FPS New Zealand, a member of the growing FPS forwarding network, has helped a plucky Kiwi pilot to fulfil his long-held ambition of flying across America in a wooden plane that he built himself.

The Italian-designed Falco aircraft was constructed by 49-year-old Air New Zealand pilot George Richards of Auckland in his spare time from 1994 to 2002, using an airframe kit imported from Canada. In the past ten years, he has flown the tiny plane (length 6.5 m/21 ft 4 in, wingspan 8.0 m/26 ft 3 in, dry weight 550 kg/1,212 lb) all over his native country, but never abroad.

All that will change this month when he, and fellow Air New Zealand pilot and friend Darryn Morgan, will fly the little yellow plane 3000km from Los Angeles to Wisconsin ' navigating right through the Rocky Mountains' 3000m peaks in order to stay within the unpressurised aircraft's operating ceiling.

"We're splitting it up into about a week, and will fly about three to four hours a day,' explains George, adding: 'Basically we keep below 10,000ft because any higher than that you require oxygen."

George dismantled the aircraft in order to fit it into a 40ft ocean container, which FPS New Zealand then shipped from Auckland to Long Beach, California; the 9700km voyage took 16 days.

Pilot and constructor George has now been reunited with his aircraft in the USA, to begin the re-build in preparation for his epic journey. Once the flight is completed, George will dismantle his aircraft again, and FPS will return it to its native New Zealand.