3 1/2 hours of water across the gulf would you do it?

[satpak77]

well might as well PREPARE for it

So flying from Florida to Central America. Go around through texas and spend 10 more hours. OR. Go down through Key West then across 3 1/2 hours to Cancun. The aircraft is a single and does about 100 knots in addition it holds about 4:45 in gas so I'd have 1:15 when I got to Cancun. What does every body think? My idea is if you have a engine failure your at least not far from the Coast Guards reach and the water is at least warm, I would'nt do it without a raft and vests obviously.

If you don't do it thru Texas, I would buy the following items and put them on board. Maybe put them into a red gym bag (for visibility) with styrofoam inside

1) Life raft (will not be in gym bag of course...)

2) A Type 2 or Type-1 (preferred) life vest. Keep this in the co-pilots seat. A type-1 vest is designed to keep an unconsious persons head upright in rough ocean water.

3) Signal mirror and old fashioned magnetic compass (boy scout style)

4) Signal flares

5) Handheld aviation VHF-radio, fully charged, tripled bagged in waterproof Ziploc bags. If cost allows, a handheld marine VHF-FM radio also, tuned to Ch.16 but turned OFF.

6) Clif bars/power bars and bottled water. If short on space, more water is better.

On the day of the ocean crossing, I recommend you wear a LONG SLEEVE RED SHIRT, as it will enhance SAR efforts than if you go down with your dark green polo on.

You should also monitor 121.50 at ALL TIMES. Be cognizant of the Cuba ADIZ. Also if not talking to any particular controller, monitor the High Altitude center freqs for your area as all the airlines will be up on them.

If you estimate the crossing to be 3 hours, you might take off 1 hour before sunrise, get headed enroute, then should anything happen out over the ocean, SAR crews have almost the entire day (daytime) to physically find you. Contrast this to depart at 4 PM and something happens after sunset. Plus AM weather over the Gulf is a little more docile than Afternoon WX

You might also wait till mid-December or January, when the Hurricane Season is confirmed over.

 

[USMCmech]

You don't want to end up halfway across the Gulf and have to make a decision whether or not to turn back or not.

I think you guys are not looking at a map. Flying to the Caymans isn't crossing a large ocean, it's hopping from island to island. Many of the great lakes are larger.

Key West to Cuba 90 miles. At 10k you will never be out of sight of land. If you have any problems 50 miles after takeing off from KEYW you can go land in Cuba. Any airplane declaring an emergency will be welcomed in Cuba with no reprecusions other than some extra paperwork.

Flying over Cuba is a non event since you will be under flight following while over their airspace. After that I belive it's less that 100m from cuba to Grand Cayman. Same deal as the previous leg.

Hundreds of airplanes make this trip every year. As well as flying to the Bahamas. PBI to Grand Bahama is only 50 miles, then you hop the islands on down.

Contact the peopel who organize the Cayman Caravan for details regarding paperwork. I knew a pilot who made this trip every year in a Bonanza. He said he never had any problems, took his wife and kid too.


Definately have the proper survival gear. Have a life vest and WEAR IT. You will not have time to put it on in the event of an emergency. Have an EPIRB/GPS that will give you location over satalite (useually you can rent these). Also have proper signaling devices, flares, mirror, ect.


I would not do this in a rental, but if I had a airplane that I KNOW is in good mechaical condition I'd go without reservation.

 

[wrxpilot]

I'd trust the engine (if I knew the history), but I'd be weary of fuel reserves in an unforecast headwind. Besides, flying over the ocean is very lonely... I've flown from FL to Bahamas and that's hardly anything. But I was CLOSELY watching the instruments and hearing every discrepancy in the engine. Same goes for when I've flown back from the Keys at night. I just don't think my nerves could handle 3.5 hrs.

Put another way, if I absolutely had to cross a large body of water (if I was flying to Europe for example), I could probably accept a crossing taking a couple of hours. But if I had a choice, I'd take the land route. I just can't imagine the feeling of having engine trouble and knowing I could've taken a safer route... But what do I know, I'm a low time PPL, lol. I'm also assuming we're NOT talking about a rental here...

