Round-the-World Flights

Gunther & Alice Balz Round-the-World Air Tour

Page 5d (rev: 1000)

Gunther Balz	Alice Balz	Balz with Plane	Balz Autograph	AOPA Article

	Little things can change your life forever. In March 1962 Gunther and Alice Balz were on
holiday in Hawaii.  They rented a Piper Apache for local island hooping and on settling their 
bill, the sale rep suggested they get a plane and fly round-the-world.  "The seed of an idea 
can grow fast particularly in an enthusiastic private pilot's mind." 

	"The most critical aspects of this dream flight were the planning stages."  They purchased 
a 1957 D50 Twin Bonanza and added three cabin fuel tanks and a drum tank in the rear baggage 
compartment.  After inspecting every part of the plane bringing  it into perfect condition, 
purchasing survival equipment and world navigational charts, they departed Kalamazoo, MI on 
October 17, 1962 on their round-the-world air journey.

	As they flew round-the-world Gunther and Alice met many interesting friends, saw many
extraordinary places and experienced so many differing customs that were collectively logged 
as their life adventure.  This round-the-world trip "should last a lifetime."   

Itinerary:
Departed Kalamazoo, MI                   10/17/62
         Abilene, TX
         Phoenix, AZ
         Lancaster, CA
         Fullerton, CA
         Oakland, CA                     10/19-21/62           
         Hilo, HI
         Honolulu, HI                    Returned due to bad weather.
         Honolulu, HI 		                              			
         Christmas Island                11/01/62
         Tahiti                                           
         Bora Bora                       11/02/62
         Rarotonga, Cook Island          11/14/62
         Aitutaki                        11/17/62
         Pago Pago                       11/18/62
         Apia, Western Samoa             11/20/62
         Suva, Fiji                      11/25/62
         Nandi, Fiji                     12/03/62
         Ile des Pins
         Norfolk Island
         New Caldonia
         Auckland, New Zealand           12/07/62	
         Paeroa, New Zealand
         Lake Taupo, New Zealand
         Wellington, New Zealand
         Auckland, New Zealand           12/12/62
         Norfolk Island
         Sydney, Australia     
         Bankstown, Australia            Returned due to bad weather
         Sydney, Australia
         Melbourne, Australia
         Alice Springs, Australia
         Port Moresby, New Guinea
         Lae, New Guinea                 01/08/63
         Hollandia, Indonesia
         Biak, Indonesia
         Cebu, Philippines
         Manila, Philippines         
         Taipei, Taiwan                  01/11-14/63 Side trip via CAT to Tokyo/Hong Kong.
         Tokyo, Japan
         Hong Kong
         Taipei, Taiwan                  02/06/63
         Manila, Philippines             Local sightseeing side trips.
         Brunei
         Borneo
         Singapore
         Bangkok, Thailand
         Calcutta, India
         Benares, India
         New Delhi, India
         Bombay, India                   03/07/63
         Karachi, Pakistan               03/08/63
         Sharja, Oman
         Bahrain
         Baghdad, Iraq                   03/09/63
         Damascus, Syria                 03/13/63
         Beirut, Lebanon
         Alexandria, Egypt               03/18/63
         Cairo, Egypt
         Luxor, Egypt
         Khartoum, Sudan                 03/25/63
         Juba, Sudan                                  
         Entebbe, Uganda                 03/26/63 					     
         Zanzibar
         Beira, Mozambique
         Johannesburg, South Africa
         Luanda, Angola
         Sao Tome Island
         Abidjan, Ivory Coast
         Rabat,  Morocco
         Las Palmas, Canary Islands
         Seville, Spain                  05/04/63
         Corsica Island
         Milan, Italy
         Nice, France
         Saint Florent, France
         Stuttgart, Germany
         Neuchatel, Switzerland          Side trip via jet to Paris.
         Amsterdam, Netherlands
         Gatwick, London
         Prestwick, Scotland
         Keflavik, Iceland               06/29/63
         Gander, Newfoundland
Arrived  Kalamazoo, MI                   07/01/63  

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