PLEASE WATCH ENTIRE VIDEO BEFORE COMMENTING BELOW! If you pay attention-your questions will be answered. The flight departs Merced because that is where Tom's company is based. The difference on a 2500mile flight is nominal.
I believe the shortest distance between Hawaii (not sure what Island) to the United States is somewhere 10-20 miles North or South of San Francisco. From Merced, add an additional 50 miles?
@@julesviolin Leave at 8pm. Turn on auto pilot, wake up every few hours to look things over, back to sleep, awake at 8am, look things over and land at 6pm ready for a Luau.
Nice video Juan. Just a suggestion that you were talking to the wrong side of the mic. The heart shape pattern should face towards you for optimum pick up. Anyway, I really enjoy the content of this channel, keep up the good work👍
I would regularly fly the 17-18 hours non-stop Dubai to Auckland as a pilot of the A380. 4 crew. Autopilot. Plenty fuel. Lots of electronics. Proper breaks. First class food. Huge respect for his achievement. Amazing.
Just when I had come to the conclusion that aviation has been totally replaced by button pushing, accounting, and disgruntled passengers, Juan finds a present day example of heroic flight across open ocean. Thank you.
ATC here, I asked an AAL 777 flight LA - London if Blancolirio was aboard. Was met with confusion by the pilots. Then a bunch of other pilots chimed in they watch your stuff too. Cool moment.
I keep trying to get the LA Flights channel and Juan to link up for a meetup. A great live channel for LA flight spotting and a great 777 pilot who would be a great random guest. I bet in the last year we have seen Juan co-piloting from LAX live a time or two.
LOL. Tom wasn't wearing just any old shirt but a "flyfishing" shirt! Your enthusiasm and passion for flying really shows in this video Juan. THAT'S why I LOVE this channel!
Longest I ever did was 24 hours, Chicago to Salt Lake City in a '91 Miata; but at least I was able to stretch my legs during fuel stops. Kudos to this gentleman 👍
@@wlbrobinson I don't know how - yesterday I was at a steam fair, and my bladder was still fine after 10 hours. I must be slightly dehydrated all the day, to do that at 67 years.
Something else that’s worth pointing out in regards to his takeoff weight and fuel consumption during those first few hours.. not only is a relatively lighter aircraft carrying much more fuel for a long trip like that, but it also has to carry the massive balls this man has across the Pacific Ocean. All jokes aside, I’m fascinated that there are pilots out there that are willing to make a trip like this regardless of the compensation. Awesome story
that's incredible being an old 172 flyer I applaud him. I've had a few cross the content flights in the last 30 years but 3 hours is my normal max I couldn't imagine 18 hours.
@@awuma I had a 1978 Honda 750F Super Sport and about 100 miles was the sore rear point. It had a flat seat not designed for long distance riding. Other than that it was well balanced fun bike and handled like a 350cc. Its the only motorcycleI never wrecked.
During Desert Shield, F-16s from Hill flew from Shaw to Al Minhad in the UAE without stopping. If I remember correctly, it was a 15 hour flight with, I think, 5 air refuelings. If you want to talk about awful, I think that sums it up!
that was fun my dad and friend flew a piper 210 round the world and it was an adventure, included crimped tank vent causing fuel to piddle round the cockpit and pilots side window blowing out and hitting the horizontal stabilizer making a stop at Truck island necessary. finally ending up back at Skymanor airport in New Jersey. Dad always wanted to go round the world as he had gone half way during ww2 as a ferry pilot from Ireland to Cairo. So Hats off to Tom life can get sketchy up there. nice job
That would have been a fine story to hear. I'd recommend the book, "Into the Wind: The Story of Max Conrad" by Sally Buegeleisen. Conrad was another long-distance Piper man. Several times I had to put the book down and look up records of Conrad's flights to be sure I was still reading nonfiction.
@@joelamb3581 He was called Lucky Max because of a French plane delivery he was talked into that put him on a north route to USA that arched over the ice flows when it turned out to be a beautiful day and he decided to divert to a glacier he had never seen but heard of. So over the glacier - his windshield became covered with oil. He set her down and looked out to sea and there was a cargo ship turning his way. Got on board and the capt said he only takes this rout once a month and has never seen the glacier due to the horrible weather. so ya lucky
Super cool but respectfully, there is no such plane, you must mean a Cessna 210. Incredible job by your father, not many have made that trek in a single engine plane.
A testimony to Tom's long experience and fortitude, and also to the build quality of that aircraft. That engine ran continuously for 18 hours, much of it at full power, with no issues. I hope Tom had a chance to chat with airliners flying above him. I like to think they kept a protective eye on him. Bravo Tom!
I was out in Honolulu last October and actually rented their SR20 for fun. They had a very active operation there. I also really enjoyed the CFI who came along with me (Ian Choe). I never asked how they got that plane across (at the time, the Cirrus was their newest to the fleet). Now I know!
My friend flew one of their Cirruses as well when visiting Hawaii. I saw a video a year or two ago of a ferry pilot flying a Cirrus to Hawaii who had to activate CAPs due to an engine e failure. He parachuted down near a ship, so they had good video of it. The Cirrus at least allows the pilot to fly at a much higher altitude and TAS. I also think its range is close to 800-1000 miles with its own tanks, so the fuel system mods aren’t as intense. Still, respect to anyone who flies a single piston over that much water. I’d do it on a boat, but not a single piston.
Living in New Zealand at the bottom of the South Pacific, ferry flying of aircraft in this fashion is very common. Agricultural aircraft (such as Air Tractor) are frequently flown from Australia and the agricultural hopper is converted into a ferry ‘tank’ to provide the additional 400-500 gallons of fuel required.
Quick question.... Why would you not just throw this aircraft on top of the next ship going between US mainland and Hawaii? Or Australia and NZ? For small Aircraft it just seems like a much cheaper and safer option. Confused.
@@fresatx it’s a good question. But remember that small airplanes are fairly delicate pieces of machinery, fitted with ailerons, elevators and other movable controls. These are constructed VERY lightly. Strapping an airplane like this onto a container ship would make it very susceptible to significant damage which would negate the advantage of having it shipped in this fashion. It is common to ship the aircraft in a container, but as stated in the video, breaking the aircraft down and reassembling it again can present different challenges. Here in New Zealand, we do receive a number of airplanes from the USA in containers. Making sure that they are packed carefully and securely is a challenge, again making sure they aren’t damaged. There are companies that specialise in this work.
I am a 172 pilot, and I would say that, flying for 18 hours consecutively is no joke in this cramped aircraft. I mean maximum certified endurance of this aircraft is not more than 6.5 hours and my cross country navigation is not more than 5 hours. Hats off to this dude.
Yeah it is impressive. I’ve ridden in some 172 I own a 170b and pitts s2. This guy is something else. I flew my pitts from Alabama to Washington state and I have to say I landed a lot and even with that I was very done with the entire experience when I got home
Juan, your enthusiasm for taking on this type of challenge is only barely concealed throughout the video. The level of joy evident in relating Tom George’s feat is all over your voice and face. I smiled the entire length of the video.
Also the mental drain, it seems like tom couldnt sleep during it, juan said he barely had time for a sandwich, i cant imagine not falling asleep with the drone of the engine and nothing around except sky and water, thats a unique form of torture
exactly! Just imagine flying a Cessna on microsoft flight simulator for 18 hours sitting in a lay-z-boy with a couple of potty breaks knowing it would be punishing, then think about what this Man actually accomplished!
Omg Juan! This is some of the best content ever! This is all stuff the non ferry pilot doesn’t have to think about to this degree during a “normal” flight. My longest ferry flight was from the Beechcraft factory in Kansas to the West Coast, and that was enough for me. My hats off to George (Tom) for performing this mission successfully. Wow! There’s no way in hell I would put my can in this can for 18 hours and suffer all the discomforts of this whole nightmare. Thank you Juan for the continuing education 👍
I thought this guy's name was Tom. Am I mistaken? Juan called him George a couple of times during the video, and now you call him George. Or are both proper?
@@jimmclaughlin9362 No the guy’s name is Tom, but Juan called him George then edited the video by flashing TOM on the screen. So I was sort of teasing Juan by calling the guy George and then TOM in parentheses.
Look up Kerry McCauley and him blowing in the tube the whole way easy over the Atlantic to mainland Europe. That was similar duration plus breathing exercise the whole way, literally “blow in a tube or you get to swim”. Another crazy story.
Another missing detail about ferrying these planes is the additional weight and balance that this video does not point out, is calculating the huge pair of cojones Tom Lopes has to perform this feat! Outstanding work to Tom and his team.
we used to run 36-48hr missions nonstop in Iraq. No stopping for anything (eating, bathroom, etc.). and we had multiple 1-man vehicles in the convoys. A short day was 10hrs straight, but could easily become a 18hr mission. and we did that daily for a year at a time.
@@tony9146 HEMTT, Humvee, 5-ton, RG31 MkI and MkII, JERRV, Buffalo MkI and MkII, Meerkat MkI and MkII, Husky MkI and MkII and MKIII, Maxxpro, MATV, and many more. I spent most of my time in the Meerkat and Husky though. MkI Meerkat and MkI Husky were stick shift too, lots of fun. We also had stick shift 2.5 tons in the states. Meerkat and Husky are VMMD, but we also ran GPR (radar instead of metal detection).
I follow a lot of aviation content on youtube, but this is something I would've only learnt from you. Thanks for all the great knowledge you share about general aviation in general, and general aviation safety in particular. This flight has it all: Unique procedures and equipment that require a certain set of skills, experience and expertise, and a flight plan that requires a lot of effort and planning to maintain a level of safety that is considered acceptable. Loved these videos about it.
My husband has well over 130 ferry flights all over the world with nothing more than a compass and a cabin full of fuel. The book Air Vagabond: Oceans, Airmen, and a Quest for Adventure by Anthony J. Vallone details aircraft deliveries in the 70s and 80s.
Hope Lee . Thx for sharing. My hats off to your husband big time. I did only one daylight (VFR no radio) till dark ferry in a PW-450hp A model AgCat using a "wobble hand pump". Interesting story and kinda foolish but it was fun. All the best!
Did your husband work for Floair in Wichita? They were the biggest ferry company, from early 70’s until ? I had my first flying job with Floair. I only flew singles, domestically.
Great report, Juan and thank you. Tom is one stellar breed of cat to continue to ferry aircraft over those long and physically demanding stretches of lonely water. His professionalism in planning, procedures and follow through pays off. That's something all aviators should remember. In a previous post, I mentioned I did a similar flight in '59. But I was 19, flying a faster low wing airplane (but didn't get much higher) and hungry for flight time. Tom, I am in awe of your accomplishment. Fair winds.
That is just awesome, I was tracking him from when we left Louisville to Anchorage and then when we got to our hotel ….took a nap …woke up …checked FlightAware and he was still going strong. That’s just amazing , a rare breed to fly at 6K for that long
I just have such incredible respect for him. As i plan l next wk’s flight to St. Louis I can’t help but be blown away - this is total belief in physics, weather info, and training, then going ALL IN to do a “Lindbergh.”
I did not know that people did such a thing. I followed the fight online that night and was very curious about how the whole thing happened, so I'm grateful for this helpful explainer. I loved how not only did Tom receive a lei but there was also one on the propeller. A proper welcome for such a feat!
I did a ferry flight Prince Rupert to Ketchikan in a PA-22 I swore I'd never do Single Engine overwater again. Next time was as a copilot in a DC-7 much better 😁
In 1947, Bill Odom flew a Bonanza 35 from Hawaii to Teterboro. Non stop. Solo. 36 hrs. His plane, “Waikiki Beach” is in the Udvar Hazy. Full extended range tanks totaled 288 gals. Not to take anything away from this trip, but this video is proof that aviation…more so than any other enterprise… continues to excite the human comprehension of what is possible.
One of my NASA co-workers did this after retirement. He left NASA as I came aboard. Last I remember was one of his adventures trying to ferry a plane to Australia. Tried two times but had to return to Hawaii. His family was old Hawaii so he really didn't need to do this.
