One Planet, One People, One Plane
“Peace Pilot” Robert DeLaurentis completes historic Pole to Pole circumnavigation during Pandemic
Former Naval officer turned pilot Robert DeLaurentis completed a nine-month mission to share peace worldwide by connecting the two places on the planet where peace has always existed — the North and South Poles — with everyone in between. As part of this mission, Robert carried a Wafer Scale Spacecraft for NASA and an atmospheric plastics testing experiment for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
“I seek out adventure from 37,000 feet up,” says Robert. “I also seek a balance to share what I've learned as an aviator, and to learn from others across the planet. I learned that there are more similarities than differences among the people I met. We all have hopes and dreams, a need to belong, to be safe, to love and be loved. My inspiration has been the support that people all around the world have given me—their belief in my mission, my team, and me. This allowed me to take the plane and myself to our absolute and total limits over the South Pole, continue the mission while waiting out a pandemic lockdown in Spain for three months, and fly from Sweden over the North Pole to Alaska on an 18.1-hour solo flight where I lost communication for five hours, wondering if I would ever see land again.”
Robert named his highly modified 1983 twin-engine aircraft, “Citizen of the World” to showcase his mission, “One Planet, One People, One Plane: Oneness for Humanity.” He and his worldwide support team have filmed a ten-part docuseries called “Peace Pilot: To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond” (coming 2021). The docuseries includes interviews with many different types of people including NGO leaders and local residents in the 22 countries on six continents that he visited along the way, examining what it means to be a “Citizen of the World for the World.”
In addition, Robert also set multiple first-time aviation innovation records including:
- Successfully used biofuels over the North and South poles for the first time ever
- Longest distance flown in a twin- or single-engine turboprop—18.1 hours
- First and fastest Polar circumnavigation of the planet in a twin- or single-engine turboprop
- First testing for plastic microfibers across the globe including over the South and North poles
- First testing of NASA WaferScale Spaceship outside of Santa Barbara
Also known as the “Zen Pilot” for his work connecting a passion for flying with the inner spiritual journey, his latest mission has earned him the title of “Peace Pilot” in the media, inspiring the name of his docuseries and latest book.
“I took the biggest chance of my life with this Pole to Pole peace mission,” said DeLaurentis. “It was certainly the riskiest flight I ever set out on, with more opportunities for failure than I'd ever experienced. Add in a coronavirus pandemic that was not on the route schedule and having to navigate different countries' lockdown policies and count on the goodwill of people whose language I didn’t speak was daunting at times. But I learned more about what it truly means to be a “Citizen of the World” and the power of peace—both inner peace and peace between people and countries—than I ever dreamed possible.”
From the Skies to the Page
Robert is the author of several books, including:
“Flying Thru Life: How to Grow Your Business and Relationships with Applied Spirituality” illustrates 19 spiritual techniques you can use in life and business to create the abundance of time and money to pursue impossibly big dreams.
“Zen Pilot: Flight of Passion and the Journey Within” is a timeless tale for any aviator, adventurer, or person who has ever dreamed of flight. It offers insights into what we can learn from aviation about life and ourselves.
“The Little Plane That Could” is Robert’s first children’s book. Through the wonder of flight and the power of courageous action, it inspires kids to live their impossibly big dreams.
“Peace Pilot: To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond” (coming 2021) shares its name with the docuseries and offers an intimate portrait of Robert’s time traveling the globe to share peace. It’s an inspirational tale of global, no-limits exploration and the many lessons we can learn by “going for it” in life.
