I’m currently still in Greece, waiting until the weather clears. 

I would like to express my deepest sympathy for the students, families, faculty and staff at Virginia Tech University.  This event is tragic and I pray that each person affected will be able to move on. I personally have a good friend who graduated from this University and I pray that his friends and teachers were not harmed.

Tragedy can make one weak and it can also make one stronger. For me, I am motivated by my mission to reach youth through aviation. Whether we like it or not, we are fighting every day against the evils of the world and the streets. In America we might not wake up to the sound of bombs every morning, but we continue to lose lives to other types of violence. I say this to encourage all of you to take the time to inspire and assist someone you may or may not know. You never know who you will reach and at what point in their life you will reach them and give them new hope for the future. Many contemplate suicide and other horrible acts. You may just be the person  who has the capability of saving a life.

Arriving in Greece was truly a challenge as once again I had more storms to deal with.  I truly enjoyed my time here and to me so far Greece is the best all around, which caught me off guard.  I’m currently delayed due to a massive storm that moved across Libya to northern Egypt. Stay tuned more stories to come have to catch up on sleep.

Part two of my tour continued on this beautiful spring day, and I’m falling in love with Rome! I visited St. Peter’s Square but the lines were too long to take a tour of the Vatican—the wait was almost two hours. I decided to socialize with people in line anyway and learned more about the Italian culture, education system, cost of living, way of life, morals, and values.  Italians are very passionate about their country, their history and their lifestyle, which includes making family a priority. Everyone I spoke with was friendly and some offered interesting facts . . . Did you know that most Italians don’t eat garlic bread, and there is no such thing as Italian dressing?  Also, Italians eat dinner around 8:30-9:00 pm and the Italian language sounds very similar to Spanish, which surprised me.

Although I missed touring the Vatican, I visited the site where Julius Caesar was murdered by the Senate. I also visited one of the 40 Catacombs, or underground burial tunnels, in Rome. One Catacomb had held the bodies of persecuted Christians; it was laid out as a huge maze that could hold more than 300,000 bodies. When it was built, the engineers were strategic in not only building the tunnels but also making sure the stench from the bodies was a minimal factor. In order to control the odor, the bodies were covered with lemon. This Catacomb was 140 feet deep and 13 miles long. This was amazing to see, and also very moving—it seemed like a sad place for a burial ground. The Romans who died were cremated while Christians and some Popes were buried in Catacombs. A few decades after Christians were freed, the Catacombs were abandoned and barbarians and others looted the graves for valuables. I was amazed to learn that when thieves were looting St.Cecelia’s tomb, they found her body intact, though she had died a few hundred years before. In the year 821, the Pope had her body removed and transferred to a church in Rome that bears her name.   

I’m looking forward to returning to Rome for a longer stay, this time with my family. But these few days have been wonderful and I’ll never forget them or the many stories from the past I heard for the first time. There is no greater teacher than history.  As a side note I decided to be brave and get a haircut in Italy which was a bit nerve racking but wasn’t bad at all. See the pictures!! 

After only a day, my expectations about Rome were exceeded!  This is a city with great character and appeal for young and old.  There was so much history to be explored, with so little time!  First I decided to visit the Coliseum. I learned about Gladiators, who were truly warriors, and how they fought animals such as lions, alligators, monkeys, cheetahs in a huge maze. I’d never seen this maze in TV shows or movies--the Coliseum was always portrayed as an empty space where Gladiator battles took place. I also learned how Christians and prisoners were brutally persecuted. They died horrible deaths and were hung on a cross where animals later devoured their flesh. Christians had the option of denouncing the name of Jesus but they proclaimed his name, knowing they would be murdered. They too were great warriors! Although time and nature have slowly eroded the Coliseum, which could hold 60,000 people, it is still an amazing sight to see the illustrious beauty of the structure.

I also visited the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, La Fontana di Trevi, churches with intricate artwork and marble carvings, and the balcony in Piazza Venezia where Mussolini gave his speech to the masses announcing Italy’s involvement in World War II.

Rome—also called the City of the Seven Hills—is a city of extremes, famous for its dazzling history and its modern fashion. The people are polite, proud and attractive, and they seem to know how to take life easy, even in the face of hardship. Walking through the streets in central Rome, surrounded by Baroque and Renaissance architecture, I understand why they also call Rome the Eternal City—the beauty of the place seems timeless. After two days here, thinking about the poets, artists, engineers, and philosophers who were part the Roman Empire, I wonder how much further along mankind would be today if that Empire had continued to thrive. I also wonder—seeing the grand buildings and fountains and cobblestone piazzas—whether even with all our technology, we are progressing or regressing. It’s a difficult question I can think about in the cockpit in the days to come . . .

But first, I have one more day to spend here—tune in tomorrow for my visit to St. Peter’s and the Vatican!

Spain is a beautiful country—I saw the East coast with its hills and valleys and then had a chance to explore the fascinating capital city of Madrid.  I wish I’d had more time there, but after a day visiting historic sites and museums, it was time to move on.  When I left the hotel for the airport, my cab got caught in rush hour traffic and my departure to Rome was delayed by an hour. The cab driver took shortcuts through the less affluent communities of the city and I got a chance to see that poverty exists in Madrid, Spain just as it does in my own country. I am truly humbled by this and thank God that I’ve been blessed with so much. 

I was running late, so I contacted Universal Weather, my flight planning team, to notify European Air Traffic Controllers.  Although I am flying by myself, there is a team of at least 50 people who assist in various areas of international flight planning, and I am grateful for their help and expertise.

