Brett VandenBrink

We arrived back at Paine Field, Everett, WA. What an Epic Adventure. I am glad to be home.

I flew a total of 54.3 hours covering approximately 6,500 miles. I had 24 successful takeoffs and landings. I spent a total of 7.7 hours flying in the clouds with instruments.

Epic Adventure Epilogue

When I am asked, “Why did I fly across the USA in my own aircraft?”, my answer is simple and to the point. I flew across the USA in my own aircraft because I have the freedom of choice and the freedom to fly. Freedom is the underlying theme of my Epic Adventure.

In the USA, a person is free to fly a personal aircraft anywhere they choose for any reason. This statement cannot be said in many other developed countries. I know I could never fly around Europe, Asia, or the Middle East as I did in the USA. Let’s not take our freedoms for granted or give them away for a few coins of silver or false perceptions of security.

With freedom to fly comes the responsibility to fly. Freedom and responsibility are like peanut butter and jelly – they just go together. When I fly, I am the Pilot-In-Command (PIC) which means I am solely responsible for the aircraft and everyone in it. I am trained to, and expected to, make decisions that will ensure a safe, effective, and, hopefully, enjoyable flight. This responsibility enables the freedom to fly, which I so much enjoy.

As I flew around this great country, I gained a renewed confidence in the country and the American people. I met a lot of good folks, all who just want the best for themselves and their families. It also became very clear to me that the country is not on the verge of a “civil war” as the cable news radicals want us to believe. The country is not going to come apart at the seams. As Rhonda and I witnessed as we stood in the destroyed neighborhoods of Santa Rosa, it became clear that Americans will always choose life; will always choose to rebuild; and will always choose the hope of tomorrow over the pain of yesterday.

I will remember this epic adventure forever. God Bless America!Read more