There was a seminal moment in my life about 10 years ago when I was in the throes of changing jobs; that moment changed my life.
I was in the Army for about nine years in the 1990s and enjoyed it, but I knew I didn’t want to extend my service. I decided to join the Army Reserves and become an airline pilot. I flew for American Eagle Airlines as a first officer flying the Saab 340. Back then, regional airline pilots made very little, and it was certainly not enough to feed my growing family. I then worked for a paint company as a “flying salesman”; the owner of the company was a brilliant businessman, and I learned so much from him in the eight years I worked there.
I finally got the courage and decided I needed to do something entrepreneurially crazy – actually do what I wanted to do, which was to fly airplanes all over the world … but I didn’t know how. Back then I did what information-seeking people did … I searched the internet to locate someone who flew ferry flights and found Margrit Waltz.
Margrit has been called the “Queen of the Atlantic.” That is an understatement, as she has over 924 North Atlantic crossings in her logbook as of this writing. That is a record that no one will likely ever eclipse. I worked up the courage to call her. She answered and gave me about 10 minutes of her precious time. That seminal moment I referred to before was when I asked Margrit if I could go with her on a ferry flight.
I did not hear from her again for nearly five months, but unexpectedly she called and asked if I knew anything about Pro Line 21 avionics. I answered, “Of course!” She graciously asked if I could be in Illinois the following morning for a trip to France in a Pro Line 21-equipped King Air 200. I immediately and eagerly affirmed that I’d be there and canceled everything else I was doing for the next five days. Little did she know how little I knew about Pro Line 21! That night, I studied as much as possible and did my best to “wing it” on my way to France. By the time I got to Bangor, Maine, I was a “Pro Line pro.” The trip to France with Margrit went well and I was hooked. And so it started … my next trip was a solo flight from Mali, Africa, back to the U.S. and I soon had another King Air flight to Germany. The following year I flew five international ferry flights in King Airs, and my love affair for the aircraft and its ability to travel anywhere in the world began. In the piloting world, we call flying across the North Atlantic a “NAT crossing.” I just finished my 75th trip and 90% of them have been in a King Air.
Why do I love it so much? Here are my top 10 reasons why every adventurous pilot should fly a King Air across the North Atlantic at some point in their life!
Ten: It’s a Piloting Challenge
The North Atlantic is undoubtedly one of the most extreme climates to fly. A summer crossing is usually more benign than during the winter, but even the summer months can have huge challenges. I vividly remember three times I was thrown weather curveballs that I didn’t expect, including severe turbulence, icing, and winds that curtailed my range. A winter crossing will almost assuredly have curve balls.
Don’t even think of completing a crossing by yourself the first time; the NAT must be respected. Although the mighty King Air is easily my favorite steed to handle the extremes of the NAT. I’ve been at FL350 over the NAT with OATs nearing -60C˚, and the King Air 350 kept me toasty warm. I’ve flown into non-forecasted severe turbulence coming into Narsarsuaq, Greenland (BGBW), and I was glad to be in an overbuilt King Air. If you want to challenge the extremes of the world, you can’t do better than to be in a King Air!
Nine: Bayou Self
The Army has the High Altitude Training School (HATS) at Eagle, Colorado. Many years ago I attended that school in a Blackhawk helicopter and we went to the top of many peaks in Colorado, learning to maximize the performance of the helicopter. One of those peaks is a high flat top of a spire barely big enough to land a Blackhawk. That peak, soaring hundreds of feet above the surrounding terrain, was named “Bayou Self” because you felt “all by yourself” if you landed there. It is a cool feeling. The NAT is the same way. There are parts of the flight where you simply cannot talk to anyone, where you are Bayou Self. That creates both a sinking feeling and an opportunity for those that like to “get away.” I’m one of the latter. Flying in a remote area is one thing, but there are places where the word “remote” doesn’t suffice. If you fly the NAT, assuredly there will be times when you are Bayou Self.
Eight: The Beauty of Greenland
I’ve been fortunate to see many parts of the world and the beauty of Greenland stands out amongst them all. Whether clothed in the white of winter or the icebergs of summer, Greenland is stunning and the immensity of the Greenland Icepack cannot be overstated. I’m awestruck every time it comes into view.
Seven: The Strength of the King Air Airframe
I’ve alluded to it, but this fact needs a point of its own considering the NAT. I’ve flown the crossing in Piper singles, a Cessna Caravan and about six different variants of King Airs. By far – there’s not even a close comparison – the King Air is the airplane I feel the most comfortable flying for that mission. Multi-engine, super-strong and tested over the decades, there is no comparison to the King Air when you need an airplane that can haul around seven to 10 people comfortably and safely in the harshest environments. I’m writing this on the leg that takes me from Nuuk, Greenland (BGGH) to Quebec City, Canada (CYQB), and when I landed in Nuuk, I parked next to a King Air 200 airplane operated by Air Greenland for medevac flights. The fact that they picked the King Air 200 for this challenging mission is no secret. They know the King Air to be the safest mission-accomplishing airplane.
