Polly Vacher - The first pilot to complete a solo flight around the world via both Poles in a single-engine aircraft!

Polly learned to fly when she was 50 years old and after qualifying, she went on to complete numerous flying challenges in order to raise funds for the charity - Flying Scholarships for the Disabled.

In 2001 Polly completed a lateral solo circumnavigation of the world. At 59 years old on May 6, 2003, Polly took off from Birmingham airport seeking to become the first pilot to complete a solo flight around the world via both Poles in a single-engine aircraft!

During this podcast we learn more about Polly, where her love of flying came from and why she doesn’t let fear stop her from going after her dreams. She shares personal stories and how she trained for over two years to prepare for this incredible journey. Now aged 72, Polly is still challenging herself and wants to encourage you to challenge yourself and to go after those dreams. It’s time to stop with the excuses and start believing in yourself. 

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Show notes

• Being brought up in Devonshire and spending time on the beach and in the hills
• Her adventures started when she was 45 years old and did a sponsored sky dive for charity!
• Heading off to Australia and having her first flying lesson aged 50
• Remembering her first gliding experience and why it always stayed with her
• Doing 240 sky dives and why she loves a challenge
• Her faith and how it helps her 
• Why you have to make the effort and not sit back and wait for things to happen
• Her progression into flying
• Her first flying lesson and her first solo flight!
• Her newest challenge - Donkey training!
• Keeping calm and why it saved her life
• How one comment changed her life!
• Deciding to fly over the North Atlantic to America!
• Flying Scholarships for Disabled People
• Her first around the world challenge
• When she learned from her first trip and why preparation was so important
• Survival training!
• Her engine stopping…..while flying over the poles
• Why fear is an important part of life
• Dealing with an intruder
• Finishing her challenges and feeling let down at the end
• Why you have to keep looking forward and not looking back
• Her proudest moment
• Why you shouldn’t give up on your dreams!

 

Book -  Wings Around The World: The Exhilarating Story of One Woman's Epic Flight from the North Pole to Antarctica 

 

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Next week we have Elise Downing coming on the Tough Girl Podcast to share her story of running 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain!