The Next Five Minutes

Book excerpt: On a cold December morning in 1986, Dick Rutan and co-pilot Jeana Yeager, against all odds, made aviation history when they successfully completed the first ever non-stop and non-refueled flight around the world in a homebuilt airplane! They had traversed 26,358 statute miles, returning with only 18.3 of the 1200 gallons of gas they had taken off with nine days prior. Following their arduous takeoff, Dick's younger brother, Burt, watched the plane of his design disappear over the vast Pacific, believing it improbable he would ever see his brother alive again. Dick had always been a risk-taker, possessing both a talent and passion for flying. Even at a young age he knew he wanted to achieve something of significance as a pilot. Although his motivation was strong, Dick struggled academically with what he learned decades later was undiagnosed dyslexia. With determination, he painfully devised ways to transcend those academic limitations and attain his goals. Little did he realize that the setbacks he experienced along the way would provide him with the exact skill-set he needed. This young man who had been deemed unfit for college would repeatedly succeed despite the odds. He rose through the ranks of the military and became a highly decorated fighter pilot who flew 105 combat missions over North Vietnam. Following his Air Force career, he set numerous aviation records, many of which remain unbroken. An inductee of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, he was the recipient of aviation's most coveted awards and was presented the Citizens Medal by President Ronald Reagan. Throughout his life, Dick sought adventure and welcomed challenge, frequently finding himself at "danger's door" wondering what THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES of his life would be like. In his words, "It's great to be an American¿to live in a free country where, if you can dream it, you can do it. The only way to fail is if you quit."