Welcome to the Reader’s gallery
During his adventures, Norman met hundreds of interesting people from all across the globe. If you were one of them and have a photo or two that you would like to share, this is the place to do that.
Welcome to the Readers Gallery, a community submitted collection of photographs of Norman and G-YROX!
No photos? no problem! Below the gallery is a space for your stories and other words you may want to share.
"Norman with Ira McComic" - Christine Toevs (Justin TX - Mark Airey’s home, 15 July 2019. Page 513 First Gyro)
"Norman & Adrian Richards towards the end of their Kirkbride Training" - John Butler (Kirkbride Airfield, Feb 2007)
"Christine, Neil Sheather,Mark Rhoads and Mark Airey farewell Norman from Propwash! (page 514)" - Christine Toevs (Justin TX USA, 16 July 2019)
"Norman and a Doppelganger" - Soi (Ireland, 2018)
"Our trip to Bois de la Pierre. It gave Norman the Idea........" - John Butler (Bois de la Pierre. The AutoGyro Club, along with boss, Jean Marie Varga, 2009)
" We "looked" after Norman during his stay at Oshkosh and the Mentone Fly in July-Aug 2019 The was never a finer Gentleman and is greatly missed." - Pat and Steve Owen (Oshkosh WI USA, 2019)
"When the weather is bad, do some seightseeing" - Dan Rasmussen (Nuuk, 2015)
"Norman explaining his tours to one of our twins" - Dan Rasmussen (Nuuk, 2015)
"Brent Drake PRA president presenting farthest flown award to Norman at convention banquet." - Christine Toevs (Mentone IN USA, August 2019)
"Norman and ROXY Taxing out of the show grounds at Oshkosh. The every present smile " - Steve Owen (United States, 2019)
"I promised to visit him one day - if corona hadn't hit the world I would've kept my promise" - Dan Rasmussen (Nuuk apron, 2015)
"Haircut in USA" - Jenn DeWindt (Munster, Indiana, USA, July 19, 2019)
"Norman in his element at Old Warden" - Dave Haines (United Kingdom, 2018)
"G-YROX arrives home for the first time after Norman's first circumnavigation" - Earl Ewelock (Ireland, 2015)
"Norman with some of the USAF aircraft at Oshkosh. "A faster way home" was his comment" - Steve Owen (EAA Oshkosh, 2019)
"Back on the home ground after crossing the Atlantic" - Roy Beggs (Sandy Bay, Larne, United Kingdom, 10 August 2015 )
"A curious Icelandic Viking gets to sit in Roxy!" -John McClean (Reykjavik airport Iceland, 3rd August 2015)
"Christine Toevs & Norman" - (Justin TX USA, 14 July 2019
"Hooking-Up at Oban - on his way home to Larne" - John Butler (Oban, Scotland, August 2015)
"Dinner at our house with Norman and a couple of friends" - Dan Rasmussen (Nuuk, 2015)
"Onwards to Kansas- Norman taxiing past Christine’s gyro trailer/RV out troll Propwash runway" - Christine Toevs - (Justin TX USA, 16 July 2019)
"Norman and Dewey as he passed through Worthington Minnesota" - Dwaine Higgins (Worthington, MN, June 2015)
"Norman's award at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh WI 2019" - Steve Owen (Oshkosh WI USA, 2019)
"Hal Kilburn greets Norm upon his arrival at the Warren County Airport" - Christine Hogan-Kilburn ( Glens Falls, NY, USA, 2015)
"Serendipidous Stopover at Buno Bonnevaux, south of Paris. Shelter in a Storm !" - John Butler (Buno Bonnevaux Gliding Club, 2009)
"Norman being interviewed by the Icelandic national television (www.ruv.is) before departing for Egilsstadir in the East of Iceland." - John McClean (Reykjavik Airport, 3rd August 2015)
"Norman sewing up his shorts at Mentone… page 524!" - Christine Toevs (Mentone airport INdiana USA, August 2019)
"Norman's prolonged stay in Nuuk due to weather. He stayed at our house and we had fun :)" - Dan Rasmussen (Nuuk, 2015)
"Flying the Mill Viaduct" - John Butler (France, June 2009)
"Refueling in the back of my car" - Dan Rasmussen (Nuuk city, 2015)
"Landing in Larne following an epic journey" - Roy Beggs (Sandy Bay, Larne, United Kingdom, 10 August 2015 )
"ROXY on display at EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2019" - Steve Owen (EAA Oshkosh, 2019)
"Just landed at Reykjavik Iceland after his long flight from Greenland exhausted Norman removes his red survival suit." - John McClean (Hanger at Reykjavik airport, Iceland, 1st August 2015)
"At Bois de la Pierre - the round France Trip which sparked his interest to go the whole hog !" - John Butler (Bois de la Pierre, South France, 2009)
"Garnering early Media Interest during our visit to a foggy Duxford" - John Butler (Duxford Airfield, England, 2010)
"Norman landing at Stoke Airfield. Final stop before coasting out" - John Butler (Stoke Airfield, Kent, March 2010)
"Me following Norman to Dover as he leaves Blighty behind and his Adventure Begins in Earnest." - John Butler (March 26th, 2010)
'Getting the run down of the Gyro" - Dwaine Higgins (Worthington, MN, June 2015)
No photos? no problem!
For those who just want to share a few words without any pictures, here is the place to do so. Please let us know where you joined Norman’s journey and try and keep your contribution under 250 words please, thank you!
“I met Norman at the end of his trip. He came to Oshkosh, Wi for EAA and stayed with my husband and I for almost 3 weeks. I fell in love with the little Irishman, a perfect gentleman at all times. I was so looking forward to him coming this year again. I will cherish his memory always. I haven't started his book yet but Steve has. We have a guest book all our EAA guests sign, I told Norm he should charge $5 for his autograph and when the book came out $10. His last talk with Steve 2 days before he passed he said " tell Pat she owes me $5". Come and get it Norman.”
— Patricia Owen
“On June 20th, 2015, Hal Kilburn, president of the Warren County Flying Club, got one of the most unusual phone calls of his life. The caller explained that he was part of the support team for Norman Surplus, a man who was in the process of circumnavigating the globe in a gryocopter. Unbeknownst to Hal, the gyro was heading toward his home airport in upstate New York, and the pilot was looking for some local assistance upon landing. Hal welcomed Norm the next day with lunch, and fellow flying club member, Steve Miller provided dinner and transportation to overnight accommodations. The Club was thrilled to have been a part, as small as it was, of this historic flight. Though he has "Gone West", he certainly won't be forgotten.”
— Christine Hogan-Kilburn
I followed Norman via his tracker and was mesmerised the whole time . One of the greatest aviators of all time. Thank you Norman for what you gave us. RIP