A Kangaroo Malibu to Spokane
After JetPROP finished the 100th Malibu/Mirage
conversion in December 2002 of which more than 25 are flying in Europe,
the first Australian Malibu owner made the decision for conversion.
Andrews's aircraft is an 85 model Malibu and had to be delivered to
Spokane.
He contacted me some months in advance and we worked out
the details mostly by email. During this time he assured me over and over
again that his plane is in superb condition, perfectly maintained, the
best engine, etc... . I guess he only wanted to make sure that I did not
get scared away by all that water that had to be crossed. But surprise in
the ferry business, his Kangaroo Malibu was all that he promised.
First we discussed the routing options and came up with the
shortest way via Hawaii crossing the Pacific. This made a ferry tank
necessary that had to be installed in Australia into a VH-reg plane. We
had to deal with the CASA and Andrew picked a maintenance facility at the
Bankstown airport.
Instead of building a new aluminum box we located a used
ferry tank in New Zealand from a previous Malibu ferry. This was an 80+Gal
Tank. My calculation was for 100Gal of extra fuel to make the flight even
with some headwind.
The solution for the missing 20Gal was the installation of the additional
wing filler caps. Normally this comes with the JetPROP conversion but we
got them shipped to Sydney and installed for the ferry flight.
The documentation for the tanking was very sound, same as the workmanship
from the engineer and mechanics. The tank was located on the right side in
the aft cabin just letting enough access to the emergency exit. The fuel
system modification was a direct feed arrangement. As long as the engine
driven fuel pump runs, supply is assured. A test flight was performed and
the system worked fine as long as we followed the given procedure.
Switching tanks without the additional feeder pump running did not work
out very well. The result, in most cases, was that the engine dropped to
idle for quite a while.
The aircraft came new to Australia and for this reason was
not equipped with de-icing or additional heating equipment. I never saw a
PA46 with an empty weight this low. With all survival gear, baggage, full
fuel (225Gal), 12liter Oil additional for a change, some tools and the
normal stuff that is needed, plus one pilot, the over gross
weight was just 6%. The approval was for 10%.
The Malibu had an HF radio installed but on older type
units (codan 200) that was pre-set with quartz for a Frequency change. But
most Australian Land Frequencies are different from the Oceanic ones; this
HF was not of great help. Same as the manufacture that ignored several
emails asking for support. Two month after the flight was terminated I got
the first answer form Codan Australia. Great customer support!
 |
But for Pacific
crossings at least on an IFR flightplan, position reports are
mandatory. The solution came from an Iridium Sat-Phone. Her you see
the latest model from Motorola, 9505 only difference is a long antenna
not shown. In the aircraft it works fine with the mobile magnetic
mount antenna kit placed under the windshield (be aware of the
compass). Using it for the first time it took some preparation to set
up the system and to make arrangements how to call which number. |
Beside this, there was the problem with the Australian
pilot license. They will not issue a permanent validation anymore and a
special license for the ferry flight was offered instead. This includes
IFR privileges as long as not over Australian territory. This gave us some
headache due to the fact that after dropping the owner at his ranch the
flight should continue to Brisbane for customs and leave from there for
the crossing.
The fact that I have been flying IFR in Australia before did not count,
that was with an N-registered aircraft. And logically explaining that a
VFR flight into Brisbane international for the first time is far more
complicated for somebody unfamiliar with the location than shooting down
the ILS did not help. Finally we came to an agreement that took an hour to
write down, but it satisfied our needs, complied with the law and covered
the CASA inspector.
Thanks again for working overtime!
The flight started a day late due to a malfunctioning
altimeter-encoder that is needed for the transponder and more important
for an ocean crossing for the autopilot. An exchange was shipped overnight
and installed quickly. Only the static system had to be tested. A day late
did not have heavy consequences only pushed my timetable by a day what led
to constant confusion of the day and date when crossing the datum
line.
After the Brisbane departure, a no brainer, like climb
strait ahead contact radar, identified climb on course. (Yes it's
difficult to fly IFR in Australia at least for CASA, maybe because of too
much blue sky)!
The first enroute stop was Norfolk Island after 700NM.
It's a very nice place, very friendly people and fast
service at the airport. Overnight parking was right at the fuel pump,
there was no need to move the airplane it was the only one. The airport is
large in relation to the island's size. But all is green and the embedded
cross runways are hard to find. Humidity was high reducing visibility
specially when facing the sun.
The custom procedure was very simple. The Norfolk custom
agency runs a website giving all information about the procedure and more.
Best one ever seen!
From here the next leg goes to Pago Pago in American Samoa
a distance of around 1400NM. The aircraft worked flawless, very smooth
running engine, less fuel consumption than normal, zero oil use. After a
non-eventful flight landing was made at US territory.
The runway was built during WWII and reaches out into the
water. There it's like as you expect Pacific islands to be. Very relaxed,
no stress, everything moving slowly. Mathematics is not a strong point on
the island. Landing fee was 3.5$ per lbs gross weight, at least that's
what they wanted. The pricelist reads 3.5$ /1000lbs what is a little
difference more for an Antonov freighter that landed same time or for the
2 US airforce C130 that stopped for fuel and crew rest. (Maybe they don't
pay, the airforce might own the place) than for the Malibu. After 30
minutes working the pocket-calculator hard we came to a conclusion; 14$US.
