Michael's Blog for the Human Spirit

Changing the World One Dream at a Time

Michael Combs and Daniel Routh after just completing the world record coast to coast flight June 2014

We are trying to do one simple thing: change the world. As the economy tanked and people were losing their jobs, their savings, their security, their hope for a better life, often their hope for happiness and fulfillment also evaporated.

In light of Michael’s after-death experiences, and battle with cancer he’s faced death head on multiple times. What he learned is that dying with regrets is like those chains that Jacob and Marley talk about in the Charles Dickens classic “Christmas Carol”. They are a weight you carry with you of a life unfulfilled.

He described that moment of realizing he would never fly an airplane, never realize the full potential of is gift of music, never know what it was like to fully release himself to enjoy life, and never get to say the things he held inside. So he fought to live. He fought to have one more day, one more moment to share the sheer joy of living –really living– and to share it with everyone he could possibly reach.

That is our mission then, the purpose of all we do. To help you live authentically, dream big (huge) and really go for it. Most of the barriers to your dreams are internal not external. We want you to live as though today is your last so that, should it be true, you can say you had no regrets.

Today we have reached 28 million people with the message that it’s never, ever too late to follow your dreams. And, we can all reach even more when you tell your friends and encourage them to do the same. Be the change. Help uplift and encourage others to be genuine, vulnerable, adventurous, curious, light-hearted, loving, connected and free.

You were born with a purpose. Find it, and live it!

Link

Some of you may know that we are entering a new phase of our lives as Michael faces (and stares down) kidney cancer.

We sincerely appreciate your ongoing prayers, encouragement and kind words. We never knew how far the efforts go and how much they mean until we now face the same. Be sure to express your love for others you know as well…it’s pretty scary.

Combs to Debut Flight Music at AOPA Summit

Leave a reply

Photo Caption – Michael Combs and his REMOS aircraft named “Hope One” after completing a test flight to prepare for the next World Record.

NEWS RELEASE

Michael Combs who became the first Sport Pilot to fly a Light Sport Aircraft into all fifty states announced today that attendees at this year’s AOPA Airportfest will be the first to hear some of his latest compositions. While speaking about The Flight for the Human Spirit, Michael’s music will fill the background.

“This is a first for us, but I’m really excited for the opportunity that the attendees will have,” said Michael from his Lake Dallas studio. “Most of this music has been inspired from The Flight and the experience of flying.” Some of the titles include: “Into the Clouds,” “I Fly,” and “Flying Over the Continental Divide.”

Michael is well known in the aviation community and holds five world records, but most don’t know that he is also an accomplished musician and composer. One of his next goals is to conduct a symphony orchestra while performing a catalog of his compositions entitled “Through the Veil.” The album is slated to be released early in 2014.

The Airportfest Presentation is scheduled on the big stage at Meacham Airport this Thursday the 10^th at 3:30. The topic will center around how to find your purpose in life and specifically what it takes to never give up on your dreams. It will be a moving talk that shows how anyone can accomplish anything if they only believe in themselves. “This music is fitting for this topic,” explained Michael. “It has undertones that are designed to inspire the listener.” The music is custom composed specifically for this event and currently is not available to the public.

Aviation fans will also be happy to know that Hope One will be on display at this year’s Summit. This REMOS Light Sport Aircraft holds Five World Records and has flown the distance of over two times around the globe. It is a continuing project that is striving to set three more records within the next twelve months with additional International flights currently in the planning stage.

“Music is my gift, and Flying is my passion. When I combine these two worlds the result can be nothing less than what deeply stirs the soul.”

If you go…

AOPA Summit: http://www.aopa.org/summit/
Presentation Time: October 10^th, 3:30 – 4:30
Location: Airportfest, Meacham Airport (KFTW)
Specifics: Hope One will be located by the Main Outdoor Stage
Cost: Admission to Airportfest Exhibits and Speakers is FREE!

To learn more about The Flight for the Human Spirit, go to www.FlightHS.com

Combs Concedes Transcontinental Flight to Weather

Leave a reply

NEWS RELEASE

Corinth, TX – Michael Combs who became the first Sport Pilot to fly a Light Sport Aircraft into all fifty states announced today that

Photo Caption – Michael Combs and his REMOS aircraft named “Hope One” after completing a test flight to prepare for the next World Record.

the amount of daylight hours available to flight his REMOS aircraft from Coast to Coast is too short. The World Record attempt has officially been put on a “hold” status until next spring.

