Yes I, along with my new friend Marcio, delivered a Cessna 206 Amphibian from Fort Lauderdale, KFXE to Manaus Brazil, SBEG. It was 4 days and 2200 miles.
This was the trip of a lifetime! So, your first question may be: How did I get this call to help deliver a plane from Fort Lauderdale Florida to Manaus Brazil? My advice to all new pilots is get involved. Make friends and volunteer. Just get involved with organizations that you want to be involved with and you will end up where you want to be!
When I first got my pilots certificate back in 2017 I knew I wanted to get into mission aviation, so I reached out to a few places and I got involved with a small aviation mission organization- I did a lot of video work for them, did a few flights, hung out with them and then I did their website.
Then one day a few years later and a few weeks ago I get a call asking if I would be able to help deliver a float plane from Fort Lauderdale to Brazil. That’s how it works!
This was the trip of a lifetime. I got about 5 years’ experience in 4 days, and everything went perfectly. The plane was in great shape, very well equipped with a GNC 750 and an EDM engine analyzer, the same one that’s in my plane, a new interior.
This trip was methodically planned out in advance so all the heavy lifting was done for me. I was very lucky, all I did really was show up. We split the duties and kept them for the entire trip. Marcio flew and I did the NAV, Radios and Fuel.
A few things did happen, we lost our fuel gauges, had an odd request to leave the airspace we were in, and decided to spend the night in Georgetown Guyana, which is a very interesting place. And then 6.5 hours over the rainforest at 4,500 feet to Manaus Brazil. 4 days, 2200 miles.
I have some awesome programs coming up- What you need to know to fly through the Caribbean, dodging weather over the amazon rain forest, losing your fuel gauges an hour and a half out Fort Lauderdale, and finding your way through the thickest clouds you have ever seen over the jungle.
So stay tuned! It’s all coming up in the next few weeks!
Yes! I bought an airplane! This program has some initial numbers and breaks down the monthly expenses. Owning an airplane can be affordable... but the upgrades.... That is what will get me. Watch this program to find out what ownership costs.
Have you always wanted to learn how to fly but now you are over 50? Get out there and start and learn! There are so many people in there 50's and 60's who are just starting to fly so what are you waiting for?