Wow! This may be a fun flight! Florida to Moscow

[NW_Pilot]

A guy contacted me to ferry an airplane from South Florida To Moscow Russia "Baron 58 with 300 gallon aux ferry tank on top of stock 166 Gallons" I have been looking at http://www.alaska.faa.gov/Internat/Russia/Guide_Page.cfm for flight info any other advice from any personal experience in dealing with Russia? I figure the Bering Straight crossing would be the safest route with less time over water since both engines are about 50 hours till recommended TBO.



I have untill June 1st to plan this he has booked me a round trip airline ticket to go and hire a mechanic to inspect the airplane (my requirement since it's going over large area of water) & have the ferry tank installed so he seems pretty serious. He wants it deliverd no later than July 10th 2006.

 

[Diesel]

Enjoy the green route but russia sucks.

Bring a conversion calculator. Stupid russians.

 

[Geronimo4497]

Stupid russians.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

 

[MFRskyknight]

Yeehaw! Sounds fun.

MFR

 

[gkrangers]

Wow...you'll have enough multi time for a "real" job then.

 

[A Squared]

OK, I have to ask, have you pulled out a globe and looked at it, and looked at where Florida is, and looked at where Moscow is? I ask, because Moscow is much closer going the other way, and trust me, much less of a hassle.

I'm friends with some folks who have flown to Russia from Alaska. It's an incredible paperwork nightmare. You get permission for a single day and time. if you don't make that, you reapply for another slot. You fly a designated route at a designated time. You have to report certain positions within certain times or problems result. There is no Avgas. The folks I know ship drums of avgas to Proividenya ahead of time. The Alaska Airman's Association is probably your best source of information. They will likely seem engouraging, but you should be aware that they have been tilting at this particular windmill with summer trips for 15 years, and as far as I know they haven't yet made as far a Anadyr. Look up Providenya and Anadyr on a chart. Now look how much further Moscow is. Getting to Providenya, while a monumental hassle, will be the easy part. they are used to the yearly tours from the crazy Alaskans. there are folks who are willing to store the fuel for them rather than sell it on the Black Market. The customs and aviation officials are used to dealing with them. Once you're beyond Anadyr, none of this will be true. You'll be flying across some of the most desolate terrain you could ever imagine. Makes Alaska seem positively suburban. Facilities, fuel, Maintenance will be non-existent. I don't mean non-existent as in "hard to find", I mean non-existent as in "they don't exist", no matter how hard you look. I don't know what sort of range 466 gallons will give you, but unless it will take you comfortably from Nome to Moscow wihout refuelling, your fuel logistics will be a *very* serious and uncertain understaking.

If I had an airplane here in Anchorage which I needed to fly to Moscow, I'd give some very serious though to flying East. (approximately same distance, significantly less hassle) If I were in Florida, it would be a no-brainer. Going East you have civilization, you have countries that actually have private civil aviation, so will have fuel, services, etc, readily available at least as far east as Germany, after that, it will get increasingly more difficult, but from Germany, Moscow would be a fairly comfortable, if long flight on the airways

 

[part61]

aa

yep thats the way (east) i assumed you were going. qubec, gander....

 

[NW_Pilot]

OK, I have to ask, have you pulled out a globe and looked at it, and looked at where Florida is, and looked at where Moscow is? I ask, because Moscow is much closer going the other way, and trust me, much less of a hassle.

I'm friends with some folks who have flown to Russia from Alaska. It's an incredible paperwork nightmare. You get permission for a single day and time. if you don't make that, you reapply for another slot. You fly a designated route at a designated time. You have to report certain positions within certain times or problems result. There is no Avgas. The folks I know ship drums of avgas to Proividenya ahead of time. The Alaska Airman's Association is probably your best source of information. They will likely seem engouraging, but you should be aware that they have been tilting at this particular windmill with summer trips for 15 years, and as far as I know they haven't yet made as far a Anadyr. Look up Providenya and Anadyr on a chart. Now look how much further Moscow is. Getting to Providenya, while a monumental hassle, will be the easy part. they are used to the yearly tours from the crazy Alaskans. there are folks who are willing to store the fuel for them rather than sell it on the Black Market. The customs and aviation officials are used to dealing with them. Once you're beyond Anadyr, none of this will be true. You'll be flying across some of the most desolate terrain you could ever imagine. Makes Alaska seem positively suburban. Facilities, fuel, Maintenance will be non-existent. I don't mean non-existent as in "hard to find", I mean non-existent as in "they don't exist", no matter how hard you look. I don't know what sort of range 466 gallons will give you, but unless it will take you comfortably from Nome to Moscow wihout refuelling, your fuel logistics will be a *very* serious and uncertain understaking.