“Oh sure, it’s a disappointment” said Combs, “but we just didn’t have favorable weather to safely make the flight a possibility. Atlanta had over 36 inches of rain this summer and we had a continuous stream of thunderstorms blocking our flight path. When the monsoon season hit the Southwest part of the country, I knew that our odds of completion were diminishing, but the entire team remained very optimistic up to the last final possible day.”

In an interview at the AirVenture air show last month, Michael announced that he had until August the 15^th to successfully take off from Ontario, CA which would give him only five minutes of daylight when he reached Denton, TX that evening. While storms continued in the South he planned on a shorter flight distance for his first of only two flight days, When even that window of available daylight closed, Michael conceded that this sanctioned flight attempt was over for 2013. “I knew that it was a long shot, but even with a seven knot head wind at 10,000 ft, we would be 47 minutes shy of our goal and there simply was no other way to work the route or the numbers.”

This is Michael’s second attempt to set the Transcontinental record while flying daytime VFR rules. He and his son Daniel Routh were grounded just 91 miles short of their Wilmington, NC goal last year by strong thunderstorms. “I promised him that we wouldn’t put ourselves in that situation again, but unfortunately we never even had the chance to take off into the sky. Between forest fires, high winds, and heavy rains it was certainly a summer to remember…for a lot of people from Coast to Coast.”

Even though this World Record attempt is over for a few months, Michael is already making arrangements to set two more by next spring. These records can take several years to plan and prepare for and those who follow The Flight for the Human Spirit are no strangers to being treated to adventure and the power of determination.

“We actually have some incredible International Flights in the planning stages,” explained Combs. “Our fan base continues to grow and it’s because of the fact that we are offering inspiration for others to have the courage and strength to go out and follow their dreams, no matter what they are.”

To learn more about The Flight for the Human Spirit, go to www.FlightHS.com

23 Common Questions about The Flight for the Human Spirit

Leave a reply

Q & A – Flight for the Human Spirit

Transcontinental Flight

•1. What is the Transcontinental Flight?

The Flight will take off from Ontario International Airport in Ontario, CA. The scheduled route distance is 1,931.5 miles which will be subject to change due to weather, fires, or other occurrences. The Flight will end at Charleston International Airport in Charleston, SC on the day after the take-off from California.

•2. What are you flying in?

The aircraft is a REMOS GX Light Sport Aircraft. It is built in Germany and is made of carbon fiber materials. It is powered by a Rotax 912 – 100 horsepower four cylinder engine that only burns 4.5 – 5.2 gallons of fuel per hour.

•3. How high and fast will you fly?

Our typical cruise altitude will be 9,500 ft above sea level during the Cross Country flight. When we are flying from Texas to California, and then from South Carolina back to Texas, the typical cruise altitude will be 8,500 ft above sea level. These altitudes will vary based on Air Traffic Controller requests as well as the surrounding terrain which may cause us to fly higher for various portions of the trip. The maximum air speed will be 137 mph, however if we find a tail wind, you may be able to see us traveling at higher speeds based on GPS ground tracking data.

•4. Does your airplane have a name?

Yes, it is more commonly known around the world as “Hope One”

•5. Who will fly with you?

My son, Daniel Routh will serve as the Flight assistant. His responsibilities will be to aid in navigation, to aid in radio communication, to communicate with our Mission Control team while we are in flight, and to document the journey with photos and video capturing.

•6. Do you have a team helping you?

Absolutely! We have a team mostly made of family and friends who are all highly trained in their capacities of Mission Control, Communication, Media Coordination, and even helping to find us good rates on hotels and cars. Beyond that, each fuel stop will have a team who will fuel Hope One, as well as facilitate in our arrival and departure priorities. During our overnight stops we will have teams at the FBO’s help us to secure Hope One in order to keep her safe.

•7. Why are you doing this?

