Helis From USA-->EIRE

[Wee Man]

Well People,
Can anyone gimme some info!! My company in eire are importing 2 Bell222`s from california which we have just purchased @ a good price. Now we priced shipping them over here. We are talking massive money for shipping alone. On top of that we would have to get the helis from the west coast to the east coast and then get the blades taken off which is a big job in these machines as you have to take the whole head off together. One blade is big enough on its own. But two and the head together!!!!!! :yuk: Then we have to do the reverse back here. As well as the time issue.. We have decided to fly them back. Some experience it will be. We have the plan nearly finished and we have 2 ferry tanks winging there way from oz as we speak as the trip from Canada to Greenland is 4 hours approxxx! The trip will be
(not getting into detail) West coast USA--> East coast USA--> Canada--> Greenland--> Iceland--> Faroe Islands--> Scotland--> Eire. I just want to know has anyone done anything like this before and have they any good stopover points in any of these places. Any help of info would be a massive help as we are going in2 this as all fresh fish. But it should be good. Thanks in advance!!!:ok:

[Fun Police]

sorry, i don't have any suggestions, but can i come?

[b.borg]

Wee Man - what endurance will the ferry tanks give you ?

The trip has been done many times in the past, but for the northern Arctic/north Atlantic a rough plan could be:
CYFB - CYVM - BGSS - BGGH - BGBW - BGKK - BIRK - BIEG - EKVG - EGPO. Apart from CYVM and BGKK limited hotel and maintenance facilities are available.

Get hold of the relevant AIP for each country and Jeppe North Atlantic ferry kit. Carry Arctic and maritime survival aids - some are mandatory for the areas you will be flying through. (I will PM you some websites)

Be prepared for PPR at some landing sites, restricted fuel, and very high prices for everything !

Also weather is a major factor. The north west Atlantic generates all the low pressure areas that hit Europe, so be prepared to sit around for days, if not weeks, waiting for a weather window.

Plan realistically, and don't press the limited amount of daylight hours.

Otherwise if you hit a spell of good weather, don't get any technical problems, then it could be the trip of a lifetime ! :ok:

[helicopter-redeye]

I just want to know has anyone done anything like this before and have they any good stopover points in any of these places.

I believe the route has been done at least twice by R44's.

But not in a North Atlantic winter ...

Plan for everything. And good luck.

[paco]

Fixed wing guys do it all the time - you could try their forums, or ask the guys in a Canadian forum - try www.caaviation.ca

The trip from the States to Canada will be easy enough. One thing i would try is get in touch with people like Great Slave - most companies have fuel caches all over the place, and they might be able to allow you to use them, or better yet tell you who delivers the drums (you can get 17 in a Twin otter) - Ken Borek Aviation in Calgary would be a good start. Then you could establish your own cache - but always plan to land with enough loiter fuel to find it!

The Canadian telephone directory web site is www.canada411.ca

If you get weathered in in Iqaluit (frobisher Bay, on Baffin island), be prepared to like Broccoli - it's about the only vegetable they have. The hotel is good, though, with the inevitable Chinese restaurant. There is a bank there at which you can use a bank card, and a runway you can land a 737 on.

You will need some fan heaters for the engine compartment and cockpit (not too near the windows!) and you should leave them on all night. Don't forget the engine muffler, but we found that rotor covers just get frozen to the blades and were hard to get off, so we didn't bother in the end.

Good luck!

Phil

[Choppersquad]

wee man
do i know you.
are you a 222 jockey ,alan nee may be the man to have a chat with ,he is based in weston.whatsarunway might be the man to go with you as a second jockey if you needed a good pilot.


cs

[Giovanni Cento Nove]

Try this outfit - ACL (http://www.aclcargo.com/examplesofRoro.php). No disassembly - just wheel it on, tie it down then wheel it off the other end. About a 10 day trip. Your call of course.

[Aesir]

PM me if you need any advice or info regarding Greenland and Iceland, I work there and have done several ferry flights from Greenland to Europe on B222.

You should have no problems getting Jet-A in Greenland at airports and heliports (Avgas is not so easy to find) and I have some positions where emergency fuel on drums is located.

There is a B222 operator in Greenland with plenty of experience with them, so you should be able to get assistance and perhaps spare parts there.

Iceland has B206 operators and experienced people on the B222 and in Faeroy Islands there is a B212 operator.

AirAlpha A/S have designed a ferry kit consisting of two 200ltr fuel drums and pumps, excellent kit and will give you good endurance.

The U model has 935 ltrs internally if memory serves plus 400 ltrs that gives you 4:15 in the "U" model.

[Helipolarbear]

:confused: With the extra flight crew, (you really don't want to go into the drink on your own...you'll get lonely before you die), all those extra litres of Jet A-1, All the food and drink you'll need, floats, survival gear, etc.........should get real interesting!!!:}

Cheaper and alot more common sense just to ship the big two bladed slapper's. Don't forget the small army of spare parts and the wonderful Bell reliability backup service. Oh, did I mention that a blade delamination on a Bell 222 is next best thing to a partial lobotomy without the anesthetic.....you could end up looking like Wayne Rooney on his wedding day!!!!:}

[nigelh]

Simon oliphant-hope did it in a H500 as part of his record around world trip......no problem., and solo !

[whatsarunway]

Thanks choppersquad but when you include the danger money, they just couldn't afford me!;)

Ill just have a look at the photos when they get back!

Ciao.

[irishhelipilot]

The kamakazi squad made it back in 8 days........did ye know that wee man is in fact a rather large man. Apparently only drafted in so the rest of the crew could feed him to the polar bears if they went down!

[farsouth]

Paco - 17 drums of fuel in the back of a Twin Otter?? Just about physically possible (I get about 20 empties in) but even with just 1 hour fuel in the tanks you would be at about 16 or 17,000 pounds (35% over MTOW). Twotter will take-off at that, but wouldn't like to plan to land it at those weights.

Wee Man - we used to go through Narsarsuaq quite often up till about 1999, they would not take any form of credit card, only cash US dollars. Don't know if that has changed, or if other Greenland airports are the same.

[Johe02]

Mike Smith from Heliair used to offer this trip as part of a new R44 sale. He has done it several times and possibly the first SE Heli to transit Greenland (when going around the coast is recommended).

[b.borg]

irishhelipilot Well done you guys - you will have to post details of the trip on pprune :ok:

Johe02 I think you will find many SE heli transits of Greenland from the early 70's onwards, before Mike Smith.
Greenlandair, Ron Bower, Helicopter Service of Iceland, Aeromega and many others.
Transits include passage to British Columbia, Iceland, UK, Ethiopia and other points east and west :p

[toolguy]

Air Greenland (or Greenland Air) are helpful, but, the big problem is weather and cost associated with getting stuck. If your aircraft break anywhere along the way, the delays will add to your total project cost. If I was in your shoes, I would either air ship with Heavylift, or sea with HISS or Panalpina. You pay more up front, but your costs will be fixed. :ok:

[SASless]

Hats off!

Another great adventure......and as it should be.:ok: