Anyone in Iceland?

[gitmo234]

Ladies and Gents,

my wife and I are off to Iceland tonight for an 8 day post-deployment vacation. Any Mooney pilots here? I don’t have my docs but would gladly contribute to costs of going up for a tour or even ride left seat. Would rather pay a mooney owner than someone else...

[carusoam]

We have seen a few Mooneys pass through there... but none have stayed very long... 

Enjoy the time off!

Best regards,

-a-

[Piloto]

I ferried this Ovation to the UK via BIRK. I didn't see any other piston anywhere.

José  

[gitmo234]

Now that I’m back I’m considering trying to fly my E to Greenland, mostly just to say I did it. Having done it several times, do you thinks it’s possible on the northern most route without a ferry tank? 

[Jerry 5TJ]

It's 676 nmi great circle distance  from Goose Bay to Narsarsuaq.  With a modest tailwind you might use 40 gallons in an E.

Return trip home will require a wait for favorable winds.

There are few/no alternates within range of a Mooney with 52 gallons aboard.  

 

Since you can't get home until the winds shift, you might as well go on to Reykjavík.  That's only another 670 nmi. 

Lots more to amuse yourself in and around Reykjavík while you wait.   

As trip preparation you might read Ernie Gann's account of flying into Narsarsuaq (known as Bluie West One in WWII) in IMC.   

 

[neilpilot]

Before you get too far into the planning stage, check the cost of liability insurance. Years ago a rider to cover the EU minimum coverage, with no hull insurance, would have run about $5k for my 64E.

[Hank]

12 hours ago, Jerry 5TJ said:

It's 676 nmi great circle distance  from Goose Bay to Narsarsuaq.  With a modest tailwind you might use 40 gallons in an E.

Return trip home will require a wait for favorable winds.

There are few/no alternates within range of a Mooney with 52 gallons aboard.  

 

Since you can't get home until the winds shift, you might as well go on to Reykjavík.  That's only another 670 nmi.

There's anither route with shorter over-water legs, but it requires crossing the Greenland ice cap ~13,000 msl. Or you can fly along the coast . . . .

"Go north to Kuujjuaq and Iqaluit on Baffin Island (yes, it's the new official Inuit names for the old Fort Chimo and Frobisher Bay, respectively). From Iqaluit, my way would be East and South-East, first to Sondrestrom and Kulusuk on the West and East coasts of Greenland and then to Reykjavik in Iceland, Faroe Islands." From there, you have a choice of several places in Europe.

This will get you to Greenland with your 52 gal tanks, with several hours' overwater flight and much less risk than going direct to Narsarsuaq. It's also two additional places to enjoy scenic Greenland, where life exists only along the coast, the interior being given over to packed ice (nobody knows what's under the ice, but it's probably pretty flat by now).

P.S.--Iceland is on my bucket list (but not in my Mooney!). I may be too much of a thin-blooded Southern boy to hack Greenland, though.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Hank

[ArtVandelay]

CYYR CYVP CYFB CYVM BGSF...longest leg is less than 400nm, but VM doesn't have avgas, but you could ship a container ahead.

[Piloto]

To keep VHF contact with Gander Radio on this route you need to be at least at 18,000 feet or use HF radio for the lower altitudes.

José

Edited October 16, 2017 by Piloto

[Mooneymite]

Before you get too enthused, check the time of useful consciousness in that water.  Flying the P-3 out over the north Atlantic, even 4 engines wasn't enough!   

ETOPS=Engines turn, or people swim.

ESOPS=putting all your eggs in one basket.