Round the world in helicopter

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Helicopter gran's world challenge



Supergran Jennifer Murray prepares for her solo flight

A high-flying grandmother hopes to become the first woman to circumnavigate the world by helicopter in a bid to raise money for a medical charity.
Jennifer Murray, 59, of Somerset, will fly a single-engined machine solo over 33 countries on her 86-day, 24,000 mile trip as part of the Network of the World challenge.

Sharing her challenge and route is Colin Bodill from Nottingham, who hopes to become the first person to fly around the world in a 100-horsepower Microlight aircraft, two years after setting the world record for a Microlight journey from London to Sydney.


Jennifer Murray
Both pilots begin the first legs of their record-setting trips from Brooklands Airfield in Surrey on Wednesday.

Jennifer, who has three children and two grandchildren, will turn 60 on the 11th day of her adventure, when she is expected to be somewhere over the Jordanian desert.

"Of course there are risks if I find myself in severe turbulence or storms, or have mechanical failure in the wrong place," she said.

Weather risk

"Any adventure is a risk. One of the biggest challenges is that it's such a small helicopter and it doesn't have autopilot."

Bad weather could cause problems as her Robinson R44 helicopter cannot be flown above 8,000 feet, and she has rehearsed escaping from a submerged aircraft at a military base, in case she has to ditch in the sea.


"I'm doing it for the great adventure and to raise money for charity," added Jennifer, who has homes near Frome in Somerset and in South Kensington, London.

The grandmother said she learned to fly helicopters in 1994 after her venture capitalist husband Simon bought a half-share in one.

"He said `I haven't got time to learn to fly it, so you'd better'.

"Since then he has learned too. We both love it, and it's a great way to travel."

Flying instructor Colin, 49, said: "My family is used to me going off on adventures, but I'm a bit nervous about the weather forecasts.


My family is used to me going off on adventures, but I'm a bit nervous about the weather forecasts

Colin Bodill

"Northern Europe is experiencing bad weather at the moment and then there's the monsoon season in India and Burma to contend with, and 100mph winds over Greenland on the return leg."

His Rochdale-built Microlight is "completely open to the elements" and cruises at around 60 knots.

The pair hope to raise US$1m for Operation Smile, a charity which provides reconstructive facial surgery for young people in 16 developing countries.

New Internet company now.com and fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger are sponsoring the challenge.

A report on their progress will be updated every 20 minutes on now.com's website, and the pilots are due back at Brooklands on August 24.

Weights
Gross Weight 2,500 lb
Empty Weight Equipped (incl oil & avionics) 1,506 lb
Standard Fuel (30.6 gal) 184 lb
Auxiliary Fuel (18.3 gal) 110 lb
Passengers and Baggage w/standard fuel 810 lb
Passengers and Baggage w/auxiliary fuel 700 lb

Performance
Cruise Speed up to 135 mph (117 kts)

Maximum Range (no reserve) approx 400 miles (348 nm)

Hover Ceiling IGE @ 2500 lb 8,950 feet

Hover Ceiling OGE @ 2300 lb 7,500 feet

Hover Ceiling OGE @ 2500 lb 4,500 feet

Rate-of-Climb @ 2500 lb & 6000 feet over 1,000 fpm

Maximum Operating Altitude 14,000 feet

The Bell Jetranger III helicopter, Dick Smith Australian Explorer, was flown by Australian businessman and adventurer Dick Smith on the first solo circumnavigation of the world in a rotary wing aircraft in 1982/3. The flight was also the first solo helicopter flight across the Atlantic Ocean and the first solo flight from the U.S.A. to Australia by helicopter. The flight was taken over three stages from Fort Worth, Texas to London, London to Sydney and Sydney back to Fort Worth. A total of over 55,000 km was travelled in 260 hours of flying. It follows in the tradition of the great aviation pioneers including Bert Hinkler, Charles Kingsford Smith, James Mollison, Wiley Post and others who pushed aviation technology beyond its design limitations. The flight was physically and mentally exhausting as Dick had to fly, navigate, talk on the radio and watch his instruments as well as film and provide a narration of the view from the helicopter. He recorded his journey on still and movie film which were later made into a documentary 'Flying Round Alone' and a large format book, 'Solo Around the World'.

During the epic flight he was shot at over Alaska and refuelled on the rolling deck of a cargo ship between Japan and the Aleutian Islands. Fog forced a landing on pack ice and Dick pitched his tent listening to the sounds of the ice breaking up beneath him until the lifting fog allowed a welcome departure.

