PA-28 to Hawaii

[Scarecrow]

Well,

Thank you to everyone for the input. I've met a couple of guys that have done this before and feel comfortable with my prospects for a safe flight. As long as no issues arise with the aircraft and the owner says go, I'm off. It'll be a couple of months yet, but I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

The people that ferry singles over oceans must have very big balls. I wouldnt do it.

 

[Rick1128]

Try doing it in a 172. You are required to get a waiver from the FAA for overweight ops and I believe you operate in the Restricted category not experimental.

 

[Idreamtofly]

Switching to bladder tank(s)

The funniest story I ever heard was a guy flying for an extended period of time over water in a single-engine airplane and could not get the fuel in the bladder tank flowing and almost ran out of fuel.

I've flown over water personally for extended periods of time in the southern Atlantic ocean with minimal navigation and it gets extremely lonely, dark and quiet, especially on a moonless night. On a clear night you will wish you had more knowledge of celestial bodies.

Your trip will most likely be uneventful.


When I made my trips over the water, I would find myself looking down on the white caps of the waves wondering if I would be able to successfully time and coordinate a ditching without power as depicted in the FAR/AIM.

My recommendation, if time permits, would be to enlist the help of a seaplane pilot instructor to show you how to make a glassy water landing or a normal landing on water just to familiarize yourself with the technique of water landing.

If you try a water landing, you will want to get your seaplane pilot's rating. I eventually got my rating and it was a blast.

Finally, I cheated on my route. I would plan my flights over islands and along routes that overflew the shipping lanes---kind of a stepping stone flight plan. I know you won't have any islands to fly over but what about shipping lanes? Anything going your way?

Have a great trip!

 

[Vavso]

I wouild not do it unless....

I had a 2nd pilot alot can happen unexpected. Something like a foreign body in the eye , sudden nausea , diarrhea , bloody nose migraine , vertigo or many other things that on the ground are no sweat but over the pacific ocean can spell a disaster. I am far from an ATP but than again I carry 2 backup pairs of eyeglasses when I fly !

 

[TurboS7]

Thank you, restricted operator permit it is.

 

[PiperDriver]

The only thing I can reccomend is that you watch the movie "Cast Away" a few times to study...

 

[avbug]

Wilson.

 

[ATCER]

You would be surpirsed how many small planes fly out over the Atlantic and Pacific... I know I was...

Tip's... all of the big boys out over the ocean monitor guard and very often pass info to one another via it... when they have HF problems they use guard to have other A/C relay messages to ATC. They are always very helpful with assisting other pilots out over the water. Oakland Center (ZOA) controls all ATC over the Pacific. You could always contact the center to speak with a controller about your trip. Remember, as with all oceanic ATC you will be using HF to speak with ArInc who then relays info to ATC. If you feel you need assistance or anything pressing you can request a phone patch with ATC and speak with the controler directly.

Good Luck and have a safe flight !!!

 

[Draginass]

We also monitor 123.45 as oceanic enroute common. I talked to a guy one night over the Atlantic (and cold it was) ferrying a C182 across. I though he was nuts.

I've got one phrase for ferrying light aircraft of unknown condition over vast expanses of water . . . . all balls and no forehead.

 

[scangadah]

Good God man....are you really that hard up for SEL time?

 

[TurboS7]

At least in the Pacific you can survive in a life raft, in the North Atlantic forget it. I too have tried to imagine flying the North Atlantic in a little airplane, I have just had too many problems to feel comfortable. (5 single engine failures, 4 engine failures in a twin-and one CJ610 in a Learjet-all were major failures and had to be shut down)So far the JT8D and the CFM-56 have treated me very well.

 

[Counselair]

Wow, flying across the Pacific in a single. It sounds like something my friends and I would have loved to try when we were young!

Counselair

Post Script: Three of them died in plane crashes, one in the water a half mile from shore. No $hit.

 

[bigD]

I've been reading this thread with interest, and have been debating whether or not I'd ever go through with such a thing.

I think I finally decided that I'd do it. I don't have a family of my own, so nobody's life would be significantly altered if I ended up being killed.

Once I have a wife and kids, my thinking would likely change.

 

[avbug]

If you dwell on death, drowning, and failure, you're setting yourself up for it. Ferrying airplanes is done very day, east and west. Ferrying an airplane is a professional act, not a moment or heroic endevor, not a sign of lack of intelligence, not a rash act. It's a job. Like any job, it requires forethought, planning, and attention to detail. It's not rocket science.

It's not a matter of large testicles, nor of willpower, or guts. It's about planning ahead, and preparing, and then doing. Listening to some of these comments is reminiscent of the fear of the "sound barrier", or so many other mythical imagined realms of flying. It's just a flight. Make it once with someone who has the experience, and then start making the trips on your own.

There's very little long distance ferry movement of airplanes, right now. Comparitively, the business is dead.