Flying is peaceful, the engine droning, wind whistling, your mind roaming to different thoughts as it gives birth to a new perspective. You reach out for your thermos to sip some hot coffee—but it's not hot anymore. You start feeling cold, alone, and want to talk to someone, but you can't. You fear that your engine might give out, but thinking about topping the world gives you strength. For a pilot like Michel Gordillo, it was a privilege to encounter those thrilling moments.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/around-the-world-and-over-both-poles-part-2