Page 9 - Volume 20 No. 6

Unlike the airlines that have an entire team looking out for the safety and efficiency of the flight, you’re usually left up to your own devices in a small Part-91 flight department, and that’s why I chose to have a handler (Universal Weather) for the flight. Essentially, Universal brought all the tools of a large flight department (flight following, weather briefs, performance data – a dispatch, if you will) right to our own operation. It was necessary (and comforting) to have a “team” backing the flight.
In regards to the charts, some specifics to become familiar with are FIR boundaries, non- compulsory reporting points (I derived a chart modeled after the American Airlines position report log), Transition Altitudes and Levels (remember, outside the USA they’re not all at FL180, so Transition Altitude- QNE- and Transition Level- QNH- can be different), the usual MEAs, etc., the Oceanic transponder code (2000), the Oceanic common Frequency 123.45, and other small details (i.e. 10-minute call- aheads for FIR boundaries) that need to be taken into account prior to launching. What’s more, it’s important to calculate and monitor the conversions between U.S. gallons and liters, and feet to meters, depending on where you are in the world. Miscalculation has obvious consequences! And speaking of Jet-A, fuel additives are not always available so, again, planning ahead can make or break the trip. Additionally, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with ICAO terminology because, as experienced on another international trip, slang or abbreviations often heard in the U.S. may not be understood or perhaps accepted in other countries.
Taking to the Skies!
At this stage, the planning and briefing is complete and the aircraft is packed, passengers boarded up. It’s 2300 local as we lift off runway
JUNE 2016
36 at Oxford. It’s a beautiful summer night, lit by the moon and stars and distant thunderstorms; an interesting juxtaposition. As we progress, we sail over northern Maine and the last few lights of the USA. We transition over to Moncton center and are greeted with a suave “Bon Jour.” We return the gesture and progress through the night. It’s now close to 0400 local time and the sun is already starting to peek from underneath the horizon; a beautiful sight, and a psychological boost to boot. We’re now 100nm from CYYR and are prepping for the arrival. Soon, we find ourselves number one for the airfield and initiating the RNAV to runway 26. The weather is clear and a million and the runway is illuminated in stark contrast to the surrounding vastness of northern Canada.
Shortly after, we touch down without as much as a screech from the tires (credit to trailing-link gear). The taxi-in and customs process is a breeze. In fact, we were processed via telephone rather than an agent (most likely a function of arrival time). A quick fuel stop, and we’re loading up the survival suits, rented from a Scottish company out of Wick Airport, Far North Aviation. The rental process is very easy, as they have suits on both sides of the pond. Generally, an aircraft picks them up in Goose Bay and
drops them off on the return. At that instant, a reality check sets in: The thought of the chance of needing these things is enough to be needing these things! Needless to say, this was an interesting physiological dilemma.
Coffee in hand and clearances received, we’re ready to launch off CYYR’s runway 8. We’re given a climb straight to our cruising altitude of FL270. What’s nice geographically about CYYR is that you still have a little over 100nm before you coast out. This facilitates plenty of time to settle in, confirm aircraft systems, fuel burns, and radio checks. Unfortunately (or fortunately), it also gives you plenty of time to contemplate the mission ahead. Cruising out over Lake Melville, 25 minutes into the flight, we’re just about to coast out. The scenery is gorgeous. The sun is rising out over the Atlantic and the pieces of icebergs are sitting in the water as if they were big blue ice cubes in a very large bathtub.
We’re now talking to Gander Oceanic as we settle in for the five-hour leg to BIRK. The weather is as forecasted with very light winds for the North Atlantic. As we approach our fixes, we make the required position reports: “N47NG Position. N47NG go ahead. N47NG, N58W50, 0900Z, FL270, Estimating N60W43 at 1120Z,
TWIN & TURBINE • 7