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

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Depends on how familiar I am with the aircraft. Also depends on the aux fuel tank, wasI there during installation (ie C152 on the right/left seat and in baggage compartment), doI have sufficient nav aids, radios. If I were able to speak to the mechanics, avionics people, and they gave me the go-ahead I would do it.

I would not have done it with 500-700 hours or even 1000 hours, yet now would feel more confident doing it, and also have developed enough relationships with mx and avionics that feel I would have the info necessary to successfully do it. Yeah, I would probably be nervous, have trepedation, yet would feel the challenge would be amazing in itself.

My main concern would be if I were able to stay awake for the entire duration. Albeit I have yet to fall asleep inadvertently yet.... After all I was once told, when you rely on yourself, you do what you need to do!
 
I know a guy that flew a Piper Tomohawk from Ohio to Germany. He has bigger balls then me!!
 
Yes.
I've done it 4 times.
I depends on your equipment, who maintains it, your training, blah, blah, blah... but, yes, it can be done safely.
No, I wasn't in a Cessna.
 
Fly_Chick said:
I would not have done it with 500-700 hours or even 1000 hours, yet now would feel more confident doing it
Click to expand...
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...
 
Falcon Capt said:
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...
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Maybe I need to be enlightened, yet I hear about people doing it all the time.
 
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
 
User, interesting links. I didn't even think a C-150 had that type of range. How many miles are we talking here???
 
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
 
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"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.
 
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.
 
typhoonpilot said:
You wussies that are scared to do it probably played flag football instead of real tackle football when you were kids.
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No, we just remembered to put on our helmets before playing football, but looks like someone we know forgot to! :nuts:

Just kidding! ;)
 
Falcon Capt said:
No, we just remembered to put on our helmets before playing football, but looks like someone we know forgot to! :nuts:

Just kidding! ;)
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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 :p .

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
 
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.
 
Count me in. Not sure why everyone is so worried about the engine quitting. Haven't had one crap out on me since I stopped flying junk. I'm pretty sure the odds are fairly good that any given piston airplane engine that is reasonably maintained will run for the next 30 hours. I'd be more concerned about icing up or hitting an iceberg while scud running (so as not to ice up) or having to shoot a zero/zero approach in Iceland. With my luck, the delivery of 55gal drums of $10/gal Avgas would be late and I'd be stuck freezing my sack off for weeks!
 
pilotmiketx said:
Count me in. Not sure why everyone is so worried about the engine quitting. Haven't had one crap out on me since I stopped flying junk. I'm pretty sure the odds are fairly good that any given piston airplane engine that is reasonably maintained will run for the next 30 hours. I'd be more concerned about icing up or hitting an iceberg while scud running (so as not to ice up) or having to shoot a zero/zero approach in Iceland. With my luck, the delivery of 55gal drums of $10/gal Avgas would be late and I'd be stuck freezing my sack off for weeks!
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Have you not seen the girls in Iceland ? I'd be real happy if I was "stuck" there for a few weeks. You may have to worry about something else happening to your sack, but freezing it off wouldn't be one of them :D .

TP
 
viper548 said:
Turboprop yes, piston no
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I can dig it...let's go!

We'll rent some exposure suits, a life raft or two and some emergency communication gear; we'll enjoy a wonderful experience that most will never see. On the other side of the pond, we'll drink beers, have a great meal and reflect. I'll bring my wife...ut oh, she's already packed! :eek:
 
User997 said:
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
Click to expand...


i took one to AMA once......never doin it again. i drove from buffalo Ny to here solo....never doin that again


think about the old days and tha nads the settlers did years ago crossin the country with only 1 horse

(name the movie)
 
I knew some flying AG Cats from the west coast to PHNL. They would fly in pairs so that if one had to ditch the other would stay in the area until help arrived and then ditch along side the other so they could both be picked up. ETE was around 22 to 24 hours as I recall. Not a job for everyone to be sure, but I have probably done other things that would be called dumb.
 
If the proper precautions were taken and survival equipment was on board, I'd do it in a heartbeat. It would be an amazing experience.

Oh, and Typhoon, my mom wouldn't let me play football. ;) I played baseball for 10 years though. Played catcher. That's sort of like football, right?

-Goose
 
Why not?
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Because I've had an alternator/total electrical failure on an XC flight before. Over the ocean, at night, 1200nm from my alternate, with no real navigation on board (ok, presumably I have a handheld GPS for this trip) doesn't sound worth whatever I'm being paid to make this flight.
 

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