This aircraft of the month is the Global Explorer, designed by Dean Wilson for Hubert de Chevigny. Dean was the “grandfather of Idaho bush planes” founding Avid aircraft in the early 1980’s. While Piper Cub configuration aircraft dominate most bush aircraft Avid feature side by side seating with folding wings. The front and back wing spars are aluminum tubes and have wood ribs. They also feature full flying flaperons and highly under cambered airfoils. Avid paved the way for aircraft like the Kitfox, Highlander & Rans. My Dream homebuilt aircraft growing up is the Avid Magnum (9/22 aircraft of the month) a larger o-360 powered version of the flyer series.
While I remember reading about the Global Explorer when it came out and was flying to remote destinations in the 1990’s High quality photos & info in 2025 is a hard find. I would like to give credit to much of this info to Natural Serenity’s Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122220216806071365&id=61552140967525&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=RTugGMqzoH01zmai and Aircraft Adventures on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aircraftadventures/p/CPLfz5cBxPv/?img_index=1.
As post in Facebook and Instagram can get lost quickly or even deleted thought I would pay tribute to Dean Wilson with this article.
Here is a copy of the text from the Facebook article above:
“Wouldn’t it be great to have a flying RV? Meet the Wilson Global Explorer. Possibly the largest homebuilt aircraft ever built, this monstrous machine was developed in the early 90s by Dean Wilson, prolific designer of the Avid Flyer line of homebuilts. The aircraft was built to order for french explorer Hubert de Chevigny, and designed as a “flying lab”, allowing the frenchman to explore remote regions days at a time. (like Jacques Cousteau)
With a gross weight of 8,000 lb, it was powered by 2 Lycomings (250hp and later upgraded to 300hp). Considering its huge wing area, it was more akin to a powered glider than aircraft, with a cruise speed of 95 kts. Perfect for exploring down low and slow. The cavernous fuselage could comfortably accommodate a small family, and even had enough room to fit an Avid Flyer or Robinson R-22 inside. A glass window built in the rear of the fuselage floor allowed you to watch the fishies..just like a glass-bottom boat!
Surprisingly, given its mission, there are not many pictures to be found, in fact some of the cabin interior shots are screenshots from a video.
Explorer 1 crashed in France, as the pilot attempted to takeoff unaware the spoilers were deployed. “Explorer 2” was promptly built, where it resumed exploration flights in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego and Bolivia. It was then sold, and also crashed during a ferry flight. Last known location is somewhere in SW France – not sure if there’s plans to resurrect the Explorer. ”
As you can see the global explorer is one huge homebuilt aircraft, the sea plane configuration and twin engines allow this aircraft true global reach.
The interior space of the aircraft is comparable to an RV, fuselage like its Avid predecessors is all small diameter welded 4130N chromoly tubing.
I’m surprised Jimmy Buffet or Kermit Weeks did not have one commissioned for their own use.
Was only able to find 2 videos on YouTube of the aircraft:
Additional Articles about the Global Explorer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Global_Explorer
Dean Wilson Articles:
https://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/threads/dean-wilson-aircraft-designer.16225/
Additional info on the Global Explorer is very limited, there are some wood models on ebay (proceed with caution). With a good 3 view an RC scale model would not be too difficult to do.
Gould Aero 