Great, humble, affable young man.

 

It's pleasing to note  he appears to have done it off hard work and sacrifice rather than simply by having a silver spoon, not that being fortunate enough to be in such a position would diminish the risks of course. So quite an achievement, and I daresay a lot more risky than many might imagine it would be with some of those long legs over water with a fuel-heavy aeroplane with only one rubber band to rely on.

14 hours ago, Chock said:

It's pleasing to note  he appears to have done it off hard work and sacrifice rather than simply by having a silver spoon, not that being fortunate enough to be in such a position would diminish the risks of course. So quite an achievement, and I daresay a lot more risky than many might imagine it would be with some of those long legs over water with a fuel-heavy aeroplane with only one rubber band to rely on.

I just loved his story, when you watch the video you can see that he is not a cocky pilot, he takes his craft very seriously.  I have great admiration for solo explorers, explorers of all types.  I learned to be such a person, was taught by my friends.  We used to take "Century" bike rides in the Napa Valley.  We would take the backroads to Lake County, 4000 ft. of vertical climbing.  We did a lot of such rides, always taking the roads over the mountains to toughen our legs.  Even at 56 I can still manage 14 miles in 100 degree plus heat.  Excercise is essential to pilots.  Captain Moonbeam on youtube recently flew to Napa, it was my favorite video of his.  He explored my old hometown, took early morning walks there.  Napa was devastated by an earthquake in 2014, then the fires, and it has had terrible floods until finally the Army Corps of Engineers stepped in and put in flood control.  The fires that Napa periodically has are essential to preserving the trees there, the undergrowth gets too big.  The city and valley always find a way to come back.

Back to this grown man, he is the most mature person and pilot I have ever seen at that age.  I also met someone just like him, it was my first private flight.  His name was Doug Brambrink.  Exactly like this young man, he learned how to fly before he learned how to drive.  I did not know him very well until one night I was hanging out at Napa County airport with a friend.  Doug saw us and simply said, "wanna go up"?  He made us an offer we could not refuse.  He flew us first towards the coast, then south towards San Francisco, then right over Pier 39 in San Francisco which was built by a Napan.  Then he took us home, it was a glorious night flight, in a Cessna 172.  The most glorious night flight I have ever had, there was a juxtaposition of fog on the coast and the city lights.  Then he tuned in the radio, a song was playing popular in 79, "You can't change that" by Raydio.  I've always flown and listened to music, except when I was behind the controls in my flights with friends and flight lessons.

Avsim is much more than a sim site, it is a celebration of flight and life.

JC

I recall learning of Matt's RTW trip a few years ago (2014). He worked his tail off to get the sponsors he needed to fund this project. He's far from being what some critics have labeled a "spoiled rich kid."