Setting off from the USAF air base at Kadena, Okinawa, at around 10:30 hrs local, Norman flew along the chain of small islands that links Okinawa to the larger Japanese islands in the north. Just before reaching the Island of Kyushu he turned to the east and headed to the smaller island of Fukue-Jima where at around 17:00hrs local (08:00GMT/UTC) he landed safely at Fukue Airport.
His previous days arrival at USAF Kadena marked a great start to the 2
nd half of the adventure, with Norman being greeted many American servicemen and women as well as Japanese staff and a contingent from the
Kadena Aero Club.
A couple of members of the club have graciously allowed us to use some of their images from Norman’s arrival and we thank them very much for their generosity.
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| Norman stiffly disembarks from Roxy, to the amusement of the children and the amazement of the Air Base personnel. (Photo courtesy of Cindia Garcia) |
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| USAF servicemen flock to ask Norman questions about his venture. (Photo courtesy of Cindia Garcia) |
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| Could this gentleman be pointing the way to Fukue or is it more likely he is answering Norman's first question raised after the 6 and a half hour flight..."Yes Sir, the nearest toilet is a mile in that direction". (Photo courtesy of Cindia Garcia) |
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| Group shot of Norman's welcoming comittee with an Aero Club Cessna 172 in the background. (Photo courtesy of Ichikawa Hiroaki) |
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| How do you keep a cockpit this clean after flying all day? (Photo courtesy of Ichikawa Hiroaki) |
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| Roxy's tailplanes frame the vast expanse of Kadena Air Force Base. (Photo courtesy of Ichikawa Hiroaki) |
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| She may be tiny compared to the giant C-17 transport aircraft she had just taxied past, but Roxy looks like the proudest aircraft on the apron as she is admired by everyone. (Photo courtesy of Ichikawa Hiroaki) |
We are sure Norman enjoyed the hospitality of the personnel at the air base and the aero club but when you are a circumnavigator the following day will always mean saying farewells to new found friends and onwards and upwards to your next destination.
As stated earlier, Norman’s next destination was Fukue Airport on the island of Fukue-Jima in the Nagasaki prefecture. Unlike the massive Kadena air base, Fukue is a category 3 airport and is a lot smaller but Norman probably suddenly felt at home as he approached the runway.
During the many weeks Norman spent at Woodland Air Park in the Philippines he would fly a number of test flights, quite often circling the local volcano, Mt Arayat, and lo and behold, a mile or two to the west of Fukue airport lies another very similar looking volcano…with the name of…Fukue Volcano! (there may be a local name for it if anyone would like to enlighten us).
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| Fukue Volcano, an impressive sight from the airport. |
With two days flying completed and over 1,200 miles logged Norman is certainl eating up those miles in his amazing little autogyro, Roxy. Tonight he will be receiving traditional Japanese hospitality and should wake refreshed for tomorrow’s leg…Fukue to Oki.
Make sure you log into the Flight Tracker to follow this next leg of 360+ miles over the Sea of Japan. The Gyrox Team
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Unless otherwise credited, all images on this blog are the property of GyroxGoesGlobal and may be used with prior permissionfrom gyroxgoesglobal@gmail.com) * * *
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Well done Norman.
ReplyDeleteThese flights may be long but I hope you are enjoying the scenery along the journey.
Good luck and safe flying tomorrow.
I shall be following you as usual.