(Photos courtesy of Epic Aircraft)
Tour comprises six aircraft, nine countries, 20 cities, 15,000 nautical miles and 50 flight hours in 21 days.
Bend-based Epic Aircraft, manufacturer of high performance, all carbon fiber, single-engine turboprop aircraft, has successfully launched its inaugural Epic Odyssey World Tour, an around-the-world journey traversing nine countries and 20 cities in 21 days, covering 15,000 nautical miles in 50 flight hours.
A 26-person team comprising Epic owners, Epic Aircraft staff, professional pilots, guests, and professional photographers arrived in Oshkosh, Wisconsin July 6 in six Epic aircraft to embark on an adventure of a lifetime.
Recently the fleet arrived at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport in the Czech Republic, the eighth stop on their 20-city itinerary. Having already visited Montreal and Goose Bay, Canada; Narsarsuaq, Greenland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Wick, Scotland; Hampshire, England; and Genoa, Italy, the tour’s remaining stops include St. Petersburg, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Yakutsk, Magadan and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia; Adak, Anchorage and Ketchikan, Alaska; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Epic Odyssey World Tour will conclude its circumnavigation during EAA AirVenture, the world’s largest annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts.
The Epic Odyssey World Tour offers both challenge and accomplishment, as the journey spans three continents and two oceans. Along the way, participants will encounter ancient glaciers, medieval castles, volcanic islands, the Mediterranean Riviera and the vast Siberian tundra.
“This is an incredible opportunity for Epic owners to enhance their skills and expand their horizons, while experiencing some truly remarkable places,” commented Doug King, CEO of Epic Aircraft. King enthusiastically endorsed the Epic Odyssey World Tour as a way to further validate the integrity of Epic’s all composite design, showcasing its performance and reliability on an international level.
“We have evolved this aircraft design over the last 10 years, with considerable input from our owner-builder customers,” said King. “Now that we are in the process of certifying the E1000 version, what better way to demonstrate our exceptional speed, range, payload, and versatility than to fly a fleet of Epics around the world?”
Epic’s all carbon fiber structure delivers category-defining performance, including speeds over 325 knots, range of 1,650 nautical miles, 1,100 pound full-fuel payload and a 4,000 feet-per-minute climb rate. At $2.95 million fully equipped, Epic offers a highly compelling option in the personal aircraft market. “Our aircraft tends to attract customers who are seeking more, not settling for the ordinary, who possess a keen sense of adventure and an appreciation for the role technology plays in achieving superior performance. That’s what the Epic Odyssey World Tour is all about,” said King. “We are celebrating an exceptional group of customers who recognize their aircraft is much more than a means of transportation. It’s a lifestyle.”
Sponsors of the 2016 Epic Odyssey World Tour include Pratt & Whitney Canada, Garmin, Hartzell, Jeppesen, Spidertracks, Globalstar and GoPro.
ABOUT EPIC AIRCRAFT: Headquartered in Bend, Oregon, Epic Aircraft is a privately held, design-driven aviation company that conducts all of its engineering and manufacturing operations in the United States. Epic specializes in the design and manufacture of high performance, all composite, six-seat single-engine, turboprop aircraft. The company currently employs over 200 full-time staff.
www.epicaircraft.com
