A Bell 206L LongRanger II, piloted by H. Ross Perot Jr and Jay Coburn, completed the world’s first helicopter circumnavigation of the globe in 1982. Dick Smith then became the first person to fly a helicopter solo around the world in a Bell JetRanger III in 1983.
But JP Thor isn’t out to break any records. When offered the opportunity to purchase the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition, which is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters in Marignane, France, and completed in Oxford, UK, the 34-year-old tech entrepreneur, who is based in Darwin, Australia, simply decided to take delivery into his own hands.
“With a beautiful aircraft like the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition, you only get one chance to fly out of the factory,” he says. “So, I wanted to fly it across the world.”
JP’s love of aviation goes back nearly two decades to when he first started flying aircraft aged 16. Helicopters have been his passion for the past two years, beginning with his first purchase, the Robinson R44, on which he accumulated 500 hours flying around Australia and across the water to Tasmania – “a wonderful experience,” he recalls.
The seven-seater Airbus ACH130 soon caught JP’s attention. He was in the market for a powerful and reliable high performance turbine helicopter to safely fly his friends and family around and was impressed by its many years of success. “There is heaps of excess power and performance with the ACH130,” he explains. “Plus, I believe it is the most attractive looking helicopter, with the smooth front, the sleek lines and the finish on the tail rotor, which looks amazing in photos.”
Choosing the Aston Martin Edition, which comes equipped with a range of four interior and exterior designs generated by the marque, was an easy decision to make. “Because it’s a personal aircraft, I wanted a unique touch to it,” he says. “I believe this is the first Aston Martin Edition in Australia – there are a couple in New Zealand – so I’m looking forward to bringing it back and showing it off around the country.”
JP’s maiden voyage in the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition promises to be truly unique and something of a personal odyssey. He is being accompanied on the trip by two friends from back home, both experienced pilots, who are on hand to help with navigation, planning and radio communication. Together, they will travel through Europe and into Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India, then head down to Thailand and Indonesia, before finally touching down in Australia.
He is ready for some logistical turbulence along the way, given that flight planning can be complicated by bad weather and delays, as well as refuelling demands and potential air traffic control issues. It means they can never be 100 per cent sure where they will be staying on any given night – but spontaneity is all part of the fun.
“I’m here to enjoy the flight,” says JP, who is looking forward to aerial views of the Alps, the Ancient Egyptian pyramids, as well as Asia’s mountainous regions and tropical forests. “We’ve scheduled about four weeks, so we have more time to enjoy the experience.”
Does he foresee any particularly tricky legs? The journey from Egypt through to India requires careful planning and consideration because of the countries’ requirements to fly high and fly straight between waypoints.
“There may be some dust storms in those areas, which we’ve researched and could be an issue,” he adds.
Having scheduled nearly 50 stops for his new ACH130 Aston Martin, which has a 360 nautical mile range (with reserves), JP says his family are eager to see his updates on social media as he flies home. But he’s confident that by giving countries plenty of advance notice and sticking to the flight rules it is all safe travels ahead.
“The admin can be a little bit difficult, but the scenery is worth it.”
Watch the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition in flight:
