Piloting a slightly modified Virus-SW, Lenarčič managed to overcome all weather-related difficulties and complete his mission, although with a slight delay.

"The important thing is that the plane and I returned home in one piece," he commented on his voyage, noting that he had more difficulties that he had anticipated.

He was welcomed at the airport by the team of the project "GreenLight WorldFlight - North Pole" and sponsors.

Pipistrel CEO Ivo Boscarol said that Lenarčič, who had already completed two solo flights around the world with the ultralight aircraft, once again proved that he and Pipistrel's Virus were a "good team" and that with a good team one can push boundaries ever further.

Lenarčič's flight over the North Pole, which started on 22 April, was carried out in several stages. He was often forced to delay the continuation of his journey due to poor weather conditions.

He flew over northern Europe, the North Pole, Canada and back via the Atlantic route first completed by Charles Lindberg.

Aside from being an adventure, Lenarčič's endeavour also had a scientific dimension, as
his aircraft was equipped with sensors to measure the concentrations of black carbon, a key driver of climate change in the Arctic.

So far, such measurement was only conducted from the Earth's surface or from the altitude of 10,000 metres.

The Virus SW plane is 6.5 metres long and has 10.7 wide wings. Empty it weights 290 kilograms but can develop speed of up to 300 km/h.

Lenarčič was the first person to circle the globe in an ultralight aircraft without a copilot or additional air support in 2004.

Flying the Pipistrel Sinus 912 UL aircraft, he also set a world speed record in the under 500 kilo category.

During last year's flight, he became the first Slovenian to land on Antarctica and the first Slovenian to make a flyover of Mt Everest.