2007 be the1st person GYRO around OZ, McIntyre Adventure doc.
August 21, 2024 · 26 min · 892 views · Australia
What this video covers
Don McIntyre completed a 13,500-kilometer circumnavigation of Australia by gyrocopter, becoming the first person to achieve the feat.24:21 Flying alongside pilots Willie Ewig and Otmar Berkner, McIntyre planned a route touching the continent’s four cardinal compass points: Cape Byron (east), Thursday Island (north), Shark Bay (west), and Southeast Cape in Tasmania (south).5:39 The team utilized small, open-cockpit gyrocopters, which require manual stick and throttle control for altitude and steering.8:59 During the westward leg, the group split up due to differing priorities regarding speed and adherence to the planned route, leaving McIntyre to complete the final stages of the journey solo.21:40 The expedition faced significant logistical challenges, including fuel availability in remote areas and the inherent risks of emergency landings in water, where gyrocopters sink rapidly.10:51 McIntyre previously completed a 156-day solo circumnavigation in the 1990–1991 BOC Challenge aboard a 50-foot aluminum yacht and spent a year in isolation at Cape Denison, Antarctica.18:56
More from Golden Globe Race Official
From Golden Globe Race Official — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.