Entrepreneur’s round-the-world flight wins for charity
By AOPA ePublishing staff
When Jared Isaacman lifted off, he intended to set a round-the-world speed record to raise money and awareness for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey, a charity that grants wishes to critically ill children. Although he returned home this month without the desired record, the $50,000 his effort raised will make dreams come true.
Isaacman, the 25-year-old founder and CEO of United Bank Card Inc., a major credit card transaction processor, launched March 28 in a Cessna Citation Mustang from New Jersey’s Morristown Municipal Airport. But he had to abandon the record attempt when he was denied permission to fly over or land in India.
A second flight, launched from Doha, Qatar, on April 2 missed setting the record for light jets by just one hour. But Isaacman believes he did set an eastbound round-the-world record for very light jets as well as 17 city-to-city records. The information has been submitted to the National Aeronautic Association and the Federation Aeronautique Internationale for confirmation.
Isaacman, who owns and flies a Citation III, Beechcraft Baron, and North American T-28C Trojan in addition to the Mustang used for the record attempt, says aviation is his passion and he thought the flight would be a good way to test himself and his aircraft while drawing attention to the work done by Make-A-Wish.
Although Isaacman is disappointed that he didn’t set the intended record, he can’t help but consider the effort a success. And, he says, he will try for the record again some day.
April 23, 2008
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