I love this question! For those who are new to The Flight for the Human Spirit, they don’t realize how far we’ve flown on nothing but absolute faith and determination. The entire purpose of this flight is to inspire others to go out and follow their own dreams, no matter what they are. This Transcontinental Flight is to highlight the Sport Pilot’s Certification and the durability of the REMOS. I am dedicating this flight to anyone who is seeking encouragement to know that there is greatness within each one of us.

•8. Is it true that you have flown this same aircraft into all Fifty States?

Absolutely! Hope One is the first Light Sport Aircraft to have flown into all fifty states (yes that includes Alaska and Hawaii). By the end of Flight Day One of the Transcontinental Flight I will have officially logged over 50,000 unbelievable miles in Hope One! This beautiful aircraft also holds five world records.

•9. Why do you have to stop for the night?

The Sport Pilot’s Certificate that is issued by the FAA is a license that allows you to fly during daytime hours along with other minor restrictions. My goal is to show how versatile and practical this license truly is by setting a new World Record under its flight restrictions.

•10. How do you set the World Record in an airplane that will only fly at 137 mph?

Great question. To set an FAI/NAA World Record in aviation you take the distance between point “A” and point “B” and divide that distance by the slowest speed that the aircraft is rated to fly. This gives you the maximum amount of time that you have to complete the record. For us, the distance is great enough that we have the time allotted for the required overnight stop and approximately three hours and fifty minutes of time after our estimated scheduled flight to allow for variances to the schedule.

It’s important to note that once we take off from Ontario, CA…the clock will continue to run non-stop until we touch down in Charleston, SC. This includes the fuel stops along with the required overnight stop which will end at the moment of civil twilight on Flight Day Two.

•11. What dangers will you face?

There certainly are a lot of dangers when flying such a long distance over a variable amount of terrain. Winds are the largest concern, but of course any adverse weather can cause deviations to the route. Without being dramatic, we fully understand that this is a highly dangerous type of flying. There will be mountains, deserts, and heavily treed regions. We will have provisions for survival after an emergency landing, and will prepare our team for what to do and how to be ready in the event of an emergency. We will be in constant contact with Regional Air Traffic Controllers with the exception of when radar contact is unavailable. They can be invaluable in the case of an emergency or to provide traffic and weather advisories.

Hope One is equipped with an emergency transmitter, a spare battery powered radio, a Spider Tracks Satellite Tracking system that updates our location every two minutes, and even a ballistic emergency parachute.

•12. How is this Transcontinental Flight different from last year?

As you probably remember, we ended up only 91 miles short of our Wilmington, NC goal and were forced to land because of a ten mile window around us of cloud to cloud, and cloud to ground lightning. The alternate airport that we chose was Florence, SC which cleared us to land even though their runway lights were out. Our goal is to make this a much, much, much less exciting event for our fans and followers. Several adjustments have been made to the route including moving the take-off point in California to a higher field elevation and a 24 hour staffed tower; this will allow us to take-off at 5:15 AM and give us a two hour leap over last year’s overall route timing. The route also takes us into an area of potentially less thunderstorms by moving a little further south. It also helps us to eliminate the busy Atlanta airspace from our concerns. By incorporating LaGrange-Callaway Airport in Georgia into our route and eliminating Birmingham, Alabama we are able to completely eliminate a fuel stop on Flight Day Two (from four stops to three) which yields a minimum gain of 32 minutes off of the flight time in our day.

•13. Where is your overnight stop going to be?

US Aviation is our home base and ironically will serve as the overnight stop on Flight Day #1. This is actually not pre-planned into the route, but is how the numbers have worked out for this flight. If this were not our home base, Denton would still be a fuel stop, and would still be the goal for the day. As you remember, we did not make this goal last year, and had to stop in Abilene, TX but with the adjustments to our route we hope to reach this aggressive goal which will put us in a perfect position for accomplishing the World Record as planned.

•14. Why are you flying during the hot summer months when the weather is less predictable?

I would absolutely love to do this Coast to Coast flight in October or even February. However, the amount of available daylight hours in the day is more critical to our success than even weather. We’ll take off from Ontario at 5:15 AM which is the moment of civil twilight and touch down in Denton on Flight Day One at approximately 8:30 PM. We just don’t have the luxury of those long daylight hours at any other time of the year. That is why you see The Flight attempt happening on or around June 21^st.

•15. Why don’t you fly East Coast to West Coast in order to take advantage of Time Zones?

