PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Career as a ferry pilot where and how to start...
Old 25th Sep 2014, 03:32
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MungoP
 
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Also .. give some serious thought to what you're getting into.. not just have a vague idea that you'd like to be paid for tooling along looking out of the window. There's an element of Russian Roulette about ferry flying.. I'm referring to the more basic aircraft here..
Single engine flights in small piston a/c across Greenland can be lethal and often have been. Looking at my log-book I see that I've crossed that route exactly 20 times... but with one exception always with a multi-turbo-prop a/c.. and I've had my moments even then... On the one occasion I set off from France in a piston single with the intention making it to Mississippi the engine tore itself apart en-route to Wick and I made it in at night by the skin of my teeth. Had it happened the following day on the way to iceland i would have been history.
A friend and professional ferry-pilot had completed over 70 crossings of the Arctic before icing got him.
Of course there are many out there doing this work successfully and in a very professional manner and it won't be there fault if some inadequate work carried out on the engine 200 hrs before finally gives way out over the Arctic Ocean.. or the weather briefers get it wrong and low cloud with icing end the flight en-approach to Narsarsuaq...
In short.. this work is not to be undertaken lightly.
Very best Wishes with your career, wherever it takes you..
MungoP
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