SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nine months and several “pandemic pauses” after takeoff on a planned five-month global Pole-to-Pole peace mission “One Planet, One People, One Plane: Oneness for Humanity,” San Diego pilot and former Naval officer Robert DeLaurentis returned home in his highly modified 1983 twin-engine aircraft, “Citizen of the World.”
DeLaurentis set out on a record-setting 26,000 mile, 22-country, six-continent flight to connect the only two places on the planet where there has always been peace: the North and South poles. Along the way, he interviewed NGO leaders and local residents for an upcoming documentary “Peace Pilot to the Ends of the Earth and Beyond,” asking them, “What does it mean to be a “Citizen of the World for the World?” In addition, Robert also set multiple first-time aviation innovation records including:
- Successfully used biofuels over the North and South poles for the first time ever
- Longest distance flown in a twin or single engine turboprop—17.5 hours
- First and fastest Polar circumnavigation of the planet in a twin or single engine turboprop
- First testing for plastic microfibers across the globe including over the South and North poles
- First testing of NASA WaferScale Spaceship outside of Santa Barbara
Upon DeLaurentis’ return San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, 36th Mayor of the City of San Diego, has proclaimed September 21, 2020 as “CITIZEN OF THE WORLD DAY” in the City of San Diego.
In harmony with the United Nations International Day of Peace, also celebrated on September 21, “Citizen of the World Day” honors Peace Pilot Robert DeLaurentis for his miraculous circumnavigation and global peace mission, which begun on November 16, 2019 from Gillespie Field in San Diego County, returning home to San Diego eight months and 24 days later on August 10, 2020.
“I took the biggest chance of my life with this Pole to Pole peace mission,” said DeLaurentis. “It was certainly the riskiest flight I ever set out on, with more opportunities for failure than I'd ever experienced. Add in a coronavirus pandemic that was not on the route schedule and having to navigate different countries' lockdown policies and count on the goodwill of people whose language I didn’t speak was daunting at times. But I learned more about what it truly means to be a 'Citizen of the World' and the power of peace—both inner peace and peace between people and countries—than I ever dreamed possible.”
DeLaurentis, a San Diego resident and business owner, named his twin-engine Turbine Commander 900 aircraft “Citizen of the World,” to show a divided world that we are all connected through our shared desire for health, happiness, the safety of our families and ourselves, our desire to belong, to dream and explore this beautiful planet, our home, and live in a peaceful world.
DeLaurentis and “Citizen of the World” successfully flew over the South Pole on December 16-17, 2019 (the 116th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight) and the True North Pole, the Magnetic North Pole and the North Pole of Inaccessibility on July 13th, 2020. When critical communication systems, navigation, heading and reference systems went offline for several hours on both flights, DeLaurentis’ courage, flight survival training, experience as a Navy officer in the Gulf War, and his advanced spiritual psychology education helped guide him to a safe landing.
In February, the COVID-19 outbreak quarantined DeLaurentis in Spain. Despite the difficulties, DeLaurentis saw the world unite, as one global family, to re-discover their greatest strengths, to share peace and love, and to overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges that life throws our way.
A 10-part docuseries to be released in 2021 was filmed throughout the trip and includes interviews with local residents in the various cities throughout the expedition answering questions including what it means to be a “Citizen of the World for the world” and what communities are doing to create peace in their part of the world.
“To the one shared world in which we live, celebrating Citizen of the World Day and International Day of Peace on the same day is a special reminder that we are all global citizens, and when we use our courage and compassion in our daily lives, we help end violence and strengthen peaceful relationships worldwide for the good of our collective humanity,” said DeLaurentis. “One planet, one people, one plane, oneness for humanity.”
For additional information and images, go to https://robertdelaurentis.onlinepresskit247.com/image-gallery.html. To join the Citizen of the World movement, go to www.PoletoPoleFlight.com.
About: “Peace Pilot” Robert DeLaurentis is an aviation circumnavigator, author, speaker, pilot, real estate entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Navy Gulf War veteran. He is the founder of the “Citizen of the World for the World” global peace movement to connect humanity through the wonder of flight and the power of courageous action. His books include the best-selling “Zen Pilot: Flight of the Passion and the Journey Within,” “Flying Thru Life: How to Grow Your Business and Relationships Through Applied Spirituality,” and his two newest books, “Peace Pilot: To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond” (coming 2021) and the children’s book “The Little Plane that Could.” He successfully completed his second aviation circumnavigation, a Pole-to-Pole peace mission during the COVID-19 Pandemic in August, 2020. Learn more at www.PoleToPoleFlight.com.
