Solo Flights around the World

THE PILOT

Names : Sheila Scott née Sheila Christine Hopkins.
Date of birth : 1927 in Worchester in England.
Nationality : British.
Licences: Comercial, helicopter, sea plane.
Age at the time of her first flight around the World : 39 years.
Death : October 21, 1988 in London, of lung cancer.

THE AIRCRAFT OF THE FIRST AND SECOND FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD:

NAME : Myth Too
Registration : G-ATOY
Make : Piper
Type : Comanche 260
Engine : Lycoming 260 CV
Length : mètres
Wing span : mètres
Type of construction : Metallic, low wing, tricycle gear.

THE AIRCRAFT OF THE THIRD FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD:

Name : Mythre
Registration : G-AYTO
Make : Piper
Type : Aztec D
Engines : 2 x Lycoming 250 CV
Length : mètres
Wing span : mètres
Type of construction : Metallic, low wing, tricycle gear.

THE FIRST FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD

Departure : London, Heathrow
Date : May 18, 1966
Arrival : Lonndon
Date : June 20, 1966
Duration in days : days.
Duration in flying time : 189 hours.
Distance : 50 000 km
Stops : London, Rome (Italy), Athens (Greece), Damas (Lebanon), Barhain, Karachi (Pakistan), Jaipur (India), Dehli, Calcutta, Rangoon (Burma), Butterworth (Malaisia), Singapore, Bali (Indonesia), Darwin (Australia), Mount Isa, Brisbane, Auckland ( New Zeland), Nadi (Fiji), Pago Pago (American Samoa ), Canton Island, Honolulu, San Fransisco (U.S.A.), Phoenix, El Paso, Oklahoma City, New York, Lagens (Azores), Lisbonne (Portugal), Londres.
Equator : Two crossings.
Break down/ incidents/accidents : Many radio breakdown.
Records : Speed Record around the World. Many other records, only a few have not been broken since.

THE SECOND FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD

Departure : London, Heathrow
Date : December 1969
Arrival : London
Date : 1970
Stops : London, Athens (Greece), Karachi (Pakistan), Calcutta (India), Singapore, Makassar (Celebes, Indonesia), Sumbawa, Kupang (Timor, Indonesia), Darwin (Australia), Alice Springs, Adelaide, Griffith, Sydney, Nouméa (New Caledonia), Naadi (Fiji), Tarawa (Kiribati), Honolulu, Los Angeles, El Paso, New York, Gander, London.
Breakdown/incidents/accidents : Many radio and navigation instruments break downs.
Sheila Scott got lost between Singapore and Darwin due to failure of her navigation instruments.
Equator : Two crossings.
Records : No records were set or broken during this flight.

THE THIRD FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD

Depart : London, Heathrow
Date : Officiel departure from Nairobi, June 11, 1970
Arrival : London
Date : August 4, 1970

Stops : London, Bengazi (Lybia), Nairobi (Kenya), Khartoum (Soudan), Bengazi, Malta, London, Bolo (Norway), Andoya, Nord (Greenland), Point Barrow (Alaska), Fairbanks, Anchorage, San Fransisco, Honolulu, Canton Island, Nadi (Fiji), Nouméa (New Caledonia), Townsville (Australia), Darwin, Singapore, Madras (India), Karachi (Pakistan), Barhein, Athens (Greece), London.
Equator : Four crossings.
Breakdowns/incidents/accidents : Numerous radio breakdown. Landing would not stay in the retracted position. pas en position
Records : The speed record between Darwin and London set by Amy Johnson in 1937 is broken.
First light aircraft to fly from the Equator to the Equator via the North Pole.
Many records were set en route : 3 are still standing :
Andoya to Nord
Nord- Point Barrow
San Fransisco-Honolulu

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Many awards and decorations :
« The Brabazon of Tara Awards » in 1965, 1967, 1968
The Britania Trophy from the British Royal Aero Club in 1968 and its Gold Medal in 1972
The Prestigious Harmon Trophy in 1971. (Click here for the list of recipients.)

She was appointed Officier of the British Empire (OBE) in 1968.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES

Books

Scott Sheila , I Must Fly. Adventures of a Woman Pilot., 1968 , Hodder and Stoughton, .
The beginning of Sheila Scott flying and her first flight around the World.Photos and maps.

Scott, Sheila. Barefoot in the Sky. 1973,Macmillan, New York. ISBN 0 02 608660 3.
Sheila Scott describes her three flights around the World and her many records. Photo and maps.

Most of these books, including out of print books, are available from Barnes & Noble :

Magazines :
The Daily Telegraph, October 21, 1988. Obituary.

Other sources : Archives of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale .