3 ms·

What a fascinating story. Thanks for sharing. I was surprised that the route went from Canada straight to the Azores. I'm imagining this is much risker route th

What a fascinating story. Thanks for sharing. I was surprised that the route went from Canada straight to the Azores. I'm imagining this is much risker route than Greenland -> Iceland -> UK -> Europe? Do you know why he selected the direct route with 14 hours over the ocean instead?

shagie 8y ago
Note: I'm not an aviator, so this is to be taken with a "I'm reading things". The great circle route is rather direct - http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=720x360&PM=* http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=... (from http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&DU=mi http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&DU=mi ) with legs of 1581 and 1602 miles. I'm guessing weather is a key question there. This is based on https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/hangar-talk/34838-help-needed-transatlantic-ferry-c172.html https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/hangar-talk/34838-help-ne... which is taking a C172 from Maine to India and has the same question: St. Johns to Azores or Greenland and Iceland. The general suggestion there appears to be the Greenland and Iceland route. There's also http://220kts.com/ferry-flights/atlantic-ferry-routes.html http://220kts.com/ferry-flights/atlantic-ferry-routes.html which looks at some of the options too. That seems to be a popular route: https://www.k-aircraft.de/en/news-neuigkeit/north-atlantic-ferry-flight https://www.k-aircraft.de/en/news-neuigkeit/north-atlantic-f.... Note that first link mentions "good alternative during wintertime". The ferry was done in October. Consider things like: GPS was new. The pilot was flying the "same" route as the airlines (this was important when the radio broke - if he was flying a different route he wouldn't be able to transmit until close range with VHF) All that said, this appears to be his preferred route: http://www.aerocompinc.com/airplanes/CA6/africa.htm http://www.aerocompinc.com/airplanes/CA6/africa.htm . As a not an aviator, I'll guess fuel costs (Greenland is a ways north if you're trying to go to Africa) and icing concerns? --- Tangent to this... The 717s that Hawaiian Airlines flies has a range of 2,371 miles. The distance from SFO to Hawaii is 2,339 miles. To get the proper range - the inside of the plane: http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hawaiian-Air/Boeing-717-22A/148884 http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hawaiian-Air/Boeing-717-22A/1...
- bogomipz 8y ago
  This link really puts the choice of Azores in perspective in terms of efficiency: http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=720x360&PM=* http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=... The northerly route is much less efficient although probably a lot safer. Buy the way these are some wonderful links. Thanks.

shagie 8y ago

Note: I'm not an aviator, so this is to be taken with a "I'm reading things". The great circle route is rather direct - http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=720x360&PM=* http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=... (from http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&DU=mi http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&DU=mi ) with legs of 1581 and 1602 miles. I'm guessing weather is a key question there. This is based on https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/hangar-talk/34838-help-needed-transatlantic-ferry-c172.html https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/hangar-talk/34838-help-ne... which is taking a C172 from Maine to India and has the same question: St. Johns to Azores or Greenland and Iceland. The general suggestion there appears to be the Greenland and Iceland route. There's also http://220kts.com/ferry-flights/atlantic-ferry-routes.html http://220kts.com/ferry-flights/atlantic-ferry-routes.html which looks at some of the options too. That seems to be a popular route: https://www.k-aircraft.de/en/news-neuigkeit/north-atlantic-ferry-flight https://www.k-aircraft.de/en/news-neuigkeit/north-atlantic-f.... Note that first link mentions "good alternative during wintertime". The ferry was done in October. Consider things like: GPS was new. The pilot was flying the "same" route as the airlines (this was important when the radio broke - if he was flying a different route he wouldn't be able to transmit until close range with VHF) All that said, this appears to be his preferred route: http://www.aerocompinc.com/airplanes/CA6/africa.htm http://www.aerocompinc.com/airplanes/CA6/africa.htm . As a not an aviator, I'll guess fuel costs (Greenland is a ways north if you're trying to go to Africa) and icing concerns? --- Tangent to this... The 717s that Hawaiian Airlines flies has a range of 2,371 miles. The distance from SFO to Hawaii is 2,339 miles. To get the proper range - the inside of the plane: http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hawaiian-Air/Boeing-717-22A/148884 http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hawaiian-Air/Boeing-717-22A/1...

bogomipz 8y ago
This link really puts the choice of Azores in perspective in terms of efficiency: http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=720x360&PM=* http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=YQM-YYT-SMA-DKR&MS=wls&MR=600&MX=... The northerly route is much less efficient although probably a lot safer. Buy the way these are some wonderful links. Thanks.