Would you fly a single-engine airplane across the Atlantic???

[Fly_Chick]

I've got a little over 8,500 hours and I wouldn't do it... No way, no how... Life expectancy in the North Atlantic is not very long... Think about it...

Maybe I need to be enlightened, yet I hear about people doing it all the time.

 

[User546]

I had a guy about 6 months ago who was wanting me to fly along with him in his Mooney while crossing the Atlantic... had to politely decline that unusual offer! He did it ever couple years, with this company, Air Journey, that specializes in unique "air vacations" for general aviation guys.
You can check out their website below:
http://www.airjourney.com/

This guy did it in his Cessna 152! No friggin' way! I don't even want to fly to a neighboring state in a 152, little lone cross the Atlantic!!
http://www.cessna150-152.com/transatlantic.htm

 

[UnAnswerd]

User, interesting links. I didn't even think a C-150 had that type of range. How many miles are we talking here???

 

[UnAnswerd]

Nevermind. He installed a 66 gallon fuel-tank, and the trip was apparently 1350 miles. Impressive!

 

[typhoonpilot]

I would do it in a heartbeat. That is real flying, that is adventure, that is what life is all about. You wussies that are scared to do it probably played flag football instead of real tackle football when you were kids .

Of course I would take precautions as mentioned above. I would have a survival suit and life raft at the ready. In fact, as Bill Cox once told me. I would have the survival suit half on as there isn't enough time to put it on as you are dead sticking into the Atlantic. Bill wrote some good articles about that kind of flying back in the 80s for Plane and Pilot.

Typhoonpilot

 

[UnAnswerd]

"The Cessna's all up weight with the extra tank was 2,050 lbs. This was 500 lbs. over gross".

Christ!!! Makes you feel a little less guilty about flying 25lbs over gross.

 

[jknight8907]

No way, not in a piston. I've never been much on swimming. A turboprop I would seriously consider it though, the route shown on those TBM700 ads looks like a ton of fun.

 

[banned username 2]

You wussies that are scared to do it probably played flag football instead of real tackle football when you were kids.

No, we just remembered to put on our helmets before playing football, but looks like someone we know forgot to! :nuts:

Just kidding!

 

[typhoonpilot]

No, we just remembered to put on our helmets before playing football, but looks like someone we know forgot to! :nuts:

Just kidding!

That would explain the frequent headaches .

In all seriousness, ever since I was a 500 hour CFI I thought it would be very cool to fly across the Atlantic in any airplane. My only pre-condition is that someone else has to pay for it .

Today's modern single engine airplane is very unlikely to suffer an engine failure in cruise. Sure it is safer to do it in a twin or a turbine for a variety of reasons, but it isn't unsafe to do it in a single. The route and the procedures are fairly well tested and there are many crossings per year. When was the last time you heard of someone ditching in the North Atlantic ?


Typhoonpilot

 

[pilot error]

somewhere between page 5 and page 6 of the N. Atlantic International General Ops Manual (third edition) is when I would lose interest in taking a single across the pond.