FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [HFpack News]
Ham Radio Aviator Departs for Round The World Flight
Brian Lloyd WB6RQN Flight Commemorates 80 Years Since Earhart
Miami, Florida, USA, June 1, 2017 - As pilot Brian Lloyd propels his single-engine plane named "Spirit" into the sky on a solo round-the-world adventure, he commemorates Amelia Earhart's famous flight eighty years ago on this date in 1937. He is communicating live via radio with Ham operators while flying. The two month flight will follow Earhart's historic route to circumnavigate the world at the equator, which starts in Miami, skirts the chain of Caribbean islands, then along the coast of South America, crosses the Atlantic eastward, and then onward around the world.
Prior to departure from his home airstrip in Texas, USA, Brian Lloyd said, "I am driven by the spirit of historic flights. It is important to remember the aviation pioneers like Amelia Earhart, and their contributions to aviation. Their bold actions made today's air travel possible for all of us."
While he is in the air, using the call sign WB6RQN, Brian encourages Ham radio operators to contact him on the following frequencies: 14210.0 kHz USB, 14346.0 kHz USB, 18117.5 kHz USB, or 7130.0 kHz LSB. His HF (High Frequency) radio is a Mobat Micom-3 transceiver, with a maximum power of 125 Watts, and an antenna under the fuselage. He also utilizes ALE (Automatic Link Establishment) on the Amateur Radio HFLINK frequencies http://hflink.com
Brian Lloyd's radio schedule is posted on the project's website http://projectameliaearhart.org/ham-radio
"I've been a ham radio operator since 1976 and enjoy radio communications very much. The plane is set up with HF radio for aeronautical purposes with the normal pilot headset controls. The flight route has some very long legs, so I will have plenty of opportunities during June and July to talk with ham operators while flying over the world's oceans," Brian said.
Commercial airliners fly long distances every day, but non-stop ocean flights are quite difficult for small propeller planes, which have limited range. To make it possible, Brian Lloyd modified his 1979 Mooney airplane to carry 150 gallons more fuel, then equipped it with modern navigation equipment, long range radio, and satellite communications. Still, the flight is not without risk, and special safety gear must be taken along. The public can track his flight on the web, social media, as well as Ham radio.
About: Brian Lloyd, 62, is a pilot, flight instructor, engineer, educator, and radio operator. He lives near San Antonio, Texas, USA. The commemorative flights are co-sponsored by The Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum, a non-profit in Texas, and many other individuals who contribute to supporting the flights through donations.
Amelia Earhart website: http://projectameliaearhart.org
Press Kit: http://projectameliaearhart.org/press
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