World Records Now Official

It is with great pleasure that we can now announce that the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the body that rules on all aviation world records, has officially recognised a number of world records achieved by Norman on his journey so far!

The following is a copy of the FAI Document listing the records achieved.

FAI has ratified the following Class E (Rotorcraft) World records:
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Sub-class :E-3a (Autogyros : take-off weight less than 500 kg)


Category: General


Group : 1 : piston engine


Type of record : Speed over a recognised course Pilot : Norman Frank SURPLUS (United Kingdom) Autogyro :MT 03 / RotorSport powered by 914 / Rotax Previous record : no record set yet ============================================
Claim number : 15905


Course/location : Larne, NI (UK) - Alexandria (Egypt) Performance : 11.4 km/h Date :06.04.2010 ============================================
and
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Claim number : 16016


Course/location : Alexandria (Egypt) - Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) Performance : 17.3 km/h Date :09.04.2010 ============================================
and
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Claim number : 16017


Course/location : Karachi (Pakistan) - Chittagong (Bangladesh) Performance : 17.17 km/h Date :24.04.201 ============================================
and
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Claim number : 16018


Course/location : Larne, NI (UK) - Chittagong (Bangladesh) Performance : 10.75 km/h Date :24.04.2010 ============================================
and
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Claim number : 16022


Course/location : Larne, NI (UK) - Nongprue (Thailand) Performance : 11.04 km/h Date :29.04.2010 ============================================
FAI congratulates the Pilot on this splendid achievement.

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Splendid achievements indeed and we can expect more to come when Norman resumes the flight in a few months; including the big one: First Circumnavigation of the Globe by Autogyro.


As we look back on Norman’s achievements so far, we can also look forward to the upcoming resumption of the adventure and to prepare for this the Gyrox team will be producing a number of new items to renew interest in the flight.

Watch this blog and Norman’s other sites for updates.


The Gyrox Team

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Become a Facebook Friend
For more information visit the website
Consider Donating to Norman's Chosen Charity: Bowel Cancer UK
Consider Joining The Authorised Facebook Fan Page
Visit the FAI Website to find out about World Records

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New Facebook Landmark Reached

Today, Norman has reached and passed the 4,000 friend mark on Facebook. This is quite an achievement in such a short time and goes to show the power of social networking when mixed with a great cause and a story like Norman’s.


Norman’s adventure may well be the first that has used the power of Facebook to actually complement this kind of journey. Flying around the world without masses of corporate sponsorship and with no support teams waiting for him at the various destinations has meant that many times during his journey Norman has been able to rely upon the ‘Friends’ he has met on Facebook, to be at times, his only contacts on the ground in far away places!

Some of these friends have turned out to be aviation professionals who have been able to offer Norman much needed assistance with all matters pertaining to his flight and then there are the aviation enthusiasts who are ready to offer support in any way they can, because they love aviation and are inspired by Norman and his flight. Of course, there are those friends who didn’t have an interest in aviation as such but were inspired by Norman’s story and have gone out of their way to be a part of it by offering assistance in distant lands.


Norman has been amazed by the way these complete strangers have turned out to ‘do their bit’ to help him on his journey and he has always spoken of how he never feels alone when flying across the barren areas of the globe because he knows there are so many new friends watching his progress.


It is a great reflection on Norman’s popularity that when he departs a location there is always a sudden influx of new ‘friends’ on Facebook and it is obvious that they then tell their friends about this amazing adventure and the modest aviator undertaking it because there is then a knock on effect as friend suggestions start to pour in. This has been really obvious since Norman called half time on the flight, as nearly a thousand new friends have asked to join the adventure even though it is on hold at the present!


This does mean that there is a definite chance that Norman will reach the 5000 friend cut-off limit that Facebook has introduced before setting off again next year. That in itself will be quite an achievement but with Norman heading off in the spring to traverse the eastern coast of Asia and then enter North America before crossing the Atlantic via Greenland, Iceland and the Faeroe Islands there will be many possible new friends who won’t have a chance to follow Norman on Facebook, or able to offer assistance.


This is why we are working on a ‘Gyrox Goes Global’ page on Facebook that will allow people to follow Norman with no restriction on numbers. When this page is set up it will be announced on here and all the other websites so that friends past and present can check it out.


The present Facebook page will continue updating everybody about Norman’s activities as usual and friends will be able to comment etc. The new ‘Page’ will run alongside the present page with a much easier format for joining in, just click ‘Like’ and you are there!


So once again, a big thank you to everyone who has become a ‘Friend’ of Norman on Facebook; you are all playing a part in creating history.