Ferry flights from the US to Europe: How ?

[bodstrup]

How do you ferry say a 737-600 from the factory in Seattle to Copenhagen ?

Can you fit extra temporary tanks in the cargo area or do you refuel in Iceland ?

Also, are HF radios fitted just for this purpose or are they part of the standard equipment ?

Regards
Michael

[G-ALAN]

I think some companies fit extra tanks and some just stop along the way, eg. Boston, Gander, Iceland, Prestwick then Copenhagen. I read this in an Aviation magazine so by all means correct me if I'm wrong.

[concordino]

bodstrup,

I think you will find that most 737NG's will come with standard HF radios as part of the equipement.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Given that 737NGs seem to be able to cross the Atlantic non-stop without too much trouble, I'd assume Seattle to Copenhagen could be done lightly-loaded, no payload and full regular fuel with just one stop even without extra tanks

[kpiko3]

All Northwest A319,and all America West A320`s come through Prestwick and then on to Keflavik in Iceland.Shame about the NWA a330 though,we were all hoping here in PIK it would come through.

[Knold]

Considering the tailwind that can be expected on that route and with light load it probably works non stop. If the plane is approved to fly RVSM/MNPS in the NAT area that is. Otherwise you have to go low and follow less direct tracks.
G3 from KEF to Stavanger if memory serves me...

[PAXboy]

I recall reading in an magazine a year or so ago, an article on this subject. One of the manufacturers (I think Boeing) has built additional fuel inlet points into the cargo area of 737s. They set up a framework with a collapsible tank in the cargo area and plug it into the fuel lines. This shows up as an extra tank. However, it might be that they have a separate indication of this tank and simply 'refuel' from it, rather than feeding from it. I cannot recall.

When the delivery is complete, the tank and it's framework are removed and sent back in a crate. The reason for adding the fuel access points is because short haul machines are now sold on more often in their life and so may need to change continents several times. This system allows any machine to be flown a substantial distance without modification and the extra costs of tech stops. Additional flight crew may be carried.

Airbus have extra fuel tanks that are the same size as cargo containers. So these get loaded into the belly, and then hooked up in the same way and filled. This is also used in the A319LR for permanent use.

I sit to be corrected.

[Earthmover]

You can fit a 'ferry kit' HF, but it costs - and you can use the 'Blue Spruce' routes for aircraft with only one independent Nav system, such as the 737-300. You get more or or less continuous VHF coverage all the way. Knold, your memory serves you correctly!

[allthatglitters]

Some years ago had some B737-300's delivered from Mr Boeing, they had a right pax window removed and HF antenna fitted in it's place, also they thru in a life raft, which all had to be returned to Mr Boeing.

[Manual Reversion]

Did a few SEA - UK flights in a -700 last year. A/C is RVSM and MNPS approved. Random track when leaving Canadian NCA airspace.Cost index kept very low...the object being to arrive with adequate reserves, not break a speed record! Generally landing with 3 tonnes or so. Best crew food I've tasted supplied by Boeing for the trip!

[knobbygb]

Airliners magazine (Sept/Oct 2001) has an article about the delivery of 717's from Long Beach to Hawaii. They use a similar system to those mentioned above - additional tanks are fitted in the passenger cabin and feed by gravity (with back-up electric pumps) into the aircraft centre tank. Eight rows of seats are removed to house the tanks. The same tanks are then used to ferry a retiring DC9 back to the mainland, although, where the 717 requires four additional 250 gallon tanks, the DC9-50 requires nine such tanks for the same trip.