It’s kind of cheating doing it in your aircraft though ;)
Ha. Yes and no. The fuel calculations are prob a bit more difficult for a relatively low range turbine. Planning was easier in the Mirage actually but the trip did take longer. Something like a TB20 or Cirrus would be very good to cross with.
Something like a TB20 or Cirrus would be very good to cross with.
Prevailing westerly winds can make flying from our side to US very challenging for relatively slow aircraft. In addition, what are the prerequisites pilot has to fulfill to get premission for crossing?
Nothing fancy, but my longest sofar: LGMT (Mytilene) to LGKR (Corfu) and back (which is the whole of Greece East to West) in 2 days for a fly-in. Perfect day to fly.
In addition, what are the prerequisites pilot has to fulfill to get premission for crossing?
Permission? I did two crossings (in piston twins, too much of a coward to do it on one engine alone) and never needed a permission. You must however fulfill the national requirements of the countries you overfly regarding survival equipment.
Permission? I did two crossings (in piston twins, too much of a coward to do it on one engine alone) and never needed a permission. You must however fulfill the national requirements of the countries you overfly regarding survival equipment.
Some radio requirements etc and an IR obviously makes it easier. But permission wise you need less than I need to fly to Wellesbourne.
I’ve found insurance coverage to be the biggest paperwork hurdle, for pilots with no previous atlantic crossing experience. Greenland (or Iceland) doesn’t tend to be included in a lot of Europe-only insurance policies.
what are the prerequisites pilot has to fulfill to get premission for crossing?
Compared to other long distance travel all stops on the way to the US are in civilised countries so bureaucracy is reasonable. But I agree with Jason an IR rating is a must. On the long flights over the water the weather forecast is just not precise enough to guarantee VFR conditions all the way and there is also some class A airspace.
On the long flights over the water the weather forecast is just not precise enough to guarantee VFR conditions all the way and there is also some class A airspace.
Yes but on the other hand North Atlantic IFR weather comes with icing all year round. IFR without anti-ice might not take you very far. A former colleague from very long ago (who flies B747 since many years) wanted to have the adventure of his life by ferrying a homebuilt across the Atlantic. In late summer or early fall. It ended up just like with Lindbergh and he had to fly the last 3 hours towards Iceland at 500ft above the sea. Any higher than that and he would pick up ice immediately. Lost radio contact for long time, he later learned that they were less than five minutes from scrambling the SAR helicopters. He finally could relay through some airliner that he was still alive and airborne.
