Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later: 12 Planes & 22 Aviators Thru 11 Countries When the Soviet Union Fell & Russia Returned
Michael B. Butler
michaelbutlerbooks@pm.me or 213-534-7292
Michael Butler’s latest book, following Without Redemption in 2022, is a retelling of a World Flight Across Russia he documented in July 1992, and first wrote about in a book published by Wind Canyon Books in 1998. The book features 280 photographs and offers a snapshot of immediate post Soviet Russia within a daring excursion. All the photos, and more, can be seen below in slide show format.
Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later: 12 Planes & 22 Aviators Thru 11 Countries When the Soviet Union Fell and Russia Return, is more extensive with added pilot journals and historical context spanning three decades of tumultuous events. In a reversal of the previous publication, this book is told from my point of view as documentarian and keeping the story alive to be recast in new light. Additionally, my education in Russian culture and history continued for decades after my baptism of fire going from Moscow and across Siberia during a singular three week World Flight.
This unique aviation adventure took place in the wake of the dramatic and sudden collapse of the Soviet Union, an event which unfolded during many months in midst of trying to organize this complex aviation adventure. The World Flight Across Russia was the idea of Marcel Large, President of Raid Intl. and organizer of many car, motorcycle and air rallies for decades prior to our event.
Hatched after taking the first private group of general aviation aircraft into the Soviet Union in early 1991, he wanted it to go beyond just flying around the world across Soviet Union. Designed as a annual event, with a different group flying a different route across the Soviet Union each summer, it ended up being across Russia and only took place that one honeymoon summer right after the collapse in July 1992.
A fascinating part of the story was Marcel, his wife Michelle, Eric Vercesi and Paul Hollenbeck dealing with Soviet and then Russian authorities with no one truly knowing who could answer the most pressing questions at hand.
Moscow, January 1992: Three men and one woman were in Moscow weeks after the Soviet Union voted itself out of business. They are trying or organize a World Flight Across Russia. Confusion reigns supreme six months after hard-liners tried to reverse all the gains made during Gorbachev’s perestroika reforms, when Boris Yeltsin and the people made their famous stand for freedom in August 1991. Odds were stacked against their success as the world was still reeling from one amazing and startling fact: The Cold War had just ended!
The ‘1st Annual Around the World Air Rally’ was the first western or civilian group of general aviation aircraft to circumnavigate while crossing the entire landmass of Russia, but that is only part of the story. Our group was under protection of one of the Russian government highest officials, Vice President Rutskoi, in an effort to create updated cultural and business ties between old enemies and, hopefully, new friends. Five days in Moscow and across Siberia we carried the highest authority in our back pocket… but sometimes in some places that was not enough…
For Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later seven major pilot journals, 25 hours of video tape, interviews, ancillary journals, hundreds of photographs and extensive historical research went into this new version of a multi-faceted adventure when all the world had changed so dramatically so fast. Never again would the conditions exist for this type of aviation excursion, not a year later, not two years later and definitely not now with war raging in Ukraine with a resurgent Russia. A window so small and so special that it places our curious and amazing journey into aviation folklore.
The World Flight IL-76T Gas Wagon,hauling 10,000 gallons of
British Petroleum Avgas from Moscow across Siberia that
was hand pumped into each aircraft at every stop.
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Black Market fuel operation as jet fuel is pumped directly from IL-76T,
through the engine,as Mark fills the King Air and enjoys a beer in Yaktusk.
Below are a series of color Slider Shows from
Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later
Flight Crews Ready for Departure from Santa Monica Airport
King Air Siberian Low Level Flight in Khabaraovsk en route to Magadan
Goose Bay, Canada to Greenland to Iceland
Helsinki to Moscow, July 11 & 12, 1992
Moscow, Red Square, Kremlin, Cathedral Square
City Council Chambers & Star City Cosmonaut Training Center
Tushino Air Show on Final Day in Moscow
Moscow to Syktyvkar to Novosibirsk in Siberia
Touring Irkutsk and Lake Baikal
Irkutsk to Bratsk to Yakutsk, Deeper in Siberia
Landing at Anydyr, Heavily Secret Russian Air Force Base & ICBM Nuclear Launch Site
Homecoming to Santa Monica Airport, 21 Days Later
Mace Pinchal Celebrates a successful World Flight
Bob Leavelle holds his granddaughter
