A blind British adventurer touched down in Sydney yesterday to end an epic 21,725km flight by microlight aircraft from London.
Miles Hilton-Barber, a 58-year-old father of three, braved snowstorms, freezing temperatures and torrential downpours during his 59-day journey under the supervision of co-pilot Richard Meredith-Hardy, 46.
"It's the fulfillment of an amazing dream," Hilton-Barber told reporters at Sydney's Bankstown airport.
"I've wanted to be a pilot since I was a kid. Now I'm totally blind and I've had the privilege of flying more than halfway around the world," he said.
"The only thing holding me back was 5 inches [12.7cm], the distance between my ears. Attitude is what determines altitude," he said after a victory pass over Sydney's sparkling harbor and Opera House in perfect morning weather.
Hilton-Barber, who lost his eyesight to a hereditary condition about 20 years ago, is hoping the trip will raise A$2.5 million (US$2 million) for the charity Seeing is Believing, which works for the prevention of blindness in developing countries.
He is the first blind pilot to fly a motorized hanglider more than halfway round the world, crossing 21 countries on journey which began at Biggin Hill airfield, near London, on March 7.
He piloted his microlight aircraft -- which looks like a cross between a tricycle and a motorized hang-glider -- with the aid of an audio device that reads out navigational information such as air speed and altitude.
"Sometimes, being blind is an advantage," he told Australian media, describing the pair's encounter with snow storms over Lebanon's mountains.
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