Fastest circumnavigation by helicopter through antipodal points

The fastest helicopter flight around the world passing through antipodal points was piloted by André Marcello Borges de Freitas (Brazil) and Peter Wilson (UK), who flew a Robinson R66 from Jaguaruna in Santa Caterina, Brazil, eastbound through the antipodes of Bichura in Russia and El Calafate in Argentina in 105 days 7 hours between 18 June and 1 October 2024 at an average speed of 19.21 km/h (11.94 mph). The circumnavigation was ratified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).

The route took de Freitas and Wilson through 34 countries (some entered twice), flying about 31,000 nautical miles in 106 days. For Wilson, this route combined the beauty of his previous Latin America (2018/19) and Round the World (2017) routes. "By taking the northerly route through Europe, Turkey, and entering Russia from the Stans, we saw the beauty of this region, including stunning Lake Baikal and awesome Kamchatka while able to avoid the monsoonal weather of the southerly route through Asia."