Quick Facts
Biography
Jon Johanson (born 1956 in Warburton, Victoria) is a world-record setting Australian aviator. He is well known for his pioneering flights in a home-built Van's Aircraft RV-4. Johanson is a qualified nurse, midwife, carpenter and air-transport pilot.
Flights
In 2003 he made the first solo flight in a single-engine home-built aircraft over the South Pole. After landing at the McMurdo-Scott base he became stranded when the base, not wishing to encourage future private flights, refused to sell him fuel. After a fuel donation by fellow adventurer Polly Vacher, he was able to fly on to Australia, via New Zealand.
Awards and Records
In 2004 Johanson was awarded the FAI Gold Air Medal by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI); it is one of the organisations highest awards. At the time he held 47 FAI world records.
In 2004, Johanson was also named the Adventurer of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society.