A109S Crew Cross "Pond" in Record Time

Pilots Scott Kasprowicz and Steve Sheik are claiming a speed record for a New York City-London helicopter flight. The flight of Kasprowicz's AgustaWestland A109S Grand that ended early Aug. 9 with a landing at Redhill (just south of London) was the first leg of an around-the-world record attempt by the pair—with the whole-hearted support of the manufacturer. The transatlantic flight covered 3,449 nm in 40 hr, 41 min, which AW said broke the record by more than 35 hr. The claim must be verified by the National Aeronautical Association, the U.S. branch of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, which is the world's official arbiter of aeronautical records. Kasprowicz and Sheik were reported to have entered Russian airspace Aug. 10 and expected to reach the Bering Strait and re-enter the U.S. by tomorrow. For related news