In 1990 Dick Smith flew his helicopter from his home in Terrey Hills on its last flight to land in the car park of the Powerhouse Museum. Dick then presented the helicopter to the museum and it was subsequently suspended in the Wran Building where it remains.

Dick Smith Australian Explorer is a Bell 206B Jetranger III helicopter built in June 1982. It comprises an aluminium honeycomb sandwich and aluminium construction and is powered by an Allison gas turbine engine. It was fitted out for the flight with the latest navigation equipment, an extra long-range fuel tank, a map cabinet, life raft with survival gear, and an Arctic survival suit which Dick wore during the North Atlantic crossing and North Pacific sectors. A number of these items used on the flight were donated with the helicopter.

Dick Smith was born in Sydney in 1944 and is a well-known pilot, adventurer, explorer and philanthropist. As a young man he established a chain of electronic stores which he sold in 1980 in order to devote more time to his other interests, exploration and flying. The solo helicopter flight in 1982/3 was only the beginning of a series of aviation firsts. It was followed in 1987 by a solo flight to the North Pole by a helicopter, then in 1988/9 a flight around the world via the poles by plane. This was followed by an east to west flight around the world by helicopter in 1994 with his wife, Pip. In 1993 Dick travelled by balloon across Australia and in 2000 across the Tasman Sea from New Zealand to Australia against the prevailing winds. Both of these trips were with the balloonist John Wallington.

In 1985 Dick Smith published the first issue of Australian Geographic and founded the Australian Geographic Society. In 1987 he was awarded the 'Australian of the Year'.

Further Information
Books
The last great Aviation Adventure: Dick Smith's solo around-the-world Helicopter Flight, 1982
Smith, Dick, Solo Around the World, Australian Geographic Pty Ltd, Terrey Hills, N.S.W., 1992.
Videos
Flying round alone, written by Anthony Rouse, filmed and directed by Dick Smith, 1986. Series title: The World Around Us. (VHS) 49 min.
Solo to the North Pole filmed by Dick & Pip Smith, Australian Geographic, 1990. (VHF) 48 min.
Description
Aircraft, full-size, helicopter, Bell 206B Jetranger III, "Dick Smith
Australian Explorer", VH-DIK, Dick Smith, USA/Australia, 1982, S/N 3653

"Dick Smith Australian Explorer" is a Bell 206B Jetranger III helicopter built in June 1982. It comprises an aluminium honeycomb sandwich and aluminium construction and is powered by an Allison gas turbine and can carry five adults. It is painted white with blue and red striping and features a blue kangaroo on the side. This is the livery featured on Dick Smith's later North Pole flights. The helicopter was fitted out for the flight with the latest equipment including the VLF Omega navigation system to allow precise navigation to any point on earth.

In order to allow filming during the solo flight, the helicopter was especially modified. A sophisticated Collins auto pilot was fitted together with special camera mounts and four camera windows were installed. The filming was done on a small super 8 Chinon camera mounted beside Dick on a simple tripod-head fixed to the helicopter. The sound from his intercom went onto the soundtrack on the film. The camera, as well as a tape recorder mounted on a map cabinet, could be operated manually or from switches on the control column.

An extra long-range fuel tank extended the range from the normal 400 nautical miles to over 700 with reserves. Other special installations included a map cabinet, life raft with survival gear including an emergency locator beacon (EPIRB), 'bear paws' and a heater, added for the flight to the North Pole. Other safety equipment was a special Arctic survival suit, which Dick wore during the North Atlantic crossing and North Pacific sectors. Despite its use in the record-breaking flights, the helicopter was subsequently maintained in pristine condition.

Specifications

Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter Textron, Forth Worth, Texas, U.S.A.
Model: 206B Jetranger III
Serial No: 3653
Registration: VH-DIK
Date built: June 1982
Engine: Allison free-turbine 250-C20J
Engine power: 313 kW (420 shp)
Service ceiling: 6 096 m (20 000 ft)
Maximum speed: 250 km/h (155 mph)
Gross weight: 1 452 kg (3 201 lb)
Accommodation: pilot plus 4 adults
Navigation, radio and radar equipment:
Collins Radio 7 Navigation Equipment
Collins Auto Pilot
Collins LRN 70 VLF/Omega
King Radar Altimeter
FM Marine VHF