip is expected to take 170 or so days, visiting over 30 countries and clocking up over 35,000 miles.
They’ll be flying a Bell 407.
We’ll bring more news as the flight continues.
