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were fronted by two TPE331-10T Honeywell Turbine engines.
Along with a Gulfstream-initiated pressurization increase in this model from 5.5. PSI to 6.7 and a 10-foot lon- ger wing compared to earlier years, the plane before modification could fly at approximately 28,000 feet and 260 knots, burning roughly 75 gal- lons of JET A per hour. After further modifications, like the addition of six long-range fuel cells and a ceramic coating, the plane’s expected perfor- mance rose to nearly 311 knots at 35,000 feet, consuming only 70 per- cent of the amount of fuel that it had previously. Other enhancements in- cluded upgraded Concorde batteries suitable for extreme cold, AMSAFE seatbelt airbags and Avidyne IFD 550/440 Touch-Screen Aviation GPS Navigators. In all, more than 50 modifications and upgrades were incorporated.
“Nothing was left on the table in terms of modifications,” said DeLau- rentis. “There isn’t anything else that could have been done to improve speed, altitude, or range. I had even thought of stripping the exterior paint to save weight but was told that would not be beneficial.”
Even with the sheer amount of preparation and aircraft improve- ments, Robert wasn’t entirely sure that the mission would be a success. Some of this concern arose from others vocalizing it wouldn’t be pos- sible (including a sponsor). Before too much doubt could creep in, Robert regained his focus and faith in suc- cess. “I didn’t think I was led down this path to fail,” he said.
With improvements and f light test- ing complete, the aircraft (dubbed the “Citizen of the World”) was ready to prove itself. The aircraft took off from San Diego, heading south to- wards its first stop in the Browns- ville, Texas area, then onwards to Central America.
Overcoming the Challenges
Encountering road bumps is an aspect of any aviation mission, and, of course, there were many during a f lying adventure of this magni- tude. Aside from the 20 minutes of
Kenya's Chairman of the National Environment Management Authority.
Georgia Aviation University Flight School.
fuel that remained while finishing the South Pole portion of the flight, there were obstacles such as unex- pected changes in wind or weather, extreme cold below the operating limits, a considerable fuel leak, and the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic causing closures across many coun- tries’ borders.
But despite numerous challenges and delays, the mission was a suc- cess. The aircraft completed its intended mission and returned to the United States after nearly nine months of travel.
Aside from a safe return home, there was much Robert took away from the trip and was able to cele- brate. Among the positives was the in- corporation of several sponsored ex- periments carried aboard the aircraft during the trip. One was the NASA “Wafer Scale Spacecraft Experiment,”
which took 700,000 photos during the trip and served as an example of the future of spaceflights. Another was the simple addition of 3M double- sided tape to the nose and wingtips of the aircraft, which sought to capture any microplastic particles that may be floating around at altitude.
Mobile STEM Lab
Today, the Twin Commander retains its dedication to education and science, having since been transformed into a mobile STEM lab. One of the highlights of this nationally-touring, flying education vestibule is the transport of a Red- bird simulator. The simulator is set up at each airshow or event to allow attendees and children to try their hand at flying the aircraft virtually.
Robert worked with Redbird to integrate several aspects of his
August 2021 / TWIN & TURBINE • 11