This is a wonderful news! 

Rotax was successfully repaired, thanks to Mr. Colin Alexander from New Zealand and support from Pipistrel team and Matevž was in the morning again in the air. The distance to Cook Islands was 1140 kms and It took him 4h and 30 minutes to reach Rarotonga. Well done, Matevž!

Today we expect he will continue towards New Zealand. This is another long stretch of 3010 kms for which MAtevž would need about 12h and 30 minutes. Good luck, Matevž!

You do not wan't to miss this unique opportunity to follow us again, do you?!
GLWF team 

After several hours of flying with not perfectly tuned engine Rotax finally got a professional touch from Colin Alexander from New Zealand. When he got information about engine problem from Pipistrel, Michael Coates from Australia and me he was ready to help right away. He flew to Auckland and from there got last seat on Tahiti Air for Tahiti yesterday evening. Lazio, air trafic controller also came to airport to see if he can help somehow. Thanks. Colin Alexander is a great guy with his own company Solo Wings and is only real expert on Rotax engines in this part of the world. Today he checked out the whole carb system, filters, small leaks etc, 7 hours hard work at 30+. After test run he was happy with sound and overall look and I was veeeery happy as my confidence into engine rise again to exceptable level. The adventure goes on. 

“The little one” is under the hangar roof that belongs to very kind members of Aeroclub Tahiti. It is almost fully loaded with good fuel and waiting for another flight over the blue. South Pacific adventure started before sunrise in Concepcion after a day brake where we tried to solve out some engine issue. Small fuel leaks at carbs have been cleaned and short test flight did not show any problem. Nobody really wants to dismount the carbs to take a closer look because of the responsibility for mammoth Ocean crossing next day. There is only one person in Chile who could do this kind of service but 1400 km north of Concepcion. Andres Gonzales, LAN pilot ad Pipistrel distributor came from Santiago to help me with preparations. With a lot of help from local pilots we managed to refuel aircraft to the very top. Night was very dark, no moon, light wind and no clouds. Preparations went very smooth due to helpful personal at airport and in no time with almost no delay I was lined for takeoff. This was a kind of test, I have never done before the flight with so much fuel, so number of worries were just dancing in my mind. But all performed well this time no engine overheating and I soon reached FL100. After an hour of flight, the light became from behind. My internet in the hotel was down so I was 100% dependent of Domen’s knowledge and precision as there was not much space for errors due not good headwind through most of the flight.

The beginning was terrible slow so soon got message from Domen to head a bit to the north where condition soon improved to the reasonable level. Fuel calculations, Point of no return to Concepcion or Robinson Island kept me busy all the time. Frustrated flight due headwind was on the limit all the time and got easier only an hour before landing when became clear that I have enough fuel. Mr Juan Edmunds, native born at Isla Pascua was waiting for me. We have been in contact more than a year regarding refueling. This year he could not provide Aviation gas due transport problems, so the only solution was 93 okt. car gas which is not recommended by Rotax but only solution for Soth Pacific flight. Juan Edmunds did a lot to help us get over flight permission from Chilean authorities.

Next day he bought 6 plastic canisters went twice to car station in Hangareva and help with 5 hour dirty work. It was too late to depart for long leg to Totegegie atoll so we postponed departure for a day. He brought me to the aircraft before sunrise, helped me with all possible papers and in first light got me overflying beautiful island in best light for photography. Besides taking pictures I have also tested fuel quality which seemed to work with this engine. Then I headed straight over the ocean towards Totegegie or Gambier Island which should be some 11 hours away. Most of the flight was OK with band of high tower CBs on the left wing. Domen sent Iridium message that front is going to cross my way so suggested first northerly detour and when closed with band of TBCs towards Pictarion Islands which were still very far away. With no working stormscope I did not dare to fly into the couds with embedded TC so went down below the cloud base and tried to avoid the worst. The gray wall right to the ocean surface of closed my path so headed along the wall in moderate rain hoped for the brake to proceed towards the destination. Domen was right, avoiding to the south soon got me in better visibility and was able to climb again to safer altitude.

