Michael Combs, EAA 877079, earned a sixth aviation world record in his Remos GX “Hope One” after completing a coast-to-coast flight on Saturday, June 7, as part of his Flight for Human Spirit project. If Combs’ flight is verified by the National Aeronautic Association and ultimately the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, it would establish a new point-to-point transcontinental speed record for this class of aircraft.
Read his report here:
“We literally sat on the floor of the hangar and cranked out new numbers and fuel stop options knowing that the clock was ticking toward the scheduled minute of take-off. We were all running on adrenaline and hope…which is an interesting experience at five thirty in the morning.”
The final flight leg was the most emotionally charged flight not only for Combs and his team, but also for those many fans following along. A large storm system building around the Atlanta area was moving in their direction while producing rotating clouds and hail in its path. Climbing Hope One to 9,500 ft wasn’t enough to keep the aircraft in blue skies. Winding around cumulonimbus clouds while watching a storm cell redevelop over the Charleston airport only added to the drama of the moment. “When we were just twelve miles out, we had to deviate around thunder showers. Fortunately we were well ahead of schedule and had plenty of fuel in the event that we had to divert until the storm cells moved.
But the storms cleared in time for Combs to make his historic landing approximately 34 hours and 1 minute after taking off from the West coast. “There are some landings that are more significant than others, and that one in Charleston will always be a fond part of my life.”
The mission of The Flight for the Human Spirit is to spread the message that it is never, ever too late to follow your dreams. It has become a project that continued to gain global interest after landing in Hawaii as fans have continued to find inspiration to pursue their own dreams and fulfill their aspirations. Even before Hope One touched down, Combs and his team were receiving comments from those who wanted to learn to fly or were promising to climb back into aircraft at their local airports. “It’s humbling to think of how many people we reach from these flights,” commented Combs. “We average over a hundred thousand hits per each day of flight and are overwhelmed by the support of those who believe in the value of what we are doing.”
Once Combs shut down the engine of Hope One in Charleston, Combs stepped out of Hope One before the media cameras and gave a big hug to Ben Wells, the General Manager of Landmark Aviation…then turned and kissed the ground, followed by a kiss on the spinner of Hope One’s propeller. With a tear in his eye he spoke of the great sense of being overwhelmed with knowing that this four year project was finally completed with great success. “For four years I’ve been thinking of and planning this flight, altering routes, and fine tuning distances. It probably won’t hit me that this is really over until I get Hope One back home in Denton a few days from now.”
When asked what the next World Record will be for Combs and his REMOS, he smiled and said, “We’re already working on it and it will be a fun flight for everyone to follow. It’s an adventure that will really be different from what we have been doing and will reach several groups of people that have shown great support and interest in our flights over the years.”
For more information about The Flight for the Human Spirit and to reach Michael, go to Flight for Human Spirit.