Dick Rutan and Tom Bartlett at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Richard “Dick” Rutan (born July 1, 1938) is an aviator who
is most famous for flying the Voyager aircraft around the
world non-stop with the assistance of Jeana Yeager.  Dick
Rutan and Jeana Yeager took off in Voyager on December
14, 1986 from Edwards Air Force Base's 15,000 foot (4570
meter) runway.  They struggled throughout the flight with
weather, stress, and the continuing demand for fuel. They
were even denied access to the airspace above Libya.
Finally, after 9 days, 3 minutes, and 44 seconds of flight,
they touched down on December 23 with only a few
gallons of fuel remaining.  The 24,986-mile (40,211 km)
trip yielded Rutan and Yeager numerous awards.