After many, many hours and miles flown in Hope One I have determined through data collected that our best plan is to fly “with” the winds rather than against the winds. At 9,500 ft, the winds are typically stronger than they are on the ground. A strong head wind can cause an extra hour of flight per fuel stop and add more time to the flight day. This would absolutely increase the number of necessary fuel stops on an East Coast to West Coast journey. The winds will generally flow from West to East or from South to North along our flight route. However we may still encounter head winds from the east (such as last year in Eastern Arizona through Central Texas). If they are forecast to be too high, then The Flight will be delayed until more favorable conditions prevail.

•16. Why does The Flight get delayed so much?

I can answer that question for one reason that had caused 99% of our delays on the Fifty State Mission: Weather. The weather is a huge consideration in an 800 pound aircraft. Although Hope One is very stable in the sky, safety is always a priority to our flights. I personally also fly within my minimum conditions such as cloud ceilings, and cross winds. I have always been an advocate of putting the goal out there with a specific date, and adjust as conditions allow…this has been a successful strategy that is found in all of my projects.

•17. If you don’t make the World Record this year, will you try it again?

Yes. It is not easy, and there is a lot of coordinating, but we have a lot of people who want to share in this event. My goal once again is to highlight the Human Spirit that each of us have within us. One thing is for certain…The Human Spirit never quits!

•18. How can I follow The Flight?

We are very well known for using social media as a means to allow you to follow The Flight for the Human Spirit in a number of ways. The best tool available for you is: wwwFlightHS.com This web site will provide live Satellite tracking every two minutes of flight as well as all available updates. If the website servers get crowded, then follow “Official Flight for the Human Spirit Fan Page” on Facebook or @CombsCoach on Twitter. If you just want the basics without photos and comments, then subscribe to @FHSMissionCtrl on Twitter which will provide updates directly from our Mission Control team.

The Flight Days are very dependent on the weather from Coast to Coast, so be sure to follow us closely in order to stay informed.

•19. Can I come to see Hope One and meet you in person?

If you are near the scheduled fuel stops, then please stop by to cheer us on and offer support. Please note, on World Record Flight Days we will be very limited in time and won’t be able to talk. Our stops are limited to a maximum of 22 minutes from time of touchdown. However, on each of the stops we will be visiting either before or after The Flight. Any airport fuel stop WEST of Denton, TX will be visited PRIOR to The Flight; and any fuel stops EAST of Denton, TX will be visited AFTER the World Record Flight. All updates will be posted on our social media sites mentioned above. If you come out during these non-timed fuel stops you will be able to take close-up pictures and see inside of Hope One as well as receive autographed postcards. Either way,, we always love to see and meet those people that this project has impacted.

•20. What are your fuel stops?

We have a total of eight airports Coast to Coast

1. KONT – Ontario International
2. KCHD – Chandler Municipal
3. KELP – El Paso International
4. KMAF – Midland International
5. KDTO – Denton Municipal
6. KGLH – Mid Delta Regional
7. KLGC – LaGrange-Callaway
8. KCHS – Charleston AFB/International

•21. I know that you are a Grass Roots Project, how can I support you?

Thank-you for asking. Yes, with the exception of REMOS, we aren’t operating with large sponsorships. Someday, I know that we will have a corporate or business sponsor step up and participate in our encouraging messages of Hope for mankind, but for now we are using primarily our own funds and always welcome interested parties to purchase merchandise including books and CDs. One of the best and most enduring ways for you to support The Flight for the Human Spirit and have something to pass down to your children is to have your name put into The Hope One Notebook. Your name will fly onboard Hope One and stay in her cargo hold after she becomes a museum piece. The Hope One Notebook can be found on our website.

•22. Isn’t this flight going to become a book?

Yes, all of the events leading up to this historic Coast to Coast flight including the adventure from last year will all be included in the content of the book entitled “91 Miles Short” It will encompass the adventure associated with flying a small aircraft Coast to Coast as well as those who helped along the way. It is scheduled to be released in 2014.

•23. What’s next?