On my flight from Madrid to Rome, I saw beautiful islands along the way, some with luxurious homes visible from the air. Yet each island has its own identity. The flight was relatively smooth, with only minor turbulence. People often ask why flights can be bumpy. When flying long distances, the wind shifts constantly because of various weather fronts that come from High and Low pressure systems. Rapid changes in wind, together with uneven heating of the Earth’s surface, can create turbulence.

After about four hours, I finally made it to one of my most anticipated destinations:  Rome, Italy. I’ve read about Rome in school and church and watched several TV documentaries about that historic city.  Now it was my time to see this magnificent place with my own eyes. As soon as I reached the coast of Italy, I was in awe at the beauty of the rolling hills and the elegant architecture rising from the landscape. Because of the heavy air traffic on my approach to Ciampino Airport, Air Traffic Controllers were speaking quickly with a slight Italian accent. I was thankful for my training in the states, flying in and out of major international airports with rapid-fire communication, and felt comfortable. I landed with strong winds, looking forward to exploring the past and living history of Rome!

It feels good to be on a large land mass once again.  For now, I’ve seen enough salt water. My 8:15 am departure from Santa Maria was challenging because on one half of the island there was a massive thunderstorm and on the other side the skies were clear.  After departure, I took Inspiration to 11,000 feet and saw the North Atlantic once again.  The water wasn’t the same deep blue color; it was more bluish/green. I knew the waters were not as deep as the waters I traveled over from St. Johns. Three hours into the flight, I saw a massive thunderstorm that was at least 100 miles north of me with a huge anvil top. Believe it or not, I felt turbulence from this storm as I passed south of it.

The skies were very clear until I reached the coast of Portugal.  Storms were building, and from Portugal into Spain I had quite an interesting flight through light and moderate storms.  What all the weather reports had forecasted as light showers turned into a massive storm.  Although I don’t have all the facts, I believe the storms rolled off the 9,800 foot mountains to the Northwest at a much faster and more violent rate than usual, which intensified them. For those of you who had the opportunity to track the flight, you will see that I zigzagged back and forth.  I did this to divert around some strong storm cells.  Once I reached 20 miles west of the airport, I saw just how beautiful Spain was from the sky.  The architecture of the buildings was spectacular and landscapes were breathtaking. I look forward to exploring Spain tomorrow. This flight was definitely an experience I won’t forget and it was the most challenging yet, due to stormy weather.  

Stay tuned . . .

Finally the weather conditions became favorable for a few hours before another snow storm blew through.  The North Atlantic weather was calm without many thunderstorms. That was all I needed to depart St. Johns and at 10:30 am local time, I departed the winter wonderland. I must admit that although it was difficult leaving, I was anxious to move on.  St. Johns was quite beautiful from the air.  Unfortunately on this clear day with few clouds I saw the effects of global warming.  Icebergs were melting and trees dying due to sap beetles hatching early, since winter no longer lasts as long.  It was quite sad, and to witness this with my own eyes really demonstrated the grave dilemma mankind faces.

Crossing the North Atlantic was indeed challenging.  It was even more difficult for me because I had not flown for the previous seven days and then decided to leave for this ten-hour flight.  I didn’t have any control over the weather situation and was able to land safely.  For nine hours, so many things ran through my mind such as family, friends, mentors, sponsors, and most importantly flying the aircraft.  I can only imagine what Charles Lindbergh went through because he did not have the technology or communication with anyone.  At 11,000 feet I saw storms further north and south of me.  It was as if God cleared a highway for me. This flight was indeed a tremendous challenge but after landing in the beautiful Azores, I felt as if some load was lifted off my shoulders.  I recorded every thought on paper and from this one monumental leg of my journey I’m sure that my journal of my experience will be quite interesting to read. When I was approximately an hour away from landing I read every thought and was given strength from that. 

Technology is truly amazing!! My Avidyne EX500 and Teledyne Continental (TSIO-550-C) Motor performed well.  Could you believe after 6 hours of flying I only burned 60 gallons of fuel with a speed of 175 knots!! This engine is REMARKABLE! I thank God for his mercy and grace that allowed me to see the beauty of the North Atlantic.

I would like to wish you all a very blessed Easter holiday!  I’m currently still waiting out the weather here in St. Johns and I’m hoping that I will be able to depart tomorrow.

The natives here in Newfoundland, Canada are friendly and their accent is a mix of Irish and British English.  It’s a bit difficult to understand at first, but I’ve developed a feel for it over time. The town is small with a population of approximately 150,000 residents. Taxes are a bit high at 14% but the Medicare system is available to everyone regardless of financial status.  Although I did not notice it at first, the air is quite clean to breathe in and elevation here is 700 feet.  The scenery it is absolutely breathtaking.  The mountains are beautiful and the clouds are as low as 300 feet above the ground.  I had the chance to visit Signal Hill, a historic lookout fort that the military used as a lookout point.  I truly wonder how well they were able to see with the fog and low cloud levels.  Because of the bad weather, I’m unable to see the many natural beauties of St. Johns, but I would love to return during the summer. Simple but beautiful is the best way I can describe St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.

Video From Canada

Dear Friends,

I’m alive and well here in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, facing blistering temperatures such as -9 degrees with a wind chill of -15.  It is beautiful here with all the snow and ice, but I’m ready to continue my flight as soon as the weather provides me an opportunity. I’m continuing to be patient and am awaiting better weather to cross the North Atlantic.  Although I’m a week and a half behind my original schedule, I am certainly well rested. Patience is a virtue and I am taking this opportunity to learn about a different culture that has great citizens.  I’m proud of my teammates and of my decisions so far. 

To all my fans please continue to keep me in prayers and send your words of encouragement.  They truly make a difference and is a blessing.

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