JP Thor Will Attempt to Be the First Helicopter Pilot to Cross the North and South Poles and Circumnavigate the Globe Longitudinally

Australian tech entrepreneur and avid adventurer, John-Paul Thorbjornsen (JP), gears up for an extraordinary expedition that will see him travelling over all seven continents in just 300 flight hours. 

JP’s lifelong passion for aviation began at 16 and has only grown stronger over the years. Reflecting on his love for flying, JP shared, “My passion for flying started when I took my first lesson at 16, and I’ve never looked back. The ACH130 Aston Martin Edition brought me on a cross-globe journey where I experienced different cultures, made new friends, and created many beautiful memories with my family and friends. With this new ACH125, I’m looking forward to exploring the world in a different way.”

Unveiling his ambitious flight plan, JP described the upcoming journey as “an expedition like no other.” The adventure will commence from his hometown in Darwin, where JP will embark on a global circumnavigation in a convoy of two helicopters. The journey will include his ACH130 Aston Martin Edition and an Airbus ACH125, accompanied by another pilot.

The expedition will cover 30,000 nautical miles, starting with an 11,000 nautical mile journey to the North Pole, followed by a 12,000 nautical mile trek to the South Pole, and concluding with a final leg of 7,000 nautical miles across to Dubai. The entire expedition is expected to span six months, crossing 50 countries and passing the equator three times.

About JP Thor

JP, born and homeschooled in rural Northern Territory, excelled academically before joining the Air Force, where he graduated top of his class in Aeronautical Engineering and became a fighter pilot, amassing over 2,000 flight hours worldwide. In 2013, he shifted to crypto, founding THORChain under the pseudonym “Leena.” By 2018, THORChain hit a $1 billion market value, and JP eventually revealed his identity in 2024, turning over the platform to the community. Today, it stands as the world’s largest decentralized liquidity protocol with a market value exceeding $2 billion.