Kelowna

Photo: Contributed - Flight4Life

The view from Mark Jennings-Bates's Parajet in this video screen grab.

You can call them early risers, quite literally.

This morning at 5:30, Queensland, Australia time, Parajet pilots Mark Jennings-Bates, of Peachland, and Vernon's Glenn Deruouin took their pararmotor rigs to the skies in the start of their epic trans-Australian flight aimed at setting a new world record for the longest expedition by paramotor.

Everything went well for the Flight4Life team as it left a small airfield in Woodstock near Townsville and landed just short of Charters Towers.

As the pilots rest after a sleepless night due to a large thunderstorm dousing their tents and equipment on the eve of their first leg, the team has no respite.

“There is no rest for the ground crew,” says Craig Greenwell, the only Australian on the trip.

Photo: Contributed - Flight4Life

Mark Jennings-Bates in his mobile "office."

“Once the pilots have landed, we need to refuel the pilots and the machines, charge various equipment, download video and photos and prepare everything for a launch later in the day. I am sure the next 60 days are going to go by pretty quickly.”

For now, the pilots are battling headwinds, which historically would be blowing form the north giving them assistance.

But for the next few days, at least, they will be flying into them toward Cloncurry before they turn south east for the second leg.

Interestingly, Cloncurry is the site of the first ever Royal Flying Doctor Service base, which happens to be one of the charities the adventurous duo are raising funds to help.

To follow along with their progress, you can see them in real time with their live tracking located at www.theflight4life.com

The team expects to arrive in Cloncurry by the end of the week before heading southeast toward Rockhampton, where they hope to arrive early next week.