After 69 days and nearly 25,000 miles, Memphis businessman Wei Chen will be making his triumphant return home in just a few days after becoming the first Chinese citizen to circumnavigate the globe in a single-engine plane, a TBM 700.
Chen, CEO and founder of Sunshine Enterprises in Memphis, said he is extremely eager to be reunited with his wife Isabel and their three daughters, but his family isn’t the only group to be greeting him home. Chen’s adopted hometown of Memphis is celebrating his return with a gathering at the Wilson Air Center at the Memphis International Airport on July 29. He is expected to touch down at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Notable guests to the celebration include Memphis Mayor AC Wharton and Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell. Also in attendance will be Elgen M. Long, best known for being the first person to fly around the world over both poles in 1971 and David W. Jourdan, the founder of Nauticos and member of the Explorer’s Club.
Chen departed from Memphis on May 22 determined to fulfill his lifelong dream of piloting his plane, The Memphis Wei, around the world. Along the way he has visited over 40 cities in 29 countries. In each one he has touted Memphis, the city he now calls home.
For more information: WeiAroundTheWorld.com
