"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...

On the topic of water crossing, I cannot undertake any cross country
flights without crossing (usually around 60nm of) the Irish Sea.
However, for crossing any body of water like this, I want:

1. Fuel. Enough to cross the Irish Sea *and* turn around and get back to
whichever shore I left from plus another 45 minutes. So if Ronaldsway is
fogged in (as it's prone to do) on a return trip from the UK, I can turn
around and land somewhere like Blackpool and have some loitering time.
That is the absolute minimum fuel. Leaving, I prefer to have full tanks.

2. Lifejackets that can be worn whilst PIC. There are lifejackets made
for this purpose.

3. A life raft. The Irish Sea probably isn't as cold as Lake Michigan
due to the Gulf Stream, but it's still cold enough to be a problem
especially in the winter.

4. If it's VMC, keep an eye out for boats, ships and oil platforms. If a
ditching has to be made try and ditch as close to the vessel as
possible. (Small boats are probably the best, if they see you they are
probably the most likely to be able to alter course to pick you up)

Ditching is eminently survivable (although very unpleasant) if you're
prepared. There is a study out there that shows successful egress in the
vast (at least 90%) of ditchings. If you have life jackets and rafts,
you're likely to then last long enough for the lifeboat or helicopter
to arrive. Crossing water is NOT nuts, you just have to first not be in
denial that there is a possibility of Bad Stuff Happening and a need to
ditch, and then be prepared for that eventuality. Virtually every pilot
here does it routinely.

It's interesting to note that the last few planes that have gone down
whilst making the crossing from the Isle of Man have been light twins -
one due to fuel exhaustion (the other two in the last few years were one
due to spatial disorientation in IMC and one due to pilot
incapacitation).


If you're operating to or from an island crossing water is unavoidable. But
the pilot in this recent episode could have avoided overwater flight
entirely. The distance between Hamilton and Watertown is 580 miles via
direct. A course north of Lake Erie and south of Lake Michigan would add
about 70 miles, a course south of both lakes would add about 80 miles.