Landing at Mangareva airport was spectacular with 26 its wind in good direction. After refueling with Avfgas 100-130 (also not very good for Rotax) which was shipped from Tahiti a month ago we went on bumpy ride with Gandarmarie boat to Rikitea, the biggest Island in Totegegie. Small village has 11 churches and at this time only 10 tourists. In last 25 years the sea level has raised for 12 cm and that is alarming for this community. Next day somehow shorter leg to Tahiti with also a lot better wind at least second part of the flight has been interrupted by engine vibrations which extend few hours flight into long nightmare.

This time decision is clear. Leaking carbs, vibrations, no good fuel is big enouth reason to stop and wait for somebody to get my Rotax in order. Leon head of Rotax at Pipistrel also agreed with decision and helped a lot finding solution. Colin Alexander, Rotax representative from Solo Wings located just south of Auckland, New Zealand was right away ready to help. He is on the way to Tahiti and I expected him this evening. That is really GREAT NEWS.

Thanks goes again to GLWF team, Pipistrel and many others along the way who makes this flight possible.

Special thanks to Domen who takes care about my flight all the time and is the only person who really know about situation out here, but do not have stick in his hand what is a lot more difficult than for me. Domen is my good spirit and my eyes when I am blind in the clouds All well so far!

Matevž

The final stage was successfully completed with the landing on the island of Tahiti. Wind at the end helped Matevz to the finish stage just in 6 hours and 20 minutes. He counted on a slightly worse wind, at the end it turned out that the wind changed in the tail of the airplane even before half of the stage. The weather was better then expected, storm clouds were not along his way, as happened in the last stage.
Weather in the Cook Islands is now extremely bad, so he decided not to continue his flight today. In the last three days of extreme flying for 33 hours, which required 100% concentration, he needs a day or two to rest and to be able to successfully continue his flight to New Zealand, where the crossing of the Pacific will end.

GLWF team

Video by Xavier (Lazio)

Matevz successfully reached Tahiti.

Yesterday Matevž continued his flight across the Pacific Ocean. The planned route was again long and extremely demanding. He left Easter Island at 13.10 UTC and after good 11h later he landed at Mangareva  Airport on Totegegie attol in French Polynesia. The flight distance was 2771 kms.

The flight was very demanding and challenging due to the Northwest wind. Route was planned very very carefully but still there some weather inconvenience which resulted in little detouring and flying up and down where he tried to avoid the stormy clouds that were very difficult and were rising from the sea to the elevation of 13.000 feet.  We all had a great relief seeing him landing an that little attol Totegegie in the middle of The Pacific Ocean in French Polynesia.

The next stage of the flight is Tahiti. The distance to Tahiti is 1660 km and the estimated flying time is around 7 hours.

Thank you all for staying with us on this adventurous and unique expedition!

Yours GLWF

Today, Matevz will continue to cross the Pacific Ocean. The planned route is long 11 hours, but we expect that the flight will be a little longer because of the Northwest wind.

This time the stage is extremely difficult, because there is no island on the way where landing is possible. Correct planning is therefore extremely important and a little more stressful. When Matevz landed at Easter Island and re-fueled the aircraft he found that after an exceptional long flight there is still sufficient fuel... If we deduct unusable fuel, there was still 45 liters of fuel left - that is for at least two hours of flight. He demonstrated in practice that the airplane Pipistrel Virus 914 SW is excellent. For today's flight Matevz will require 214 liters of fuel andaccording to the weather conditions he decided to take additional 85 liters of spare fuel, which allows him an additional four and a half hours of flying time.

GLWF team

Hi everybody,
after this epic and demanding flight to Easter Island, today Matevž has had a day off. This was not really planed. But as he reported, it took him 5 hours to refuel the tanks with fuel, and this disabled him to start another long flight to Totegegie in French Polynesia,. But he is flying again tomorrow and expected departure is at 13.00 UTC. The flight is about 11 h long and Matevž will fly about 2595 kms.
Follow us again and wishing you all a good rest, as well to you, Matevž !

Yours GLWF team

After leaving Concepcion in Chile early in the morning even before sunrise and flying across Pacific for 15 hours, Matevz has just landed at Easter Island. Fantastic flight, fantastic plane but the best pilot!!

Bravo, Matevž!!!

GLWF team