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Iowa Pictures!
Submited by Phil Esch

Enclosed are photos of Brian Milton and GT Global Flyer when he arrived in
DeSoto, Iowa, USA (home of the Golden Circle Air T-bird) on June 28, 1998 at
approximately 1:30pm.

DeSoto, IA, USA is about 20 miles southwest of Des Moines, the capital city of
Iowa. I was just visiting the air field that Sunday, June 28, 1998, when we got
a telephone call that the GT Global Flyer was coming to Desoto in about 1 1/2
hours to 2 hours from Omaha, Nebraska. Immediately, we called the local TV
stations to see if they wouldn't cover the story of Brian Milton's global
flight. Channel 13 WHO-TV did come with camera to cover the story. When Brian Milton and his crew arrived, visitors already at the field asked some questions and inquired about his world flight. After the interviews were over, Brian's cameraman, Barry asked if we couldn't oblige them by flying our plane along side Brian's trike on his next leg of the flight to get some video.

I suggested that we could fly to a small field North of Des Moines right along
Interstate 80. With that in mind, Brian got out his map and programmed in the
coordinates to Morning Star field on his GPS. Barry, the cameraman and I took
off first with side doors off of the blue T-Bird so that the camera would have
clear view of the GT Global Flyer. As we came around, we flew parallel to the
field at about 300-350 feet as Brian began his roll to take off. After Brian got
into the air, we got some spectacular shots of the GT Global Flyer flying off to
our right and a little lower in altitude. Sometimes, Brian would get a little
higher so Barry got some good shots of Brian (Brian's butt) from underneath. I
flew the T-bird along side the GT Global Flyer always (or most of the time) to
my right front, so that I could adjust my airspeed and altitiude to keep a safe
distance from Brian. There was a couple of times where the T-bird increased in
airspeed and left Brian a bit behind.

One comical moment (to me anyway) was when Brian flew over top and flew to our left. I could hear Barry, the cameraman saying, "That naughty boy, that naughty boy". All in all, I could tell that Barry was very pleased with the shots. After we landed at Morning Star airport and taxied up to where Brian stopped, I motioned to Barry at the last moment as he got out of the plane with the engine still running if he wouldn't take some camera footage of me and the T-bird taking off. He replied favorably and pointed  the camera at the plane as I first saluted to him and then taxied back on to the airstrip for takeoff. As I lifted off, I banked right to fly in a little closer to the camera and about the time I came over top or near so, I banked left and climbed out to go back to DeSoto. The flight lasted about 30 min and we all enjoyed every minute of it.

We want to thank Brian Milton and his crew and cameraman, Barry for allowing us to fly with the GT Global Flyer as part of this historical event. Thanks also
goes out to Kevin Gascon, Salesman and Mr. Bob Ellefson, owner of the T-Bird and of Golden Circle Air for allowing me to fly with Brian and his photgrapher and the GT Global Flyer.

We would appreciate any photo releases or video release that you could us send of the flight to Des Moines, IA., if that is possible.

Thanks again and See you on the next adventure!

Sincerely,

Phil Esch - Pilot and Ultralight(Microlight) Instructor

Please send your Brian Milton Photos to:
phutchinson@stargate-uk.co.uk

Please include a short description and details of the location.

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