THE Global Eagle has landed - crash landed that is - with the pilot saved from serious injury thanks to a rally car seat.

The unlucky turn of events has forced Warrant Officer Barry Jones, who suffered three broken ribs in the accident, to postpone his attempt to be the first to fly around the world in an autogyro.

Having prepared himself for months for a huge send off at Waddington International Airshow, near Lincoln, on June 28, WO Jones said yesterday that he will feel sad when the day comes round.

But, refuelled with confidence and determination, the helicopter pilot at Dishforth Airfield, North Yorkshire, said he was looking on the bright side of life and treating the accident as a learning curve.

Recalling the crash, he said: "I could tell something was wrong as I took off. The autogyro wasn't pulling as much, so I decided to take her down.

"I wanted to land on a rugby pitch, but she was falling too fast and I knew I was going to hit one of two buildings. There was a violent shake, I hit the right side and I plummeted to the floor."

Both he and his passenger, Staff Sergeant Jim Donald, were badly bruised in the crash - but WO Jones believes that the Corbeau seat, fitted from a rally car, saved his life.

The Global Eagle autogyro is in the process of being repaired and the team are once again planning for the epic 80-day journey, now scheduled for February.

In the mean time, the men, who hope by the end of the attempt to have raised one million pounds for three charities, are continuing to fundraise with visits to schools and shows.

The Global Eagle expedition commemorates 100 years since the Wright Brothers first powered flight.

Anyone interested in to supporting the team or learning more about them, is asked to visit

www.globaleagle.co.uk