LOL — I get this question all of the time which I consider to be the highest honor. Next will be other World Record Point to Point flights in Hope One. If you would like us to set a record from your area…please let me know, and we’ll consider it. I am still planning a Coast to Coast bicycle ride, but have needed to make sure that my training coincides with my schedule and book releases. If this flight goes as planned, I will strive to make the ride happen in the Spring of 2014. Also, we are planning World Record flights to the Caribbean and have been invited to fly Hope One in Australia, Europe, India, and even Asia.

Likewise, I have a number of books in the pipeline along with a music album that will be released this fall. My philosophy is simple: “Life is precious, don’t ever waste even a day without benefitting someone else by your existence.”

Combs Announces Route for Transcontinental Flight

Leave a reply

NEWS RELEASE

Corinth, TX – Michael Combs who became the first Sport Pilot to fly a Light Sport Aircraft into all fifty states announced today the route for his next World Record Flight. The Transcontinental Flight will take off from Ontario, California and touch down on the East Coast in Charleston, South Carolina. Covering a total planned distance of 1,931.5 miles it will include seven fuel stops including Chandler, AZ; El Paso, TX; Midland, TX; Denton, TX; Greenville, MS; LaGrange, GA, and Charleston, SC.

Photo Caption – Michael Combs and his REMOS aircraft named “Hope One” with the Blue Angels “Fat Albert” in the background after successfully completing the Fifty State adventure in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

“Each of our fuel stops are already prepared for a quick turnaround” said Combs. “Last year our fastest on-ground time was only eleven minutes which is unprecedented for fueling and weather briefing. We’ll have more participation this year which will keep us in the sky as long as possible.”

Combs and his flight assistant Daniel Routh attempted the feat last summer, but ended up landing in Florence, SC due to thunderstorms that had blocked their path just 91 miles short of their Wilmington, NC goal. “The airport in Florence had lost power and had no runway lights, but it was an adventurous flight that I won’t be repeating this year. Our fans were treated to Tweets and Facebook posts that kept everyone riveted up to the final touchdown. Ultimately, the weather became the largest factor and we ended up abandoning the World Record until the return of the long summer daylight days of this year.” The flight is scheduled to begin Wednesday, June 19^th but is subject to delay while awaiting favorable weather conditions from Coast to Coast.

This flight is unique in that Combs will be attempting to set the World Record by Sport Pilot rules. This prohibits the flight from extending into nighttime hours and limits the speed to no more than 137 mph. Once the team takes off from Ontario International, the clock will run continuously until touchdown in Charleston the next day. All fuel stops and the mandatory night stop will continue to run the clock against the final time. “This is our ultimate challenge,” explained Combs. “We not only have weather to monitor, but any deviation from our planned route due to forest fires, winds, or aircraft maintenance could cause us to lose the record. We have a maximum amount of time to complete the flight and currently have a three hour and fifty minute window of cushion before it would slip from our hands. That sounds like a lot until you realize that we are combining that amount of time over a great distance and 34 hours.”

The team will be flying in a REMOS GX Light Sport Aircraft named, “Hope One.” It is the same aircraft that Combs has flown for The Flight for the Human Spirit and currently holds five other World Records. During the first leg of this flight, Hope One will have officially logged over 50,000 miles behind her tail. “The REMOS has been fantastic in every way. Hope One is holding up well in spite of flying over twice the distance around the globe. In all of those miles we only have had a flat front tire and a GPS that needed to be replaced. There is no other aircraft that I would rather be sitting in for such a demanding journey as this one.”

To follow The Flight for the Human Spirit, go to: www.FlightHS.com for live satellite tracking as well as Facebook and Twitter updates from the cockpit and Mission Control.

Combs Completes Fifty State Journey in a Light Sport Aircraft

Leave a reply

Photo Caption – Michael Combs shares an emotional moment with his REMOS aircraft named Hope One as he quietly reflects on the completion of his epic 40,000 mile, 50 state journey.

Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii – When Michael Combs landed his aircraft at the Kaneohe Bay Airshow yesterday it marked the completion of an ambitious mission to touch down in all fifty states in a Light Sport Aircraft. The event was celebrated by a record attendance crowd while Michael performed in the airshow. “You are witnessing history today folks” stated the announcer as the wheels of the REMOS aircraft gently touched down in front of the main grandstand area. Afterward, Michael jubilantly stepped out and was greeted by a crowd of well-wishers who posed for photos and received autographed collector cards.

