By Angela Satterlee
Flying from his home in Aberdeen, Scotland, to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for the first time in his Bristell NG5 was the longest trip Bill Miazek, EAA 1601589, has ever flown. This is Bill’s third trip to AirVenture, but he’d flown commercially in the past.
Bill’s journey took him exactly one week to complete, with six major stops in Reykjavík, Iceland; Kangerlussauq, Greenland; Iqaluit, Canada; Chapais, Canada; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and the last stop of his flying excursion in Oshkosh. The whole trip was just shy of 5,000 miles! Bill and his airplane are located at the Bristell booth, No. 449, and can be found with a map documenting his entire trip, which he is proud to share.
One of many sights Bill was able to see traveling from Scotland was when he flew over a glacier in Greenland at 12,500 feet. Along with an unbelievable experience flying through the Arctic Circle. But Bill said the highlight of his trip was meeting so many different people along the way, creating connections and making friends on the trip and while here at Oshkosh.
Bill said he has always been fascinated by the idea of flying — defying gravity is remarkable to him. In 2017, Bill decided he was going to make his lifelong dream come true and become a pilot.
“I’ve been flying for six-and-a-half years, always wanted to do it all my life,” Bill explained. “In 2017, it was my New Year resolution to learn to fly.”
In January, he bought his first aircraft, and just nine months later, he acquired his pilot license. Before then Bill felt like he never had the time for flying, but all that has changed. Now his European version of the Classic 915iS Turbo Bristell is the newest, and the fourth aircraft of his in the last few years. He completed the build himself from a kit in only five months. A few delays later his airplane was ready for takeoff to AirVenture.
Bill’s dream of becoming a pilot is now a reality. He flies all over Europe to Germany, France, Austria, the Czech Republic, and other countries just for fun. And he keeps his airplanes on his own airfield in Scotland, which he said is uncommon because of the relatively small number of general aviation airports in Scotland.
Young Bill would be proud of how far he’s flown, and the experiences he’s had, just going places, seeing sites, and doing it all by airplane. Dreams do come true.