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Ferry Pilots from "Dengerous Flights" TV show on Discovery

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Ferry Pilots from "Dengerous Flights" TV show on Discovery

Old 1st Feb 2013, 12:25
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Indeed. Almost all underwriters will require a pilot to have completed several crossing under tutelage prior to covering you as PIC.
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Old 3rd Feb 2013, 11:56
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I'm a Ferry Pilot based in the USA (www.theferrypilot.com). I've been contacted by the producers of the show a few times, and even by some of their pilots.

They are desperate for flights to finish filming their third season.
The way it works is that they are looking for companies like mine to "donate" flights to their TV program. They told me that they will present it as my flight but that I "NEEDED" to hire the help of one of their mainstay pilots on the show in order to complete the job (coming to my aid!).
Their pilot will fly the flight for me, and I will get a mention in the credits. (who says I can trust them? I saw an episode when they buzz a waterfall in a clients aircraft because it was "a cool shot"!)

I told them that I dont mind if they tag along during a flight but it would be ME at the controls. (I take my good reputation very seriously and wont compromise it for a TV spot) but when it came to compensation, they werent willing to offer anything!

I then asked them why they think sitting in a Cessna, droning along for hours on end is interesting. The producer told me, and I quote: "Dont worry, we will edit the drama in!"

Suuuurrreeee... make it look like I am flying unsafely, my clients and the FAA inspectors who will watch the show will LOOOOOVE that !

On top of all that, in addition to the actual ferry, they want to do a full day of shooting "Air to Air" shots for fill in segments here and there AND interview the pilot at each fuel stop. That wastes time, time is money! Why would I waste my clients money with this crap?

If the show offered me some financial incentive that I can then pass along to my clients to make it worth their while and if they let me fly MY flights that I work hard to secure, then maybe I would participate. But just for the sake of having a TV spot... nope.

Speaking with the production company really opened my eyes to how "reality TV" works. Like all reality TV, take it with a grain of salt.
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Old 4th Feb 2013, 20:59
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Shocked at what was going on in the Phenom... Hoping it was a dramatisation!!
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Old 4th Feb 2013, 21:39
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Its a single pilot aeroplane, the "company" monkey was there for tv purposes. As bzwebner pointed out, they will "edit in the drama". Tonight showed what looked like a badly handled situation, however, i refer to my last sentence.
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Old 5th Feb 2013, 02:53
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This programme is now getting on my tits !!
The narrator makes out that flying is super dangerous and over dramatises every detail.

Each approach ends with 4 whites, pilots worried about night flying? Christ, the one in the bonanza said he used to fly airlines ?

As for the Phenom operation.....I would ground the 2 of them for utter incompetence. 1 on O2, 1 not.....a STALL ?? How ?
If i had to share an aircraft with any of them, they would only occupy a pax seat down the back.

Rant over
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Old 5th Feb 2013, 08:16
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If the show offered me some financial incentive that I can then pass along to my clients to make it worth their while and if they let me fly MY flights that I work hard to secure, then maybe I would participate. But just for the sake of having a TV spot... nope.

Speaking with the production company really opened my eyes to how "reality TV" works. Like all reality TV, take it with a grain of salt.
There are enough media whores out there that'll do anything to see themselves on the TV, serious pilots will avoid the producers approaches like the plague.
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Old 5th Feb 2013, 16:34
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I ask this question as only a lowly low hour PPL holder.


Is it really that simple to update the computers on the Phenom? Go to the Embraer website, plug in an SD card do a download, then plug it to the plane?

I know they use of clever edits to make it look dramatic, but its quite easy to get sucked into the dramatic action
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Old 6th Feb 2013, 04:12
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My personal fav is 'Randy' claiming a lightning bolt nearly 'downed' the airliner he was flying on as a pax
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Old 6th Feb 2013, 06:44
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@BG he was updating the database(s) on the G1000. It has to be done at regular intervals, depending on your setup. We have five databases, supplied by Garmin and Jeppesen on subscription, and they all update at different intervals. Jepp charts update every two weeks, just like the paper.
If any one of them is expired you get messages and big red crosses on the screens........the aircraft flies without this stuff but it's way more convenient with it.
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Old 10th Feb 2013, 11:26
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bzwebner - excellent posting. Wasn't it Mark Twain who said "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story'?

Two more observations:

1. Has anybody else noticed how during the fill-in "flyby" shots, all the turboprops sound like pistons - "Airplane" style...

2. I've always felt it's better to be a bit late in this world than awfully early in the next, but it seems that view isn't shared by everybody...

