Duration Record For Open-Cockpit Gyro Flight

Warrant Officer Barry Jones, 36, based at Dishforth, North Yorkshire, where he flies Lynx helicopters with 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, flew 584 miles from Culdrose in Cornwall to Wick, Caithness, in a time of seven hours and 23 minutes.

Breaks Record Held By Wallis. Ken Wallis.

The previous record of 543 miles was held by retired Wing Commander Ken Wallis. You may have seen Wallis. He flew a gyrocopter in the James Bond film, You Only Live Twice.

W/O Jones said after his flight: "I am absolutely delighted. There were several tricky moments but the journey has gone very well.

Smooth? Not Exactly...

The flight had uncovered problems with the aircraft which Jones said would dealt with back at the hanger. "Soon after setting out I lost power to the radio and drifted off course towards America, without a visa.

"I was forced to fly above the cloud over Wales, which was a totally new experience in an open cockpit. The hairiest bit was flying for about 50 miles over open sea, which is all right in a twin-engined helicopter but a different matter in a single-engined gyroplane. If the engine cuts out then that is it, you are down."

He added: "I could feel the cold up there but it was not horrendous. The one thing that will need a rethink is the design of the cockpit. There was no room to read a map."

Prep For 'Round-The-World Gyrocopter Flight

The flight was at an average altitude of 4,000ft and speed of around 70mph. It was a precursor for W/O Jones's bid to become the first pilot to circumnavigate the globe in a gyroplane.
The round-the-globe record attempt is due to set off from London in June. During the flight W/O Jones will cover 25 countries and 25,000 miles.

The father of three hopes to raise money for various charities, including the Dyslexia Foundation, with his round-the-world attempt.
The Army team was hoping last week's flight would help in its quest for a sponsor for the global journey.

FMI: www.armedforces.co.uk, www.globaleagle.co.uk