A world-record-setting day,” said spokesperson Jenna Raeburn.įreedman said the day began badly with pouring rain at his departure point near the town of Blenheim.
“It’s a very exciting day for the airport.
Wellington International Airport officials believe it may be the longest distance flown in an electric plane across any body of water. Monday’s flight was aimed at drawing attention to the possibilities of greener flying and timed to coincide with the opening of a pivotal U.N. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - As he made history by becoming the first person to fly across New Zealand’s Cook Strait in an electric plane, Gary Freedman thought it only fitting that the first thing he saw when approaching the Wellington coastline was the rotating blade of a wind turbine producing renewable energy.įreedman’s 40-minute solo flight in the small two-seater came 101 years after the first person flew a conventional aircraft over the body of water that separates the South Pacific nation’s two main islands.
