NW Pilot's flight to Saudi Arabia - Track it here

[Northern Lights]

So I was wondering how you file, open and close flight plans in all of these places? I've done all my flying in the US and Canada, so I was curious as to how you handle this aspect. I'm assuming that when you're in Greece or elsewhere you can't just dial 1-800-wx-brief, like we do here.

 

[414Flyer]

Usually there is some kind of office you go to and do it in person. In India, one would have to have 3 other offices in the control tower stamp your flight plan, before tower would approve it.

 

[navigator72]

They also have companies that will process documents and take care of the legalities of flying through multiple countries

 

[NW_Pilot]

They also have companies that will process documents and take care of the legalities of flying through multiple countries

When flying, I fly IFR! VFR in some places is a real pain in the rear!

 

[Tram]

Pretty neat..

 

[Lazy8]

Just out of curiousity what is the 172 being used for in Lebanon? (Private, Training, ?) Also, for small aircraft going across the world doesn't the buyer normally opt to have the wings removed and the plane shipped over? What does a ferry flight like this cost someone? I want to hear your tales of the trip because this is really interesting.

g

 

[NW_Pilot]

Just out of curiousity what is the 172 being used for in Lebanon? (Private, Training, ?) Also, for small aircraft going across the world doesn't the buyer normally opt to have the wings removed and the plane shipped over? What does a ferry flight like this cost someone? I want to hear your tales of the trip because this is really interesting.

g

No, they are tanked about $2,000+ Flown over $9k to $18k or more depending on aircraft... Crating and Freight can be very expensive and very slow (Months) to some places and some places they are unable to reassemble them properly!

 

[AerroMatt]

Congrats!

NW, congrats on surviving a north atlantic crossing in a C172! That is defineately not for the faint of heart. Glad you enjoyed your b-day in Iceland.

What are current conditions like in Beruit? Apparently the airport is back in service, but what condition are the runways in? Did the Israeli's give you any hassle getting into Lebanon?

Looking forward to your answers, and please update that blog with pics!

 

[TrafficInSight]

No, they are tanked about $2,000+ Flown over $9k to $18k or more depending on aircraft... Crating and Freight can be very expensive and very slow (Months) to some places and some places they are unable to reassemble them properly!

Not to mention almost always damaged in some way.

 

[NW_Pilot]

NW, congrats on surviving a north atlantic crossing in a C172! That is defineately not for the faint of heart. Glad you enjoyed your b-day in Iceland.

What are current conditions like in Beruit? Apparently the airport is back in service, but what condition are the runways in? Did the Israeli's give you any hassle getting into Lebanon?

Looking forward to your answers, and please update that blog with pics!

[FONT=&quot]Yea, a 2 hour 30th B-day hahahahaha!!! Well runway 17 was only active runway was in great condition guess it had a big hole in it few weeks before wish our workers worked that fast to fix things. I will try and update I and just sending info and photos the web master will post when he can! I am still winding down from the trip! And prepping for my next trip! Oh, not one problem landing or getting in to [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Beirut[/FONT][FONT=&quot] at all I had a tougher time in [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Athens[/FONT][FONT=&quot]![/FONT]

 

[NW_Pilot]

Not to mention almost always damaged in some way.

Yea, shipping in container there is always some damage or container rash!

 

[414Flyer]

When I did mine, I skipped Greenland and went right to Iceland from St Johns NFLD, about 13 hours in a new PA-28-161. Greenland is nice to fly over, but not much to see or do on the ground, the night is much better spent in St Johns or Reykjavik.

 

[NW_Pilot]

OK, I sent all photos and gave a bunch more comments should be posted soon!

 

[seethru]

BTW, the photos of the ice pack over Greenland are fantastic.

 

[GravityHater]

Pics? Where??

 

[garf12]

Pics? Where??

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/nwpilot's_tranatlantic_flight.htm

 

[ultrarunner]

It holds 100 us gallons + 18 in baggage compartment+ 53 in the wings

So, do you figure you have about 17 hrs endurance? 171 gallons at 10 gph or so. What kind of fuel flows are you seeing?

And the weights...lets see...this should be fun...

You prly have a BOW of about 2000 lbs including yourself and the weight of your extra equipement?

You're carrying just over 1000 lbs of fuel

So you're prly only operating about 500 over gross? Is that about right?

How does the beast perform?

 

[QuasarZ]

i dont know if you posted this or not yet.. how many hours did you rack up total?

 

[NW_Pilot]

i dont know if you posted this or not yet.. how many hours did you rack up total?

Total trip was about 68 hours in total about 30 hours actual 4 approaches I was on a special flight permit and allowable was 30% over gross! Performance really was not that bad with full fuel did not fill the 18 gallons in the back as it placed the CG to far aft of allowable CG….. That little Skyhawk at 30% over took a bit longer to get off the ground but once in the air was not bad at all! I never had to land it 30% over so I always landed with in the normal certified gross weight limits so I cannot comment on its landing characteristics. Lift off was about 70-75 knots fully loaded climb was about 80 any less felt a bit uncomfortable.

 

[NW_Pilot]

More photos have been posted and I have written more info about the trip which will be posted in the next day or so!!

 

[kf4amu]

I'm sorry, as awesome and revolutionary and much needed as the G1000 is...if the fuel floats being at the full limit causes the stupid thing to reboot constantly...its a POS in my book. What other stupid idiosyncrasis does it have that havent shown up yet?