Andreas Venturini and Alberto Porto announce “The Challenge Flight” from Italy to Oshkosh at Aero Friedrichshafen 2024.
You’ve heard of the Risen, Alberto Porto’s sleek, fast retractable that makes the most of its Rotax 912 power. With more than 180 mph on tap with the 912 iS, the Risen seems the perfect two-person traveling machine. It’s also one, like the Sparker, that would fit well into the new MOSAIC rules.
Well, Porto and Andrea Venturini are going to find out just how well it travels this summer. They’ve announced a “unique, record breaking flight across the Atlantic Ocean.” Only this Risen will be using the latest Rotax 916 iS, the turbocharged, 160-hp engine so many airframers are now fitting in place of the 915 iS.
For Porto and Venturini, “the plan is to cover 3200 kms or about 2000 statute miles across the Atlantic Ocean with a fuel consumption of just over 50 gallons of fuel at speeds up to 230 mph. The entire route, not known to have been ever flown before, certainly not in a piston powered aircraft, will cover 3900 nautical miles over about 20 hours.” The destination, of course, is Oshkosh for AirVenture this summer.
The Risen Superveloce at AERO 2024 packs the most powerful four-cylinder Rotax, the turbocharged 916.
Porto offers more detail. “This will be a flight starting from our home base airport Voghere Rivanazzano Airport, LILH, in Milan, Italy, and complete in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. We will stop at Goose Bay, Canada for customs then will continue to Appleton, again for US customs, then ultimately into Oshkosh. My co-pilot Andrea has a deep passion for flying, that is what got us together to begin with. He has a great knowledge of aviation and is an advanced sailplane pilot. Andrea will be documenting the flight and reporting the entire flight on social media, producing content that will be live streamed.” Reported Alberto.
It won’t be the first time a Risen has crossed the pond. “Alberto and Risen are not new to this kind of adventure having already crossed the Ocean twice,” says Venturini. “First breaking every record through the ‘southern route’ from Italy to South America through Cape Verde and a second flight through the ‘northern route’ via Iceland and Greenland. We will be watching the weather closely in June and July, as we will need the right conditions to meet this challenge.”
Very cool. I’d love to see a report on the Argon 915GTL gyroplane, piloted by Tof Gonin and Aurelie Suzur, making it’s way right now from France to Oshkosh.