Page 7 - April 23

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,
APRIL 2023
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 5