“This has been an incredible experience,” said Michael as he stood by his aircraft named, ‘Hope One.’ “I feel excited beyond belief that we have successfully completed this mission, but also am looking forward to more of the adventures that we are already planning. This is a huge accomplishment in the world of aviation and really proves beyond a doubt just what a Light Sport Aircraft can do. It also has demonstrated that there are truly no limits to the potential of the Sport Pilot’s License.”

Michael took off from Salina, KS on April 8, 2010 and flew into 49 states including Alaska and British Columbia, Canada in just five and a half months. The elusive 50^th state of Hawaii has been the challenge that offered the most difficulty to achieve. “We really thought that Hawaii would be simpler than this,” explained Combs, “but the costs of shipping were crazy and as time went on, all of the doors just kept opening up to our participation in this military air show. We’ve known about it for a year and a half and I’m very thankful for how it has come about. It was a tremendously perfect way to end this historic aviation endeavor.”

Throughout his journey, Michael has flown over 40,000 miles and landed at over 200 airports. His primary goal was to reach over 20 million people with the message that it is never, EVER too late to follow your dreams. The Flight for the Human Spirit has also inspired others to fly as well as endeavor to fulfill their own dreams and aspirations outside of aviation. Fans of The Flight have reported that they have been successful in opening restaurants, mending relationships, and even beginning new careers. “It’s incredible to think of what one person can do when they just never give up,” stated Combs.

The historical significance of this flight in aviation is that the REMOS is the first Light Sport Aircraft to fly in all fifty states; it also makes Michael the first Sport Pilot to fly the same aircraft in all of the fifty states. He currently holds five world records in aviation and is already planning other record setting flights in the Caribbean, Australia, and another attempt to fly Hope One on a Transcontinental Flight next spring setting a world record under FAI and NAA rules.

The Hawaii flights were tracked by over 100,000 website visitors and fans from around the world followed Hope One’s performances and test flights with live satellite tracking and were updated on each progressive step via Facebook and Twitter. “Originally, I thought that flying in all fifty states would mark the end of The Flight for the Human Spirit, but due to the influence of our fans, they have made it very clear that they want me to continue flying onward…I guess they just want to see how far we can go, and how many lives we can ultimately touch. From a social media viewpoint, this has been an incredible success. Our original goal was to reach over 20 million people with a message of encouragement and hope…now our current numbers show a total of more than 28 million around the world with no end in sight as our fan base continues to grow.”

Since Hope One actually performed in the airshow, it was transported onboard an Air Force C-5 aircraft along with other show aircraft flown by Kirby Chambliss, Jacquie B, and the Flash Fire Jet truck driven by Neal Darnell. Other performers in the show included The Blue Angels, Clint Churchill, and the Navy Seal Leap Frogs. “Seeing Hope One in that huge aircraft was really quite a sight to behold,” exclaimed Combs. “It was an honor to be included among such a prestigious list of performers, and the Hope One flight really was inspirational to the attendees who were full of hugs and even shared some tears of gratitude for what we are doing out here in the world.”

Over five years ago, The Flight for the Human Spirit began with no funding, no aircraft, and Michael didn’t know how to fly. He has proven that even the loftiest goals can be accomplished through faith, belief, and sheer determination. “People really raise their eyebrows when they hear that this incredible project began literally with nothing but a dream,” smiled Combs. “They get even more expressive when they learn that we took off from Salina on that first day we only had two weeks of funding in our pockets for fuel, lodging, rental cars and food. It has been an experience far beyond aviation that truly shows the power of the human spirit that endures in all of us.

Combs is currently writing a book about his adventure which will be released in 2013. He has two other books ready for publishing and will release his next music album entitled “Through the Veil” late this fall.

To learn more of The Flight for the Human Spirit and for the latest updates go to www.FlightHS.com

Combs to Complete 50 State Adventure in a Light Sport Aircraft

Leave a reply

Photo Caption – Michael Combs will perform at the Kaneohe Bay Air Show on September 29thand 30th in Oahu, HI. This will complete his mission to fly an aircraft into all fifty states.

