I’m a day off my pace but the good news is that I planned for delays.  Currently I’m still in New York and am awaiting better weather.  Yesterday was a perfect example of how a pilot should know his or her limits and fly within them.  Depending upon what the low pressure system does, I may need to stay in New York for a few days.  I constantly remind myself that this is not a race; instead it's like I'm running a marathon so I must pace myself safely. 

Video From New York - Part #1
Video From New York - Part #2
Video From New York - Part #3

The weather is nice and clear here in New York and I’m preparing to launch to St. Johns, Canada.  However, mother nature had other plans in Canada.  After giving the weather one more check, I noticed that a storm cell that passed through in a line from north to south was beginning to rotate counterclockwise into a low pressure system, which means those same storms were going to pass back through St. Johns. It was a very difficult decision with the media watching, but as Captain I made the decision to cancel my departure.  Thank God I made that decision because if I had launched, I would have had the challenge of facing a snow storm with strong winds and the result would not be favorable.  Although disappointed, I would rather be safe than sorry, and I’m happy with the decision I made during a time of great pressure.  Both Atlantic Aviation and the Hilton Hotel accommodated me well during a difficult time.    

Just when Cleveland started to warm up I had to depart to New York.  NASA SEMAA did a wonderful job hosting me and I spoke to more than 2,000 students. After departure, I saw ice on Lake Erie that was beginning to break up.  The flight was pretty smooth as the winds were pushing me along.  Flight time was two hours and twenty two minutes with a steady 20 knot tailwind. Once I descended from 7,000 feet, the winds were pretty strong with light turbulence. The Farmingdale Airport was quite busy with aircraft traffic but I had a good landing and was once again greeted by students and media.  More than setting two world records, I am glad that everyone is recognizing my mission of promoting career opportunities in aviation and addressing the shortage of aviation professionals.

Departing from Miami was simply amazing!  I am humbled and honored by the support of sponsors, family, community leaders, volunteers, and fans.  The launch of World Flight Adventures from Miami Executive Aviation was more than a success; it is a symbol of what can happen when people from all nationalities come together for a great cause.  Over 2,000 people were in attendance with more than 1,000 students present.  I was deeply moved and humbled to see amongst the crowd future pilots, engineers, astronauts, air traffic controllers and other future aviation professionals. I would never have imagined that the launch would have a significant impact nationwide.  Who would have ever thought that the student who started off washing planes when he couldn’t afford to fly is now on national television making an impact on today’s future leaders?  There was indeed something special about this moment in history that was felt by young and old.

My flight from Miami to Cleveland was smooth and clear, but once I reached the Ohio state line, the weather began to deteriorate.  I flew through moderate rain and turbulence for approximately an hour and twenty minutes with deviations around strong thunderstorm cells. Winds were shifting from 40 to 60 knots, but Inspiration and I were up for the challenge.  Once I cleared the weather and landed at Burke Lakefront Airport, the media and students were awaiting me to speak at a press conference hosted by NASA SEMAA.  My exact time in the air was six hours and two minutes but I was comfortable. When I exited the aircraft, there was a definite change in the weather because Cleveland was 53 degrees.

Video From Cleveland