Atlantic Crossing on a Single Engine Airplane part4

We were at the local FBO by 08:30, the day is beautiful, skies are crystal clear, sun shine, the temperature is minus 30 centigrade (-22 F) and everything is covered by snow, including our airplane. It is Costas turn to execute the manual deice. We have the last leg of 1,150 miles from Goose Bay Newfoundland Canada to White Plains New York. The forecast is clear skies with a head wind between 40 and sixty miles. We refuel without topping our tanks this time, and we ask for assistance to start the engine as it is so cold that the batteries are not delivering the required voltage. We have the external power unit in no time. The FBO stuff prepared for us a copy of a the popular Greek Newspaper “KATHIMERINI” to read the news from our country, very kind of them. We are ready to depart by 10:00 and we are cleared for runway 16.

As we fly south the snow covered scenery is replaced gradually by green fields. We are flying at FL280 (28,000 feet) and the flight is smooth and comfortable, however we have the head wind issue, which is much stronger than the forecast. We experience winds over 80 miles and as we are flying south, the situation is not improving but it is worsening. Three hours in the flight and the head winds now are in the area of 100 to 110 miles. We are getting concerned with our fuel status. Yes we are flying above land and yes we are approaching an area with hundreds of airports to make a refueling stop, however we are concerned about the the complication with the US authorities. Since we have declared White Plains as the airport of entry, it will be a very big problem if we finally try to enter through another airport. We are not so familiar with the procedures, but we are discussing that we may even be delayed for a night or so until the formalities would be done, if we change the point of entry. This is a major issue. Costas is thinking, calculating and re calculating, while I am reading the Manual to see the best long range power settings. We should have topped our tanks. I remember the old saying “The most useless things to a pilot are two thousand feet of runway at his tail and a full barrel of fuel at the hangar”. We fly over Massachusetts area, less than 130 miles left to our destination and the fuel situation is critical. As we receive instructions to dissent to lower altitudes, the wind is getting weaker but our fuel consumption is increasing. Back to the manual for the best range settings.

Flying over the Atlantic and Newfoundland, the radios were silent most of the time. Now, approaching our final destination, the radios are working overtime. I am flying the airplane and Costas is handling communications, we do not want to make any mistakes in this congested area. We are clearer to land at Winchester Airport with less than 30 minutes fuel on board. We park in the ramp and the US customs open our door. Formalities are fast we are sitting to the lobby of the White Plains FBO waiting for our transportation vehicle to our hotel. The Trip is over. We accumulated 29,5 hours of flying in five days, over some of the most hostile areas on the planet in below freezing temperatures, strong winds, and snow. Not the best choice of a season to make this flight.

Next day I am sitting comfortably in the Airbus 340 of Olympic Airlines, next to my best friend Michael G, who is flying with me from JFK back to Athens Greece. Total fly time 8,5 hours. As I say, I flew from Athens to New York on a plane and I got the bus to return home.

Several thoughts cross my mind, captures of the Trip, stress moments and funny moments are mixing in an album which will be there for long. The feeling of accomplishment is strong. I did finally something I was dreaming to do, for the past 30 years. But now what? It is over. It is done. The feeling of void is also there, along with the feeling of satisfaction. When I was thinking of this Trip, it looked like a very big thing to do, as an aviator, now if you ask me, I would say that it wasn't that big, actually I can easily do it again, anytime. The thrill is gone, the thrill of a dream before you make it happen. They say that you enjoy more the planning than the actual trip, any trip, they couldn't be more true. And I was enjoying the planning for a whole 30 years. Of course I gained some more experience, but experience was not the challenge of this trip. Well, I added one more story to tell to my grandchildren when I will be blessed to have some. How would feel the people, who devoted their lives to find the Holly Grail, when they will actually find it??

The Airbus is landing smoothly on the runway at Athens International, as we park in the gate and we walk out, I look behind. Everything went as I planned for. Almost on every detail. Good Planning.

Thank you for your time to share with me this story.