If I had an airplane here in Anchorage which I needed to fly to Moscow, I'd give some very serious though to flying East. (approximately same distance, significantly less hassle) If I were in Florida, it would be a no-brainer. Going East you have civilization, you have countries that actually have private civil aviation, so will have fuel, services, etc, readily available at least as far east as Germany, after that, it will get increasingly more difficult, but from Germany, Moscow would be a fairly comfortable, if long flight on the airways

A Squared, Thanks for the info Yes I Have pulled a Globe and looked. Right now I am just in the planning stages I am checking all available options to reduce the over water time. Seller don't seem to care about costs of getting it there more worried about goverment fees etc. I know the North Atlantic Route would be best but considering the engines are at TBO ‘Unknown’ I will have a wrench go through them either way I go. It would not cost much more to add an additional 160 gallons http://www.turtlepac.com/collapsibleair.htm so I am just researching my options for now as it’s not a done deal as finial destination may even be Finland or Turkey if it's there then NA is the way for sure the buyer has not decided depends on how he want to import it to Russia. Anyways The multi time will be great run her at 55 to 60% power and rack up some good solo multi time.

 

[A Squared]

Well, it does sound like and interesting trip. These folks proably have more information about getting a small plane from Alaska to the Russian Far East than anyone else on the planet. http://www.alaskaairmen.com/

Good luck

 

[MFRskyknight]

yep thats the way (east) i assumed you were going. qubec, gander....

Aw, shoot, but I was hoping he could stop by S. Oregon and let me fly it...

MFR

 

[Kingair1181]

Just wondering how long do you expect this flight to take!?

I have known two people who have flown from the US to Europe (one in a single engine aircraft) and both enjoyed their trip beyond words. It's been a while since I talked to em but I'll see if I can't track them down and get some insight if I can. Are you going to fly solo or take a friend/fellow pilot with you and how many days rougly are you planning on taking? I also wonder how many lines in your logbook this flight is going to take....

 

[NW_Pilot]

Just wondering how long do you expect this flight to take!?

I have known two people who have flown from the US to Europe (one in a single engine aircraft) and both enjoyed their trip beyond words. It's been a while since I talked to em but I'll see if I can't track them down and get some insight if I can. Are you going to fly solo or take a friend/fellow pilot with you and how many days rougly are you planning on taking? I also wonder how many lines in your logbook this flight is going to take....

100% Solo, I will be on a Special Flight Permit & will be pushing gross or over gross with myself, safety gear & full fuel! I have not calculated the hours yet as the buyer (New Owner) is unsure exactly where he wants me to drop it off at. I figure 7 to 12 days depending on weather and service availability (i don't want to pay no over time fees $$$$$) I May have to break the news to the owner 300gal ferry tank may be to much for this aircraft he already has the tank on it’s way owner is insistent that it’s the proper one! Plus all the seats but pilot & copilot have been removed boxed and are ready to be shipped. We will see what the local airport wrench & FSDO has to say about the tank. I know I have had a plane with a ferry tank that was ok over gross on a permit “daylight hours VFR only while operating over gross yada yada yada” how far the FSDO will let it go over on the ferry permit no telling will find out when all the details are done in June.

 

[NW_Pilot]

Aw, shoot, but I was hoping he could stop by S. Oregon and let me fly it...

MFR

MFR, When you called this morning I was on the phone about this flight guy was calling from moscow sorry! I tried to call back machine was recived!

 

[NW_Pilot]

Well, it does sound like and interesting trip. These folks proably have more information about getting a small plane from Alaska to the Russian Far East than anyone else on the planet. http://www.alaskaairmen.com/

Good luck

Thank You, Exact info I was looking for looks like N.A.C. is the way to go!

 

[Diesel]

go east and take the green route. Going over alaska means there are a lot of desolate places in siberia.

 

[MFRskyknight]

MFR, When you called this morning I was on the phone about this flight guy was calling from moscow sorry! I tried to call back machine was recived!

Yeah, my battery was dead, but it's cool, my boss wasn't gonna let me fly back to Medford anyway (company time, liability, blah blah). Just as well though... wx was a beyotch all the way down to about Grants Pass. Got POURED on almost all the way and our driver nearly got us in a god-danged wreck. Idiot...good thing a guy THREE ROWS BACK was paying attention to the road.

Well Portland was fun though... can't complain about the $7 t-bone at the Acropolis!

MFR

P.S.--I'm budgeting for a flight down to SNA on May 21st for a family get-together...if I can swing it sooner or later, I'd like to fly the Comanche up to McMinnville and check out the museum. I'll let ya know when I'm headed up there.

 

[TurboS7]

Eastern Route is real easy. Just go to Goose then to BGBW and then to Rekavik. At Rekavik(SP)there is a real nice hotel to stay all. From there to the Farlo Islands and then across to Moscow. That is the easy way to go. That time of the year it will always be light so no big deal for your ferry permit. You can go Gandar to KEF with that much fuel, man you have a lot of fuel for a ferry flight, a little overkill if you ask me.

 

[sleddriver71]

Just out of curiosity, how much is this guy paying you to do this for him?

 

[NW_Pilot]

Just out of curiosity, how much is this guy paying you to do this for him?

You, really don't want to know!!!! I fell like a 2 bit whore that taking food stamps for my services!!! But if you insist $1,000 + Expenses = WOW $$$$$. The Experience & Baron Time may be well worth it.:beer:

 

[NW_Pilot]

man you have a lot of fuel for a ferry flight, a little overkill if you ask me.

That’s what I told him!!! But he was insistent about what size of tank its going to need I guess the tank will fit I called turtlepac they also say baron use up to 300 gallons!

I am not going to argue my self out of a run so, so be it! If he wants 300 gal then 300 gal it is! I don't have to top it off, Do I!!!!!!