USA-AUS Ferry Flight - Attempt to Smuggle Drugs
 

Hmmm.......

US Agencies have foiled an attempt to smuggle 225kg of drugs on board what appears to be a Cessna 208 ferry. Two of the arrested are Australians and the ferry pilot was a 72 year old US citizen.Link: Daily Telegraph

When I first read the initial news piece headline, I was wondering what type of 'light aircraft' it would be to get 225kg, plus pilot, plus raft etc and fuel to cross to Honolulu, thence Oz....

Glad to see that it never 'got orf the ground'.......

CHEERS to the 'Boys and Gals in Blue'...:D:ok:

Seriously, how did these boobs ever think this plan would work, c210 across that distance?, I wonder how much ferry fuel weight was sacrificed to make room for those drugs. Tight fuel margins, single pilot operation,customs inspections, drug sniffer dogs, etc, etc. yeah sure no probs, lets make some quick cash, duh.

If the aircraft in the photo in that article was the proposed ferry aircraft, it sure ain't a C208 and I'd doubt very much it could carry 255 kg of anything and a pilot plus sufficient fuel for the long legs on that route.

Looked like a Turbine C-210P

Yup...photos here..
https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/australi...-drugs-from-us

So what routes can you take to ferry a c206 from us to oz?

Drugs have caused significant problems for Rural Australian folk.

Drugs to the value of $250M street value would result in breakdowns of families, crime and suicides.

Hang draw and quarter these b*stards.

Mjb

When these 3 were nabbed, what offence had 2 of them committed ?
The guy carrying the $2.4 mil is breaking the law if it was in Oz currency,
but is he still guilty of an offence if it were in greenbacks going back to the US ?
Maybe if the pilot was nabbed about to taxi out, yes.

I suppose they knew they had something to charge them with before the arrests.

What offence? Conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit, importing illegal drugs.

I could conspire to jump over the moon, and of course not do it.
If the plane had landed in Oz with the drugs and they were unpacking it, yep, you're nicked.
The pilot has committed an offence from the start by flying it, but the other two guys,- until they get to the US and pay the money and pack the plane, what's the offence ?

Conspiracy? Conspiracy to: Break several laws pertaining to currency and the movement of class A drugs. May not have had the right documentation for the 'plane either.

Empty weight | 2,730 lb
Max ramp weight | 4,016 lb
Max gross weight | 4,000 lb
Useful load | 1,270 lb


Payload w/full fuel | 556 lb (252kg)


Max takeoff weight | 4,000 lb
Max landing weight | 4,000 lb
Range | 812 nm
Range as tested | 1,089 nm
Fuel capacity, std | 116 gal (115 gal usable)
777 lb (770 lb usable)
Fuel capacity, w/opt tanks | 148 gal (147 gal usable)
992 lb (985 lb usable)
Baggage capacity | 181 lb (0 lb with cargo area tank full)

Not unusual to get an overweight permit for those sort of ferry flights.
Mind you they don't seem too interested in obeying the law so probably wouldn't bother.

The charge is (attempted) importation of a commercial quantity with a maximum of life. Importing is such a vague term they can get you for anything. Planning is enough for count as importing.

The things you learn on jury duty!

Yep lets say 50% with a permit or even 100% overweight without a permit, and assuming it will fly at 100% over Max Take Off Weight, and looking at the photos of the drugs.

My question is where do you put the extra fuel that is needed?

The cargo pod for the 210 might need to be invented first.

http://www.onaircraft.com/the-planes/for-sale/n62sk/


I think this is it...

Very nice bit of kit, for a single.

I kind of doubt that weight and balance calculations were the first priority in this operation.

If they were wanting to move $250 million worth of "stuff", you'd think they would spend a bit more and get a Kingair at least.

I used to fly with a pilot who did SE ferry flights from California to Japan and Australia. The fuel bag would take up the entire cabin and often the unoccupied front seat. San Fransisco to Hawaii was the longest leg at 2300NM, after that it was shorter, island hopping.

I think there is another exit port but is still around 2100NM to Hawaii.


This turbine conversion I think struggles to get to 23,000 feet from what I have read. So its fuel burn will be hard to work out, but landing with dust in the tanks I would guess they need more than 500 litres (more like 600) in the cabin and in the conversion the rear baggage area is already turned into a fuel tank.

Anyone got any better info to know how much fuel they will need for this leg at a realistic flight level?