Last edited by Jumbo Jockey; 11th Feb 2013 at 16:46.
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Old 10th Feb 2013, 20:53
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According to his t*****r feed, Randy McGehee is a Delta 757/767 Captain

Last edited by Invicta DC4; 10th Feb 2013 at 20:54.
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Old 17th Feb 2013, 07:34
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Flying experience

Reading from previous question below is a typical reply i got from companies doing ferry flying..

to ferry for us you need an ATP atleast 2000 hrs , multi engine with turbine time at least 500 hrs , the pilot we select are trained our way and have to follow company policys to the last word ,they all start at the bottom of the ladder ferrying pistons first, they will also fly on wing or lead for the first 5 trips ,, if you are now only starting you licience, do com, IF and instructors TO BUILD HRS,, enjoy ,,

Not that easy to get there!
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Old 27th Feb 2013, 16:15
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Director Killed in Crash While Filming

It was only a matter of time till something like this happened.

My thoughts are with the families of those who are gone.
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Old 27th Feb 2013, 22:24
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OK Folks...With no disrespect, here's my take....I have ferried aircraft worldwide (granted, not SEL types) but everytime there were never, ever SAFETY issues....

I haven't ploughed through this thread because it is all B.S....(i.e.-Hollywood)

I can't imagine a "real" ferry company, let alone a real "ferry pilot" getting involved in something like this...

Without slamming the "pilots" involved, real ferry pilots are paid very well for their efforts, knowledge and abilities....

Plus there is a tremendous self-satisfaction factor for getting the job done...

As an afterthought, why is it that ALPA is resisting cameras in the cockpit?....
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Old 28th Feb 2013, 06:45
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Question also, who arranges their permits, handling, fuel, flight planning etc or do they do it themselves on a wing and a prayer

They obviously have delays but they have so far failed to mention the "back stage" planning that goes on for these flights.
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Old 28th Feb 2013, 13:24
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What do you guys think of the Co-pilot grabbing the controls in an aircraft of which he had little experience, from the Pilot who had much more experience of that machine?

The FO had more total hours, but little on that type. He clearly did not like flying as FO anyway and thought that his overall experience was more important.

I am amazed that the Pilot thanked him for being with him after the flight, I would have expected that he might even refuse to fly with him again.
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Old 28th Feb 2013, 13:48
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I have watched four episodes of this. In the last two, as a Cirrus driver myself, the Cirrus ferry that they did made my blood run cold.

1. Flying through "the eye of a storm" in a small SEP?

2. I also noticed that they were flying an SR22 at 15.6 GPH fuel flow. Right in the middle of the Red Fin. Wouldn't cause them to lose the engine on this flight, but the potential for engine damage that will only be found a couple of hundred hours later is significant.

3. Then the right seat co-pilot doing his best to unnerve the "captain" by coaching him through every landing.

4. Flying to Greenland with no alternate planned and not being sure that the fuel reserve is adequate or meets regulations.

OK: I accept that the makers have edited in a bit of drama but, even so, there are now two ferry companies that I will never use.
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Old 28th Feb 2013, 15:11
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Jonzarno

Just for one minute imagine you were making a film about ferry flying?
Would you want the viewers to be bored silly by perfect uneventful flights or would you want the mostly non aviation viewers to sit gripping their seats as you do battle with the elements numerous life threatening emergencies etc.

Flying can be many hours of boredom with a few slightly exciting bits thrown in the pot.

Not enough for a best seller in the movie stakes so I would imagine a certain amount of color and creative imagination will take place.

Sadly creating life threatening scenarios is well ??? Life threatening and sadly two have been killed.

One of my Citation ferries 5 years ago would have made a good film from India to the UK problems in New Delhi, bribing custom officials, wreck of a citation, departing at night into a monsoon with so many flashing cloud the sky stayed illuminated.
Being escorted to the toilet by gun wealding soldiers in pakistan! Being told to land for fuel over Iran at Night in an N reg! Being stuck in Dubai unable to get a landing clearance in Saudi Arabia.
Landing in Saudi with 2000 meters in dust which changed in seconds on touchdown to 100 meters in a sandstorm.
Big row in Alexandria no computer or plates for Crete! Bribes again and three car escort to an internet Cafe by thugs to print off plates and more failures in that aircraft that made a sim look tame
Oh well should have taken the video camera along

I would classify myself as the occasional ferry pilot not A ferry pilot!

Pace

Last edited by Pace; 28th Feb 2013 at 15:22.
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Old 28th Feb 2013, 15:37
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Pace

That all sounds very bold.

As regards the programme:

Obviously, the Cirrus ferry on DF did have lots of drama edited in, but the one thing that clearly wasn't was the fuel flow. I only spotted it because I paused the programme to look at the MFD and know what I am looking for. No non-pilot would ever have noticed or understood.
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Old 28th Feb 2013, 16:09
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The owner seems like a walking ego. And as mentioned the Kerry bloke is just plane dangerous.
Not sure why they allowed it to air as it is. All it does in my book is resolve never to use any of the pilots on the show. As for the Embraer 'incident' if that was in certain countries airspace the pilot would be expecting a call I'd imagine.
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