Lake Dallas, TX – Michael Combs set out several years ago to fly an aircraft into all fifty states. At that time, he didn’t have a pilot’s license and began The Flight for the Human Spirit with nothing but a dream. Since then he has flown his REMOS Light Sport Aircraft named “Hope One” into 49 states, has logged over 40,000 miles, and landed in over 200 airports. His message of “It’s never, EVER too late to follow your dreams has now reached over 28 million people around the world.

The elusive fiftieth state of Hawaii was a greater feat than Combs originally thought. Since his mission was to fly an unmodified aircraft throughout his adventurous flight, he didn’t have near enough fuel onboard to fly over the Pacific from the California coast. The only option was to ship Hope One over and to fly into at least one airport on one of the islands. “The goal of The Flight is to show what you can do when you believe strongly enough in your dreams and are not willing to give up,” explained Combs. “I was told many times before this journey began that I would discover why a flight like this has never been accomplished before, and have learned quite a bit along the way.”

Combs will be performing at the Kaneohe Bay Air Show in Hawaii on the 29th and 30th of this month. Hope One will be airlifted over to Hawaii along with other performing aircraft. The current date of departure will be September 25th from Travis Air Force Base.

“We have a lot of fans around the world, and the comments of support have been amazing as word has spread of the upcoming success of this mission,” explained Combs from his Corinth, TX office. “There has been a tremendous amount of coordination from many parties to make this flight possible, the reward will be that we are all witnessing aviation history unfold.”

Hope One will become the first Light Sport Aircraft to touch down in all fifty states, and Combs will become the first Sport Pilot to successfully fly the same aircraft into all fifty states. He currently holds four world records from time over distance and miles logged.

Fans of The Flight will be able to follow Michael’s westerly adventure including live Facebook and Twitter posts, along with satellite tracking from the cockpit of Hope One. The take-off from US Aviation in Denton, TX to Sacramento, CA is scheduled to begin Tuesday morning September 18th and should take two to three days to complete.

For more information on The Flight for the Human Spirit, go to: www.FlightHS.com

Combs to Speak at AirVenture 2012

Leave a reply

Photo Caption – Fans of aviation will be sure to receive an autographed commemorative post card as they photograph “Hope One” and meet pilot Michael Combs.

Lake Dallas, TX – As a fan posted on The Fight for the Human Spirit’s Facebook Page, “Is it that time already?” He was referring to the annual AirVenture Air Show held in Oshkosh, WI that will attract over ten thousand aircraft and thousands upon thousands of fans of aviation through the gates during each of the seven days that it is open.

One of the highlights of the show this year will feature the aircraft “Hope One” which will be on display in the REMOS booth during the show. This Light Sport Aircraft has attracted worldwide attention as it has soared into aviation history by logging over 38,000 miles and stopping at over 200 airports across the U.S. Pilot Michael Combs who has been in the pilot’s seat of Hope One throughout the journey since it has taken off in Salina, KS is scheduled to speak during the entire week at several of the venues.

The topics that Combs will present are:

”How to Plan a Cross Country Trip”
“20 of the Best Places to Fly” and
“Ten Ways to Get Your Wife to Fly”

“I’m honored to speak at AirVenture,” said Combs. “A lot of people follow The Flight and it is always a great opportunity to meet them and see how we’ve been able to help them accomplish their own dreams.”

Combs and his son Daniel Routh have just completed a successful Transcontinental Flight in Hope One as they took off from Carlsbad, CA and landed in Wilmington, NC. The flight covered 2,377 miles and was completed in just over two days while maintaining Sport Pilot rules which excluded any nighttime flying. “I’m glad that everyone will have the chance to see Hope One this year after she has been so amazing and has performed so well. It really shows how incredibly dependable these aircraft can be with the proper care.”

Combs is currently preparing for a Cross Country Bicycle ride which will encourage millions to get moving. After overcoming a serious illness he is documenting the challenges that he is facing as he conditions for the 3,200 mile journey. He is also planning to fly Hope One in Hawaii this fall which will make it the first Light Sport Aircraft to land in all fifty states.

You can follow “The Flight for the Human Spirit” on the website: www.FlightHS.com

Thunderstorms, High Winds Could Not Stop Transcontinental Flight

Leave a reply

Denton, TX – A Coast to Coast flight in a Light Sport Aircraft met more than its share of adverse weather as it successfully flew from Carlsbad, CA to Wilmington, NC. Michael Combs with Flight Assistant Daniel Routh arrived at Wilmington International Airport before noon, less than fifty hours after departing the West Coast in an effort to set a new world record.