Only later I had to add 6$ because they changed the rules of the game,
small aircraft must pay a flat fee of 20$ and again 15 minutes later the
same official came asking 5$ parking fee that he forgot in all this
action.
Eating at McDonald's it was simpler, they punch the menu icons, a price
shows up, you give the card and sign. No mathematics needed.
I made reservation for the fuel to come at 0630 in the
morning but my driver did not show up at the hotel and I got the official
shuttle bus at 0700 arriving at 715 right in time to see the fuel truck
firing up, that's planning.
The next leg was planned with 13hous going nearly 2400NM
what made it the longest leg of the entire ferry. The flightplan got lost
somewhere between Oakland and Honolulu and anyhow it's better to file with
New Zealand right away. No problem, because one of this clever airport
officials grounded the plane not having provided the USA entry waiver.
They even got a copy the night before but could not remember were it was.
And finally it was the Mooney parked next to me that did not have one.
(Every month I fly into the US mainland with foreign registered aircraft
and for now I never had to show this waiver, but in Pago Pago)
After wasting all this time I headed out north for Hawaii.
With me the two C130's callsigns skier one and skier two. (Thanks again
for the relay and real time weather information) They were on their way
home from Antarctica equipped with Skis. I was hoping for long time
company, when they filed for flight level 160 and 180, only to learn that
their TAS with huge skis hanging outside is 285Kts, unbelievable.
Planned was for a headwind component of 5-10Kts max but it
was more like 10-15Kts. Equipped with a Garmin 530 plugged in to the
Shadin fuel computer and a EDM800 engine monitor showed that it was
getting tight. Half way was an island called Palmyra but this is a coral
strip no Avgas confirmed, more for emergency purpose. And it came worse;
twice I picked up ice at a block level 180-200 having to decent to 120 for
deicing. This cost extra fuel but carrying the ice all this hours was no
option.
Then I had to cross a zone with heavy weather activity and downdrafts, at
this moment groundspeed goes and the fuel computer starts flashing
signalized that you are going for a ditch.
At least I did not fall asleep with all my little problems. Just before
sunset I got an adrenalin shot, a yellow annunciator light came on. It was
the fuel filter bypass light.
Andrew had, besides his blue-printed engine, dynamic balanced powerplant,
Geminjectors, flow matching and polished everything... including turbos, a
special oil filter installed.
Short of options I relaxed, only 700NM to Hilo Hawaii and got the "mission
control" on the the phone. (I loved the Iridium at this moment) Andrew
confirmed the filter was clogged because the mesh is very fine and an
oil-change was necessary. But this had to wait another 4hours. Finally it
got dark and the only action taken was to pull out the light.
I was running late and I called the Hilo tower by sat-phone
to have him inform customs of the revised ETA. No need to have
Immigration, Agriculture & Health, and Customs etc... wait this long. It
will not make them happy and hassle is foreseen.
After 14hours 30 minutes I arrived at Hilo, the tower was closed since one
hour, but weather was good and the Honolulu controller offered the short
visual approach.
I preferred vectors for the ILS these 3 minutes more did not make a
difference. The engine kept running, even without perfectly clean oil.
Only after lowering the gear one break had no pressure. I keyed the
lights, the runway was long and breaking was not needed. Around 11pm local
I happily pulled into the Old Airport ramp.
Ferry pilot is a great job but after a flight like this I know what I get
paid for.
The formalities were resolved quickly and Eliot,
a new friend from Hawaii,
picked me up.
We went to a restaurant and I wanted to try something Hawaiian but they
only had Waikiki burger or Honolulu hot dogs. But then he recommended a
Japanese soup, he explained that this is as Hawaiian as it gets. I went to
bed at 1am.
The planning was for a good night sleep, the next day's morning to relax,
and following night flight. Instead a mechanic picked me up at the hotel
at 9am. The oil was changed same as the filter mesh and bleeding the
breaks took care of the other problem. For lunch I was back at my hotel
where after I went to bed for another 2 hours. The check out time was 4pm.
At 5pm the US Agriculture Inspector came and at 5:15pm I
was airborne heading east direction US mainland. Some minutes later I
climbed on-top and after level off and getting comfortable the sun was
setting behind me.
Now a long night flight was lying ahead, routing along the Alpha track.
(One of the airways that connect the Island with the continental US) From
time to time I got some airliner company flying precisely overhead same
direction. Some small-talk on the Air to Air 123.45 frequency was the only
distraction besides the position calls to ARINC mostly with the Iridium.
10hours into the flight the sun was rising again and I got
ready for the decent and approach into Monterey. As usual a low stratus
layer covers the bay running up to half of the airport; from the other
direction a visual was possible.
All worked out and during this crossing from Hilo to
Monterey I never saw the water!
Mail me if you need a pilot to go with you or when you want to have an
aircraft delivered. pilot@utility-aircraft.com
or call +49 171 93 565 93 .