Congressman Steve Pearce Honored with Circumnavigator Diploma
On May 18, 2017, the National Aeronautic Association presented Congressman Steve Pearce with the FAI Circumnavigator Diploma in recognition of his solo westbound flight around the world in 2016.
Congressman Pearce, a veteran U.S. Air Force pilot who served in the Vietnam War, made the flight in honor of those who flew west to fight in Vietnam and sacrificed their lives for our country.
“Given the challenges of flying in my life – the challenge of overcoming fear – the desire to completely fly around the globe – I decided to embark on this journey in dedication to the memory of my friends who didn’t return home from Vietnam. The flight was the physical aspect. The mission was remembering. Every time I faced an obstacle, I said, this is in memory,” stated Congressman Pearce. “I’m honored to receive this special recognition from NAA, and thank my friends in general aviation, and most importantly, my wife Cynthia. I could not have accomplished this journey without their support.”
Congressman Pearce’s journey began in March 2016 as he set out from Las Vegas, Nevada in his Mooney M20M and flew across the Pacific Ocean. After reaching the Mediterranean, the Congressman returned to Washington D.C. to fulfill his legislative duties. He resumed the remainder of his flight in May 2016, landing back in Nevada on June 4, 2016.