The flight successfully departed Carlsbad with low cloud ceilings within minutes of the 7:15 PDT cutoff time signifying the last possible moment of departure. Fuel stops were made with efficiency in Chandler, AZ; El Paso, TX; and Midland, TX. Head winds forced the flight to end 1.5 hours early on Flight Day One which ended just eleven minutes prior to civil twilight in Abilene, TX. “We are flying under the rules of the Sport Pilot’s License,” explained Combs. “One of the main rules is that we cannot fly at night which is a challenging feat when you are attempting a flight of this nature and duration.”

Photo Caption – Michael Combs and Flight Assistant Daniel Routh give a thumbs up on Day Two of their Transcontinental Flight in a REMOS GX Light Sport Aircraft named, “Hope One.”

As Flight Day Two unfolded with stops in Denton, TX; Greenville, MS, and Birmingham, AL the deficit left by headwinds on the prior day had been diminished and The Flight was actually ahead of schedule. “After Birmingham is where it all began to become challenging,” said Combs. “We encountered rapidly building storm cells just prior to the Atlanta, GA area which forced us to negotiate through these systems while talking with regional controllers who were extremely helpful. As we looked at the route ahead, our destination airport in Columbia, SC was experiencing heavy rain. The same conditions were also beginning to quickly move toward Wilmington. Literally, our flight plans changed within minutes as this system grew larger and larger.”

Upon experiencing severe turbulence, Combs landed his REMOS aircraft named “Hope One” at Greenwood County Airport prior to the arrival of a storm cell which brought gusts of 42 knots. “I had pulled Hope One close to the terminal building in order to find shelter from the wind, but when it began blowing that strong, it took me holding down the propeller in order to keep it on the ground. We had winds, rain, and even light hail before the skies finally cleared. It brought welcome rain to the area, but we wished that it would have happened two days later.”

After speaking with the control tower in Wilmington, Combs was assured that the system was breaking up and that the skies would clear before they arrived. Unfortunately, the cells redeveloped an hour after the take-off for their final leg of flight from Greenwood County.

“We were surrounded by lightning and landed at our back-up airport in Florence, NC that we had established with our team,” said Combs. “The tower told us that earlier they had experienced 70 mph gusts and that the power was out at the airport. Fortunately, it was still light enough to land on the runway which had no lights. Within 20 minutes of our landing we watched as the sky turned dark and were treated to quite a show from the lightning storm. Hope One had already been quickly pulled into a hangar that was flooded from the prior thunderstorm which had knocked out the power. Overall, it was quite an experience that I’ll never forget!”

Skies were calm and blue the next morning which allowed Combs to fly into Wilmington and complete his Coast to Coast flight as an official timekeeper broadcast the time to Combs.

“My overall goal for The Flight is to encourage 50 million people that it is never, EVER too late to follow your dreams, no matter what they are. It was a pretty awesome experience to shake hands and to hug people from coast to coast in the course of two days. We also wanted to prove the dependability of the Light Sport Aircraft, and I have to say that this REMOS is absolutely amazing in every way! It is a tough, quality built aircraft that has proven its dependability in every single way possible.”

Combs has logged over 37,000 miles in Hope One reaching over 200 airports in 49 states including Alaska and Western Canada. He is hoping to complete his mission in Hawaii which will mark the successful flight into all fifty states behind the tail of his small aircraft. Combs also has stated that he will attempt the Coast to Coast World Record again if the weather allows as early as within the next few weeks, and if not then it is already scheduled for June of 2013.

“My flight team has learned a lot from this incredible 4,755 mile roundtrip experience, and we will make a few adjustments on our next attempt. We have proven that it is possible to set this type of world class record in such an aircraft, but finding two solid days of good flyable weather from coast to coast has always been a bigger challenge than actually flying the mission which naturally comes with its own set of physical encounters. I just hope that we have inspired others to follow their dreams and that we are showing that the world of aviation is very much alive and doing well. This has been evidenced by the fantastic coverage and fan support that we continue to develop.”

You can follow “The Flight for the Human Spirit” on the website: www.FlightHS.com.