The State : Boy Ends Bid for Air Marks

A boy pilot from Santa Maria, who first flew only three months ago, has completed a round-trip cross-country flight, which he hopes will break time and distance records for a 10-year-old. Erik Fiederer, who will celebrate his 11th birthday on Saturday, landed the single-prop Cessna 210 at 12:48 p.m. at Vandenberg Air Force Base with flight instructor Daryle Crowder at his side and his mother, Air Force Col. Nancy Fiederer, who is stationed there, on board. Asked what message his flight might offer to fellow youngsters, Erik said, “Go for it, they should follow their dream.” Crowder said unofficial estimates of 31 hours of flight time to Florida and back and the 5,500 miles for the round-trip indicate Erik possibly established records for the time of a cross-country flight by a 10-year-old and the overall distance flown by a youth.