Honolulu, HI—Accomplished and award winning pilot, Dawn Bartsch, and her husband, Gordon, made history in July 1992 by participating in the First Annual Around the World Air Rally, a circumnavigation of 12 small planes flying around the world in 21 days while crossing the entire landmass of Russia. Flying in a newly acquired twin-engine Cessna 421 Golden Eagle, Kona Wind, Gordon and Dawn, and the rest of the adventurous group, saw Russia at a major turning point in history, the Cold War had only been over for seven months and confusion reigned supreme.

Dawn's legacy as one of the first accomplished female pilots is legendary. In 2011 she was inducted into the Yukon Transportation Hall of Fame and received the Yukon Territory Order of Polaris in recognition of her work in the region. In 2015 she received the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award for Pioneers. Dawn married Gordon in 1962, a pilot she had hired to work at Connelly-Dawson Airways.

Dawn's detailed flight journal, one of seven major flight logs, was used to help create a new book about the this amazing aviation adventure right after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Michael B. Butler, who documented the world flight in video and still pictures, just released Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later: 12 Planes & 22 Aviators Thru 11 Countries When the Soviet Union Fell & Russia Returned on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and in audio book from Google Play.

Official Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days Book Trailer

Here are three excerpts from Dawn's World Flight Across Russia Flight Journal, a major part of the book, Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later.

Excerpt #1, Repairs in Bangor, Maine

    The Cessna 421 Kona Wind had radar and ADF problems, plus the #1 VHF radio was out, so Gordon and Dawn went south to nearby Portland for repairs. Dawn relates from her journal, "We presented our problems to Northeast Air's radio shop manager David, after assuring us it was a two-to-three-day job Gordon and I pleaded that we would remove the cowlings and pinpoint the problems. We were in a spot and he came to our rescue. He stayed two hours past closing and pushed back his dinner date, which allowed him to fix all three problems by 7:30 pm.

    "We had to wait an hour for local thunderstorms across our route to Bangor, we thought ourselves fortunate and decided David was a genius at having fixed all three problems for us. We munched on some of our stash of Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts for giveaways, given to us by the state of Hawaii and Mauna Loa for promotion across Russia, and waited for clear weather. Gord and I arrive in Bangor just in time for a quick clean up and a huge Maine Lobster dinner from the almost closed kitchen, first a cold Martini and then dinner put us back into the 'Rally' mood."

Excerpt #2, Landing in Iceland After Stop in Greenland for Fuel

    Gordon and Dawn, in the twin Cessna 421 Kona Wind, arrived last as Dawn relates, "After our long two-leg journey from Canada to Greenland to Iceland, it is nice to just walk over to the Loftleidir Hotel adjacent to the airport, by this time it is late and after a quick wash we head for dinner. With everyone else done we sit down with photographer, Micheal Butler, and Paul Hollenbeck. Waiters throw down a plate of food for us offering water nor drinks at this late hour, barely past 10:00 pm. We are just about to order our official 'Atlantic Crossing' drink when Eric walks up and says, 'briefing in 15 minutes, be there.'

    "Before we even finish our dinner, Marcel comes by urging everyone to the briefing room right away, the next day's flight plan is needed in one hour. This is a most unwelcome interruption after our 14-hour trip across the North Atlantic through Greenland. So, Gordon and I angrily drag our weary bodies over to the briefing room, most of the others grumble under their breath at this late night inconvenience.

    "Marcel is concerned, unduly, that we can't fill out the European flight plan correctly, he insists European air traffic control needs our flight plans the night before departure. A major fault of the organizers on this Rally is a failure to warn everyone about these requirements ahead of time. Last minute requests or itinerary changes cause dissension amongst the ranks. Before Gordon and I got all of the ICAOs filled out, Marcel informs us he also needs our Helsinki to Moscow flight plan right away as well. It is now well after 11:00 pm, we have lost three hours during a nine-hour day of flying, and now this! Since our flight plan sheets are in the aircraft, it is down to the plane to fetch our charts, then back to fill out additional flight plans. We finally got to sleep around 1:00 am, it has been a long day and the next one will start soon at 6:00 am."

Excerpt #3, Landing at Tushino Airfield in Moscow

    Back to July 1992, Gordon and Dawn in the twin Cessna 421 Kona Wind were also nervous about Russian airspace, Dawn's journal continues, "Into Russia! We get a 5:00 am wakeup call and arrive at the airport around 6:30 am, after a European breakfast of cold meat and cheese. With a two-hour wait, there is time for planning, checking weather and attending to the aircraft, everyone is thinking about Russian controllers. Nervous tension can be felt as everyone wonders about what is in store for us in Moscow. We are confronting Russia and all the history which still haunts her as a dramatic historical transition begins. We are in the aircraft working when from nowhere comes this booming music, as we step out, we know it has got to be Mace—who else would play 'Dixie' full blast on the tarmac in Finland with a Texas flag flying proudly from the rear-tail of the plane. This certainly stirs things up; everyone mills around laughing in a relaxed manner that serves to take the edge off of the impending flight.

    "Around 8:45 am we fire up, takeoff and climb up to 19,000 feet. For the first half it is broken cloud/hazy conditions with a line of build-ups to weave thru, but it clears up as we progress closer to Moscow through the northwest corner of Russia over Estonia and into Russian airspace. Below the farmers burn fields and this creates a smoky haze which permeates the area, we assume this must be the Russian way of cleaning dead vegetation and has been so for millennia.

    "We are all concerned about how Russians controllers will treat us as we make our first position report over the Ledun intersection, it brought stone silence, we carry on waiting and listening and waiting… then the other crews start their reports, which gives us our chance. We learn quickly that you must say your altitude in meters when you first make a call, or no response will come, in fact you repeat your altitude three-times during a report: initiating and acknowledging their confirmation—the controllers are pretty good but you must listen up!"

Media Contact: For review copies or interviews please contact Eric Blair Enterprises at MichaelButlerBooks@pm.me or 213-534-7292.