Longest I've ever done was 16 hours in a semi truck, but I got to stop 2 - 3 times for coffee and restroom breaks. It genuinely sucked. This ferry flight would take a LOT out of a person considering the conditions it was performed under. Hats off to Tom. I'm sure he's glad that trip is over. I sure as hell would be.
A friend of mine did a ferry flight in a 172/180 hp from L.A. to Hilo on the big island. At that time he was a California highway patrol officer in charge of the northern division aviation unit. He currently flies the OV-10 Bronco for Cal -Fire.
Looking at the planning and technology that went into this flight, makes the fact that Lindbergh did a similar flight in 1929, without satellite weather data or modern communications or navigation equipment even more amazing.
This must make Charles Lindbergh smile from above the sky, not in a condescending way but in a proud way how he paved such a way that only the most brave and prepared can follow.
54 years ago an amateur new zealand pilot Cliff Tait flew a NZ built AIRTOURER single engine plane around the world by himself , fuel drum in seat next to him . he made it back to NZ and continued flying as a ferry pilot for years after that , what was amazing about his trip at the time he had only a few hundred hours flight experience
Thank You Juan for an excellent report. Seems like a dangerous job, the long range ferry pilot. Tom has a whole team to assist him though. I am positive the aircraft arrived it much better condition than disassembly , shipping and reassembling.
WOW!!!!!! I can only imagine compared to your crew breaks. I would worry about circulation issues to the lower extremities. Any chance he recorded the adventure? Good Job Juan, thanks for sharing that with us.
What a man, Tom, fortitude, planning and supporting crew...reminds of a song..."Don't pay the ferryman till he gets you to the other side"...excellent job.
Sounds like he has a great support system and experience to help him through. Still that takes a lot of time, planning, prep and “Right Stuff” to pull it off. Impressive is an understatement….
Amazing job ! I have watched a you tube channel of a similar nature, with a pilot named Guido Warnicke. He does many ferry flights from UK to Canada and USA. Some were single engine also but the landing points are much closer on that route. Thanks for sharing this interesting story.
Buddy of mine flew a rental plane from George a few years back when I was stationed at Hickam. He flew my mom around the island while he was building hours for the airline
That was an outstanding look at the challenge! I was overwhelmed with curiosity when I saw this unfolding. My max trip in a 172 is probably about 500 miles, over land, with dozens of alternates, and felt like that required a lot of planning. 😂🤣🤣
Most of my uncompensated ferry flights were at 15,000 or higher with O2 some w/o. In the many ferry flights I got my hotel & food and the one way ride to Wichita. It was great experience but no compensation! From 152s to turbo 210 I loved it all!!
Quite an endeavor! I almost yelped "Ouch" when he got out of the plane. Being scrunched up like that for 18 hours is a lot for anyone. Best of luck to him. Fly safe.
You can hear the west coast departure flights to Hawaii on HF radio at 11.282 MHz. The secondary frequency is 5.547 MHz. There is not constant chatter but rather you only hear flights as they check in with position reports or ground stations as they need to contact the flight from time to time. It is not busy like the local ATC VHF channels.
My favorite ferry pilot story is the guy crossing the Atlantic when the air pressure to ferry tank failed. He rigged a piece of tubing and spent much of the flight puffing air into tank, with his lungs, to transfer fuel.
When I would fly a single from San Diego to Catalina Island, I always got high enough and crossed over at the point where the least ocean under me was, geographically. Always thought about engine failure/ditching. I hand it to Tom, that is one long crossing in a Cessna. Congratulations. Good reporting Juan.
It would have been very interesting to see the install of the HF radios, make and model numbers, and what sort of HF antenna was used to make effective long range HF comms possible from that tiny airframe. The only HF rig I never saw was a piece of length-tuned wire the pilot ran out of the passenger window, to let fly behind the plane, for his transoceanic HF radio system. I’m guessing it was a shoebox sized enclosure sitting on the passenger seat… again, the antenna also would be very interesting to know more about… and also what HF bands and frequencies are used in transoceanic aviation comms… we don’t get a lot of exposure to that flying single engine land planes.
