Around The World In 80 Days 'Everyone Thought It Couldn't Be Done'

Courageous Cliff Put His Life on the Line for His Flight of Fancy

- Lynley Ward

Fifty years ago, pioneering Kiwi airman Cliff Tait took off from a Hamilton airstrip joking he was on his way home the long way round as he embarked on a trailblazing feat to circumnavigate the globe in a tiny New Zealand-made plane.

Some 80 days later the novice pilot, with just two years flying experience, would land safely back in Waikato having faced extreme weather conditions, interrogations and narrowly averting tragedy to become the first person to accomplish the journey in the world’s smallest single-engine aircraft and seal his place in our country’s aviation history.

The feat arguably remains one of Aotearoa’s lesser-known record endeavours when the former salesman decided to embark on an intrepid mission to show the world Kiwis had what it took to hold their own in troubling economic times.

While his days in the cockpit ended abruptly in a fiery air crash some 15 years later, Cliff (89) vividly recalls the 48,000km flight that changed the course of his life as he celebrates the milestone 50th anniversary.

“I wanted to jump out and cuddle my family because everyone thought it couldn’t be done,” he recalls of his triumphant return home.

With the gleaming pocket-sized airtourer, affectionately named Miss Jacy, the focus of a special exhibition at Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology until October, Cliff tells the Weekly getting off the ground was a feat in itself.

Encouraged by wife Joyce (86) to take up flying, Cliff gained his pilot’s licence and thanks to his newfound hobby, hatched his great plan.