 

[satpak77]

I think you guys are not looking at a map. Flying to the Caymans isn't crossing a large ocean, it's hopping from island to island. Many of the great lakes are larger.

thanks but I have only made about twenty trips crossing the Gulf of Mexico to South America

thanks for the advice how flying to the Caymans is not "crossing a large ocean"

 

[Famous Dave]

Rally, if you do decide to do it (which I hope you do), it will be one of the best things you will have ever done. When you do, come back to this board and brag about it. Good Luck.
Dave

 

[MTpilot]

Do it man, These guys are a bunch of pussies.

I can't believe all the guys on this board that wouldn't do it.

Do you guys even leave your houses.

3 and a half hours over water and your scared to death.

Makes ya ashamed to be a pilot.

 

[wrxpilot]

Do it man, These guys are a bunch of pussies.

I can't believe all the guys on this board that wouldn't do it.

Do you guys even leave your houses.

3 and a half hours over water and your scared to death.

Makes ya ashamed to be a pilot.

Like I said before... If it's the only way across, that's one thing. If there's a way over land, it's another. Then again I'm used to rentals that break all the time, so maybe I'm jaded.

 

[PAPA FOX!]

How many of you who said no would attempt it in a PC-12 or TBM 700? Just curious.

 

[USMCmech]

Oops!

I didn't look at the origional post closely enough. (prys foot out of mouth). :0

The origional poster was talking about flying to central America (Cancun and points south) not the Caymans.

I stand behind my origional post about flying to Grand Cayman as not being a overly large risk. There isn't any way to get there without flying over the open ocean. However the amount of time over water is realitvly short. Take the proper precautions and you should be fine.


However flying through Texas and down Mexico only adds a few hours on the flight to Cancun and avoids the risk of flying over water. I personaly would take this route if possible.

Flying Key West to Cayman to Cancun is a lot of over water flying 5 hours worth including a 3.5 hour leg with no land. That's more than my comfort level if there is any alternative.

 

[JimNtexas]

Ask Santa for one of these 406mhz personal locators with the built-in GPS.

 

[flint4xx]

Go the short route. http://www.awesometrvl.com/cuba_overflight_permit.htm

One mile offshore or 100 is the same if you aren't prepared. Take the money you save on not flying those 10 hours and get some good survival equipment, starting with an EPIRB. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/gmdss/epirb.htm
http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=7279

 

[User546]

Do it man, These guys are a bunch of pussies.

I can't believe all the guys on this board that wouldn't do it.

Do you guys even leave your houses.

3 and a half hours over water and your scared to death.

Makes ya ashamed to be a pilot.

No we're not pussies, it's just called minimizing your risks. You'll be more likely to have a longer flying career (and lifespan) by assesing and minimizing the risks you take. Why take all the risks of crossing the Gulf with so many unknown factors, and very little "outs", when you could simply do the safe thing and not get so far out from land?

Just because people have flown through thunderstorms before and survived doesn't necessarily mean you should go out there and try to pick your way thru one next time one's sitting in front of your flight path.

MTPilot... what's the longest time you've ever spent over an open expanse of water in a light single-engine airplane?

 

[MTpilot]

Have a little fun why don't ya!

5 and a half hours, then I ran out of gas.

Seriously though, the only overwater flying I have done is some island hopping in the bahamas.

There is always risk in life, It sounds like fun to strike out across the gulf.

I really would do it if I had an airplane.

You can just keep minimizing risk until you never go anywhere or do anything or have any fun at all.

Hey where can i get a t-shirt like your avatar, that is quality.

 

[Lead Sled]

...you need to build time. take the long way.

That was my thought exactly. 75 MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH RESERVE FOR THAT FLIGHT. That is of course, unless you can get some sort of guarantee from Mother Nature that she will bother to read and adhear to the weather and winds aloft forcasts that day. 75 minutes in a 470 KTAS jet is one thing. 75 minutes in a 100 something knot piston single is totally different. Personally, I think that it would almost smack of "careless and wreckless".

'Sled

 

[hoover]

Lindbergh was asked if he was worried about his one engine quitting. His response? "NO. I don't worry about my heart stopping do I"