Passenger Travels Through Europe with Parachute on Board an Aircraft
Plucky Aussie Tim Rowlinson Soars Through Europe, Headed for Ukraine Border - with a Berth in Schramberg.
It's bloody freezing and blustery at 6,000 feet, but Aussie bloke Tim Rowlinson (54) isn't about to turn back. He's taken off from Dover, England, on a motorized paraglider, his heart set on reaching the Ukrainian border. He's got two mates tagging along, and it's all for a bloody good cause.
A Daring Stunt for Charity
Rowlinson's flight has taken him from Land's End in southwest England, winging his way over France, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania. Along the way, he's aiming to touch down in Schramberg, smack dab in the heart of Black Forest. What's the point of all this daring sneakiness? Raising funds for two projects in war-torn Ukraine - a soup kitchen in Kharkiv and an emergency vehicle to save lives on the frontlines. The van accompanying them on the ground? It's getting transformed into an aid hero.
A Crazy Idea Sparks Action
Rowlinson hatched the idea while listening to a podcast about British cyclists pedaling their way to Ukraine to raise funds. "Bloody good idea," he thought. "I reckon I could try a similar stunt with the paramotor."
Fueled by Daring Pioneers
This isn't Rowlinson's first high-flying adventure. He's been dancing with gravity using a motorized paraglider for seven years now. Inspired by legends of aviation like Charles Kingsford Smith, who made history by flying from the US to Australia in 1928, he's eager to test his own mettle. Rowlinson's already conquered the Torres Strait - that 150-kilometer passage between Australia and Papua New Guinea - using just a life jacket and an emergency beacon, no boat for backup.
Crossing the English Channel: A Symbolic Leap
The flight over the English Channel is a major symbolic milestone, says Rowlinson. It's a distance that's been navigated countless times, and he's got no intention of being the exception. "Thousands have done it before, and we're just following in their footsteps - we've even laid eyes on Blériot's plane, the first to cross the Channel back in 1909," he says.
A Dance with the Wind
Flying a motorized paraglider is a tricky business, especially when the wind's a-blowing. "It's like flying a great big kite with an engine strapped to your back," explains Rowlinson. It's crucial they fly in light winds or, even better, no wind at all.
They've got to be careful, too, with the Channel's pesky fog causing visibility to plummet and making navigation a nightmare. But luck was on their side during their crossing - conditions were clear as day, allowing Rowlinson and his crew to swoop down on France in under an hour.
Touchdown in Schramberg
Upon landing on French soil, they had to wait a bit before anyone could pick them up. But the joy was mutual, despite language barriers. Rowlinson's met nothing but kindness, generosity, and assistance from the people he's encountered so far.
From France, they'll continue to Germany, with a landing somewhere near Stuttgart on the radar for this weekend or the earliest next week. A local flight school in Schramberg, nestled in the Black Forest, has offered their little airport to Rowlinson and his crew. They're welcoming the invite with open arms, promising a feast, shower, power, and technical assistance. "Can't wait to give 'em a taste of good old Australian hospitality," says Rowlinson.
After Germany, they've got Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania to navigate before reaching the Ukrainian border. There, they'll hand over that aid van in person, and Rowlinson, who knows his way around mechanical stuff, will lend a hand transforming it into an emergency vehicle, ready to save lives.
A Soft Spot for Ukraine
Ukraine has a special place in Rowlinson's heart. In 2023, he visited the country, tool kit in hand, willing to lend a helping hand with the reconstruction. The sights he saw haunt him still. People who'd lost their homes, families, and livelihoods. "I want to raise funds and remind folks what's going on in Ukraine right now, hoping we can help those people through this terrible war," Rowlinson says.
If you're keen to chip in and support Rowlinson's efforts, consider checking out organizations like Hopefull that have been instrumental in aiding disaster-stricken communities in Ukraine. Meanwhile, keep an eye on the sky and watch as Rowlinson and his mates make their way across Old Europe, one gust of wind at a time.
- Tim Rowlinson's adventurous travel, going from Land's End to Schramberg, is not just a flight, it's an adventure-travel endeavor, aiming to raise funds for a soup kitchen in Kharkiv and an emergency vehicle in Ukraine.
- As Rowlinson soars through Europe, his lifestyle mirrors the spirit of daring pioneers, such as Charles Kingsford Smith, who pushed the boundaries of aviation.