Six: The Northern Lights
I must include this one because the northern lights (or aurora borealis) are mesmerizing. I’ve seen them on three separate trips, and I’ve been blown away each time. My favorite sighting was in January 2022 while flying a King Air 350 to India. The lights showed up in full force between Greenland and Iceland at FL300 at 10 p.m. and put on a show that seemed to be just for me. It was the most incredible show that anyone would have appreciated.
Five: You Meet the Most Interesting People
People that fly the NAT are unusual, and that’s the way I like it. Pilots that fly the NAT want to see all this world has to offer in three dimensions. If you are reading this, you already appreciate the third dimension because you are one of the small minority of people who own an airplane or are a pilot. Interesting people are found all over the NAT.
Four: Experience
“No Turning Back” Scenarios
I’ve had a windshield completely crack over the NAT. I’ve flown into Narsarsuaq when I experienced unexpected severe turbulence. I’ve been over the Greenland Icecap when Nuuk went 200 OVC due to a cloud layer coming in from the Davis Strait. I’ve diverted to an alternate where I had no choice but to land because there simply was not enough fuel to go anywhere else. In the lower 48, if you are at FL200 or above, you are usually in gliding distance to a runway somewhere. Over the NAT, you are rarely within gliding distance of anything resembling a flat, dirt surface.
The NAT will definitely make you think. I recently read the book “Failure is not an Option” by Gene Kranz from the U.S.’s early days in space. It articulated situations within our space program when there seemed to be no “out” of a bad situation. But with Gene’s leadership and many brilliant minds in Mission Control partnering with astronauts in the spacecraft, they came up with the idea that got them out of a jam. Such is the mentality of a ferry pilot over the NAT. Sometimes you’ve just got to dig deep and find a way out. Options are few and many times there’s no turning back.
Three: Experience Extreme Cold
I’m not a fan of the extreme cold, but you will get extremes flying the NAT, especially during the winter. The brutal cold punishes the pilot, sometimes with his life. You will be far better off if you are prepared. I’ve been guilty of being unprepared for the cold along the NAT, and I’m fortunate to have survived. The extreme temperature will impact every decision you make. That experience will make you a better pilot flying in the lower 48.
Two: The Airline Pilots Wish They Were You
Sitting at FL380 in the cockpit of a wide body jet with additional crew and flight attendants handing you first-class dinners is one thing. It is another to be making stops, enduring the extremes and challenges of the NAT. And, when they look north while flying the North Atlantic Tracks (NAT-OTS), they wish they could be doing what you are. They don’t want to do it every day; I get it. It’s not for everyone. But, deep down, they wish they were you, even if just for a little while.
And … the Number 1 reason every pilot should fly the North Atlantic …
One: The History of the Route
If you take a King Air from North America to Europe, you’ll either go the “north route” or the “south route.” Either way, you are stopping at airports hewn out of the rough and icy ground to create a way for our war machine to get to Europe to stop Hitler and his plans to rule the world during World War II. We bought those airports with the lives of many early aviation pioneers who figured out how to make it happen. We sent over 10,000 airplanes to Europe over the North Atlantic, many of which did not make it. If you want to learn some great history, look up “Bluie West One,” “Black Watch Regiment” and “Battle of the Atlantic.” When you fly the NAT, you can feel the history come alive.
I just finished flying a King Air 300 from Germany to Missouri and had all sorts of trouble while flying that route. There were fuel indication issues, airline flight cancellations, ground transportation challenges, swiftly changing weather, long hours at the flight levels, and body changes to the circadian rhythms. I actually called one of my trusted friends and asked if I should stop flying the long-distance ferry flights. They are so hard in so many respects, and I could fly domestically and have a wonderful career.
None of them are easy. The NAT throws something different at you every time. Now that I’ve slept since that conversation, I can’t believe what I was thinking. The phone rang, and the request was to go to Sweden and pick up another King Air destined for the U.S. Do you think I took the flight? Of course! The NAT is in my blood, and I can’t fathom a time when I’d seriously give up the chance to take the trip.
Will you see me in a King Air flying from Iceland to Greenland again? You bet! The North Atlantic is the epitome of living for a pilot, especially a King Air pilot. When are you going to take your King Air on a NAT trip? It could be a trip of a lifetime.