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UNIVERSITY NEWS - JANUARY 2004
MEDIA CONTACT: Josh Brooks
FAU to Track Aviation History in the
Making
McLeod had an official send-off from
College Park Airport in Maryland, the oldest continuously
operating airport in the world, on December 29, 2003. He
then flew to the Velocity manufacturing headquarters in
Sebastian from which he will embark on this historic solo,
Pole-to-Pole expedition.
The flight will take McLeod from
Florida to Panama and on to Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile;
Ushuaia, Argentina; over the South Pole and back, through
Buenos Aries to Rio de Janeiro; and on to Senegal, Madrid,
Paris, Glasgow, Norway. to the North Pole and back through
Canada to College Park and his final landing in Sebastian,
Florida. The world-record setting flight is expected to
take just under two months.
A partnership comprised of McLeod,
FAU, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Three Roads
Communications and others are developing a multi-media
educational program on the history of aviation -- aimed at
middle-school children -- as well as a three-part
documentary series to air on public broadcasting. The
documentary is being produced by Emmy-Award winning
producer Russ Hodge, President of Three Roads
Communications in Frederick, Maryland. McLeod's plane will
be equipped with cameras for the documentary, which will
highlight the contributions of pioneer aviators from
countries visited on the trip.
FAU history associate professor Dr.
Barbara Ganson, the flight's curriculum project director,
is developing material on aviation history and is working
in conjunction with geologist Dr. Kevin Horstman, who will
analyze photographs and images taking along McLeod's flight
route to develop an educational unit on the rain forest.
This information will be posted on the FAU web site:
www.fau.edu/solopoletopole, which will in turn be promoted
on the NAA national educational web site, allowing children
around the country to track McLeod as he makes his way
around the planet.
McLeod already holds two world
aviation records: the first on May 19, 2000, when he flew
the first open-cockpit aircraft over the magnetic North
Pole, and the second on April 17, 2000, when he flew over
the geographic North Pole in an open-pit 1939 Boeing
Stearman bi-plane. This trip was the subject of an
award-winning National Geographic documentary. McLeod is
the author of a new book, "Solo to the Top of the World:
Gus McLeod's Daring Record Flight," published by
Smithsonian Institution Press in 2003. McLeod's numerous
awards include a Distinguished Achievement Award from the
Tuskegee Airman, Inc.; the Medal of Distinction from the
Air Force Association; an Aviation Pioneer Award from the
Black Pilots of America; Conqueror of The Pole designation
from the Smithsonian Institution and a Living Legend Award
from the University of the District of Columbia. He is
president of the East Coast Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen
in Washington, D.C. and is a member of the Civil Air
Patrol, the Aero Club of Washington, and the National Press
Club. He earned his bachelor's degree from the Catholic
University of America, and his master's degree in chemical
engineering from the University of Maryland.
Most recently, McLeod was nominated
by the Distinguished Flying Cross Society to receive a
Distinguished Flying Cross, to be considered before the
U.S. Congress in 2004. He is the first civilian to be
considered for this medal since Amelia Earhart.
Dr. Larry Lemanski, FAU Vice
President for Research, plans to be in Sebastian to see
McLeod off on his historic expedition. "Gus' extraordinary
bravery and achievements in aviation pose as an inspiration
to students of all ages, which is why FAU presented him
with a much-deserved honorary doctorate in 2002," said
Lemanski. "He continues to serve as an excellent role
model, and we are proud of his affiliation to FAU and his
on-going efforts to inspire and educate the public."
For more information about McLeod's
Pole-to-Pole flight, phone Dr. Barbara Ganson at
954-298-0376 or go to www.fau.edu/solopoletopole.
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