Going South!!!!!!

[delaatmx]

Some input please!!!!!
I have a friend that is determent to fly him self and one of his buddies to Argentina in a Cessna 208 (N registration),but here is my concern,he has less than 350 hrs total time.
He want's to do it and got plenty of $ and has the insurance co.
to approve it.
Does any boddy some info and do and don'ts.
Thanks.

 

[aero99]

Sounds like the beginning of a new NTSB file. No offence to your friend, but justifying by saying you have enough money and have the insurance coverage doesn't mean it is safe.

My first and only question would be can he handle the flight. I don't know your friends flying ability, but based on 350tt I would say there would be no way I would get on that plane.

I assume he is IFR rated. Here are some questions that might help answer the question completely, but I don't know that it would change my mind.

What type of plane is he flying?
How many hours does he have in that type?
Has he flown out of the county before?
(I haven't flown to Argentina, but).. do you have to cross much water?
Why does he want to do this? To prove something? Because he can? Vacation? Work?

 

[troy]

Dont drink the water when crossing Mexico!.....Ok, I'm just joking. I don't know anything about it, but couldn't resist.

 

[shaft]

Deltaatmx: If you post that question on Avcanada's message board http://www.avcanada.ca/ , I personally know that the webmaster there flew a Piper Cheyenne from Fargo, North Dakota to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He goes by the alias "weather" or "avcanada". I do remember him telling me that if you are not wearing a pilot shirt with epaulettes, they will not take you seriously down there. He also mentioned that there is some pretty unforgiving jungle to cross over. I also have a friend that flew a Piper Arrow from Canada to Belize City, Belize. He was a 300 hour wonder at the time and he made it there and back ok. He stopped a few times in Mexico and maybe once in Guatamala for fuel. Granted, Belize is not nearly as far as Argentina but he had a great time doing it. Your friend will have plenty of fun and will learn a whole lot. Good for him.

 

[avbug]

Hull insurance, or life insurance approved it?

Have him sidestep the north end of the continent, it's a little hot right now. He might not make the news the way missionaries do when they get shot down, but it won't matter much.

Certainly it's not rocket science to travel down there, but navaids and communications are far more sparse, regulations and rules are quite different and tend to be flexible, fuel can be of questionable quality (and occasionally quantity), and never forget that outside of the US borders, we ARE the ugly american.

Weather information is far less available, as are alternates. Instrument approaches are fewer and farther between, and the standards for developing them are less consistant and they are not flight checked as they are in the US. As far as quantity, my US set of jeps is eight volumes, while my south american set is one volume.

The Caravan is proably about as good an airplane as any for that part of the world. It lends itself to repair nicely too, such as patching small .30 caliber holes...avoid peru and columbia without a lot of advance notice. Take lots of small bills. Don't wear bermuda shorts and carry a big camera. Have fun.

 

[LittleDeuce]

No Way

Look at my profile. There is no way I would even consider it!

 

[bigD]

I'm not sure that it'd necessarily be unsafe if there was no hurry to complete the trip, and the flight was well planned. I mean, it's not as if every strip in Argentina is a 1000x20 dirt road on the side of a hill.

Properly planned using information from pilots experienced in flying in that region, *I'd* consider making a trip given the time and money, and I only have another 100 hours than he does.

I think the key is not being in any rush, and thus not feel any pressure to fly when the conditions are marginal. But that's not any different than any other long cross country - international or not.

 

[bigD]

Why not little duece? Are there reasons beyond what avbug already stated? Which are definitely good reasons to consider, but I'm curious why it's such an obvious 'no'?

 

[LittleDeuce]

No Way

Because I'm too chicken, young and good looking to chance it!

 

[bigD]

lol! Well, I'm young, but any kind of accident is only likely to make me BETTER looking, not worse!