By Barbara A. Schmitz
Mishaal AlSudairy is flying around the world, but he made sure that one of his stops was at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
Flying a Diamond 42, Mishaal left Saudi Arabia on July 8 and arrived in Oshkosh on Wednesday morning after having to first land in Appleton the day before since the air show was on.
It was his second time flying into Oshkosh — in 2021, he flew in a Cessna 182 — but his fifth visit to the convention.
A lifetime EAA member, Mishaal said that in 2021, he took a much shorter route, flying from east to west, and didn’t fly alone.
“This time I decided to do it solo,” he said. “I really wanted to go around the world.”
Earlier this month, he flew west to east, through India, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, the northeastern part of Russia, and through the Bering Sea to Alaska. In the U.S., he flew the Cascades because of the view, but wildfires in Canada made it so smoky that he could see little. He flew directly to Oshkosh from Bozeman, Montana.
“I have many great stories to tell, but the pinnacle of my flight is to be here in Oshkosh,” Mishaal said. “I value their goal of promoting general aviation.”
He also plans to make a video of the trip and maybe write a book in both Arabic and English. “Aviation is such a great hobby. Plus it teaches people discipline, good habits, and a good ethic.”
Mishaal hopes his flight will promote general aviation and inspire youths to look at careers in aviation. He also hopes to encourage older adults to realize that age isn’t an obstacle unless they have medical issues. “Aviation crosses generations and brings people together,” he said.
A relatively new pilot, Mishaal first earned his pilot’s license in 2018. Since then he’s added his multiengine, instrument, and commercial ratings and logged 1,612 hours in the air over six years.
He encourages other GA enthusiasts to fly to Sand N Fun, a fly-in being planned in Saudi Arabia this November. “If you love something, live your dream and fulfill it,” said. “Aviators are there to help you, guide you, and make it easier.”
Mishaal used Shepherd Aero, which provides worldwide international trip support, to make his trip easier, as they took care of many of the logistics, except in Russia. “There I was on my own,” he said. Shepherd Aero provided help in making sure Mishaal had the correct visas and credentials to fly in 15 different countries, each with its own requirements.
He planned to leave Oshkosh Saturday morning and head back to Saudi Arabia, traveling from Canada to Greenland, to Iceland, to Northern Ireland to England and Austria, where he will stop at the maintenance department at the Diamond manufacturing facility. Next, he plans to fly to Crete before returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he started. Once home, he’ll have flown about 20,000 nautical miles.
Mishaal said preparation is key for a flight of this magnitude. He added an oxygen generator and satellite system to his stock airplane. The satellite system was particularly helpful, as he used it to communicate through messages or phone. “It was very valuable in Japan and Russia to contact the radar,” he said.
He took survival training and learned how to ditch in the water. He made sure his airplane was in excellent condition, and had it inspected in the Diamond factory on his route here. He’ll do the same on the way back.
One of his highlights was flying over the Pacific. “I’ve never seen clouds as huge as those,” he said, noting that it took him six hours to fly over the Pacific from Japan to Russia.
There is one thing Mishaal already knows, and that is that he will be back.
“Oshkosh is becoming a second home to me. EAA does a great job planning the event. … But the community also plays a big role, as they welcome every visitor.”