And then there’s just for the heck of it. Two mature California pilots came close to crossing paths in the South Seas as they headed around the world in opposite directions. As AVweb told you last month, Bill Randolph, 76, of Watsonville, headed east on his adventure of a lifetime. Late last month, Dean Stahr, of Napa, set out for Hawaii on his first leg in his Cessna 182. When we last left Randolph, he had just finished battling Indian authorities for the necessary documentation to fly through the country. Trouble awaited in Phuket, Thailand, where he blew a tire on landing and damaged his RV-8. After receiving a parts shipment from Vans and some patchwork repairs (that included substituting cooking oil for brake fluid) Randolph was able get back on his flight after almost three weeks in Phuket. He’s now in New Caledonia and heading home. Meanwhile, a couple of weeks after Randolph left Phuket, Stahr arrived there last Friday after a difficult flight from Jakarta. Rather than try to battle the bureaucracy himself, Stahr hired Skyplan, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to smooth the way for him. The company not only arranges the flight permits but arranges a handler at each stop and books his hotels. Next stop for Stahr is Colombo, Sri Lanka, the halfway point.
…And It Beats A Bus Tour To Vegas
Key Takeaways:
- Two mature California pilots, Bill Randolph and Dean Stahr, are attempting separate round-the-world flights in opposite directions, nearly crossing paths in the South Seas.
- Bill Randolph, 76, faced significant challenges on his eastbound journey, including battling bureaucracy in India and spending three weeks repairing his RV-8 in Phuket after blowing a tire and damaging the aircraft.
- Dean Stahr, on his westbound journey, has strategically hired Skyplan to manage flight permits, handlers, and hotel bookings to proactively avoid the bureaucratic difficulties Randolph encountered.
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