[JYO] GAI based Gus McLeod Hopes to Resume Flight This Week...

Gus McLeod plans to resume his attempt for the first polar  circumnavigation 
flight in a single-engine airplane this week once engine  work on his hybrid 
Velocity-Firefly airplane is completed and sufficiently  tested, the pilot said 
Thursday. Work is being done at Velocity headquarters in  Sebastian, Florida 
to replace the double-chrome cylinders with cast ones on the  Lycoming IO 540 
engine. With the chrome cylinders, the engine burns about a  quarter of oil 
every three hours. "Chrome cylinders are great, they make the  engine last a 
long time, but they're not good for this application because it  was taking too 
long for the engine to break in," McLeod said. 
"The engine was to go in today (Thursday, January 8)  and they were to burn 
it in on the ground. The test flights will be flown on  Monday and hopefully I 
can get out before next Friday, (January 16). I still  have to do one load 
test and that's it. My window for the South Pole is slowly  closing."
The aircraft will carry a full load of 400 gallons of  fuel with some 
auxiliary tanks installed. Rate of fuel consumption will be about  10.5 gallons 
per 
hour at economy setting and about 11.5 gph normal cruise of 170  kts.
He's making the flight to not only achieve a  first-circumnavigating the 
planet via the poles-but to generate interest in  aviation, especially among 
youths. "Hopefully I'll get some kids interested in  aviation, try to pique 
their 
interest somewhat," he said. McLeod has been flying  since 1968 and has his 
instrument and commercial ratings. 

A website will track McLeod's journey, _www.fau.edu/solopoletopole_ 
(http://www.fau.edu/solopoletopole) ,  providing 30-second updates showing his 
location. It should be fully operational  by Monday, McLeod said.

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