I saw only a glimpse of it. His HF rig actually didn't seem all that special. I don't think it's the "12k" in avionics Juan is talking about. It honestly looked like an older yaesu lol. Probably just modified to transmit out of the HAM bands. As far as antenna, I think the long wire in the airstream is usually what they do.
Reminds me of Max Conrad who flew different Piper aircraft on long distance flights setting records. Met him when I first started flying lessons in 1966.
Very good reporting of a very rare plane delivery . I never heard of this massive effort to get planes to a out of range customer . I quess from an armchair viewer , where there is a will and a way most things can be do. Transporting a plane by as mentioned , ship, appears to be THE MOST WAY , but circumstance do prevale. Great education of plane delivery's off shore !
On March 7-8, 1949, William P. Odom set a solo light-plane, nonstop distance record from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Teterboro, New Jersey, (5,000 miles) in the Waikiki Beech.
Juan - what a wonderful detailed explanation of how much it really takes to make this kind of flight. Thank you so much. Once again, I learn so much from your expertise. Side note: Some of the comments below - Damn / sad.....
Thanks Juan, I remember when I was a youngster in the early 70's I had an uncle that ferried new Beechcraft prop aircraft from the factory at Wichita Kansas to the NAC Beech distributor in Johannesburg South Africa. I would be enthralled listening to his recount of his multi-leg flight, refueling at Gander Newfoundland, the flight over the Atlantic to the UK, over Europe and down the West coast of Africa. He basically only had ferry tanks. No GPS back in the day. His experiences with all the Third World countries bureaucracy, regulations and corruption was an adventure of it's own. We lived approximately 15 km from the airport and would notice on occasion a light twin would circle our suburb, wag the wing's and disappear towards the airport. Later my uncle would contact my parents to let us know he was back. Fond memories. Thank you for your channel.
I've had a number of flights in a Skyhawk or Skylane that were 5-7 hours long. A few Skylane flights were 10-12 hours split in two legs with barely time for a drink and stretching legs. Eighteen hours in a Skyhawk... my legs hurt thinking about it!
I used to work with a guy who back in the late 60's and early 70's did those flights from mainland to Hawaii. Then from Hawaii, he'd continue onto the Phillipines on the second leg. There was no such thing as a tracker or to have back and forth communicaion with anything other that ships in the Paciffic. He'd leave LAX just before sunrise climbing maybe 75-100 ft/min. He did this in a couple of C-150's and few 172's, PA24's. Was very dark an lonely (he never admitted of being scared) with basically no horizon. The interiors were stripped of everything; seats, headliner, door upholstery, and unneeded radio/avionics. Can't even imagine that.......
OK, I have a question. I'm a retired A&P and IA. I started working on Cessnas and similar planes in the 1970s and I can't tell you how many new engines or overhauled engines we installed that were using a lot of oil right from the factory or right from the overhaul shop and I'm talking about good shops, like Mattituck, Penn Yan, or the factory, and hearing the same thing over and over again: just run it until it has 50 hours on it and the oil consumption has stabilized, then you can go to multi-grade oil once the rings seat okay. That was very common to see quite a bit of oil consumption, especially in the first 20 or 30 hours of an engine's service life. So Juan, you're assuming that because this engine is new, it's it's going to use less than a quart in 18 hours, much of that at high power settings. I don't get it, I want to know how full that crankcase was when he landed that airplane, because that just does not sound right to me. Very informative video, thanks!
Can't compare to this. Many years ago my friend retired from the Canadian air force as a pilot. He started training to get his commercial pilot rating. He needed to add flying 100 hours in a fixed wing aircraft at night to his record. To accommodate that requirement he rented a Piper Colt Cessna 150 and proceeded to start building his night flying hours. I spent several nights flying around our area as a "copilot" support buddy. After I suggested it was just as dark in California at night he decided we need to take a flight to Palm Springs from here in the lower mainland of BC, in that same little Piper Colt. That was the best week+ of my life. Barnstorming to Palm Springs and back. Trip of a lifetime.
