Northern Virginia businessman and helicopter owner-pilot Scott Kasprowicz, along with copilot Steve Sheik, broke the international New York-to-Los Angeles transcontinental rotorcraft speed record on February 16 flying N1US, a factory-standard AgustaWestland A109S Grand. Kasprowicz and Sheik made the 2,139.8-nm trip in 15 hours, 9 minutes and 10 seconds, easily besting the previous record of 19 hours and 16 seconds set in 1985. Because it is an international record, the National Aeronautic Association will record the official distance as 3,962.8 kilometers.
The pair left Sheltair Aviation at New York La Guardia Airport at 4:12:20 a.m. EST on February 16 and made six fuel stops along the way before landing at Landmark Aviation at Los Angeles International Airport at 7:21:30 p.m. EST. Kasprowicz and Sheik averaged 141.3 knots on their journey, despite encountering 10- to 15-knot headwinds. Fuel stops made along the way included Butler, Pa.; Kokomo, Ind.; Kirksville, Mo.; Great Bend, Kan.; Alamosa, Colo.; and Grand Canyon, Ariz.
