I always wondered how do they deliver smaller aircraft (like a 172 or a King Air) to customer across the Atlantic of Pacific? Do they load it in another aircraft/ship or does someone actually fly it across?

Flying is usually much cheaper than packing and freighting across. Where required, the operator can apply of a temporary weight and balance exception to exceeed the maximum authorised weight of the aircraft. This is often needed to fit an addition fuel tank on the back seats or somewhere.Look here for some ferry diaries: http://test.cirrus147.com/index.php?option...&Itemid=1000149Some more info: http://www.ferryflights.org/

It's amazing to see one full of tanks and know that it is going to go across the pacific.For some reason I remember a movie made about a cropduster being ferried. Maybe someone else can help me remember more.

All new Cirrus aircraft are dismantled at the facrory (after testing) and shipped by container to the UK, where they are reassembled and tested by Britten-Norman (as in BN2 Islander) in a joint venture partnership http://www.cirrusdesign.com/downloads/pdf/pr/CDNR05-22.pdf European customers then pick the plane up from Bembridge, Isle of Wight.Other manufacturers - Cessna for example, sell through an agent, and the agent is responsible for ferrying, inspection etc.When it comes to second hand aircraft, the buyer has to figure out how to get the plane home, and would either hire a ferry pilot and arrange for ferry tanks to be fitted, or arrange for it to be dismantled and shipped, then reassembled. In cost terms there's probably not much between them. Risks for ferrying include breakdown, accident damage, loss through crash or ditching, and of course trusting your plane to an unknown pilot. Risks for shipping include poor packing allowing the contents to shift and damage each other (for example the engine could easily crush a wing or completely wreck the plane), poor disassembly/reassembly causing damage. etc. The advantage of shipping is that because the plane gets stripped down and rebuilt, structural problems that might otherwise be missed will be found and can be rectified.

one of the best books out there on the subject, a great and fun read.check you local library (as them about a interlibrary loan, you can find it easily)http://www.amazon.com/Air-Vagabonds-Oceans...e/dp/1588341372

There is a fellow hanging around the forums who has made a few delivery flights of new Mooney's from Kerrville to Australia.AOPA had a good article a year or two ago on delivery flights of PC-12's LSMU - LSZB - EGPC - BIRK - BGSF - CYFB - CYQT - KAPA.One of the first flights I made when the Flight 1 aircraft was released.

G'day Chris,I think you might be remembering the case where a pilot ferrying an aircraft got hoplessly lost and an Air New Zealand captain picked up his call for help and gave the pilot a lesson in elementary navigation so that he could determine his position and guided him safely to land. I didn't see any movie but the Air New Zealand captain ( DC-10 I believe ) was a real hero.Roger

Yes that was the case! For some reason I thought Harrison Ford was in a movie about it. Guess it was a bad dream :-lol

I had a guy in one of my Microsoft classes a few years ago that flew from CT to Europe with his wife in a small twin (don't remember what kind). He said they had extra tanks in the back, and that they had to wear survival suits. Amazing guy- he has flown all over North America and Europe. Had great stories. His name was Bud- unfortunately I lost his contact info which stinks because he invited me to come flying with him.

Chris,Nice dream mate :-)"6 days 7 nights" Harrision Ford / Anne Hece (spelling?)Lost in a Beaver somewhere in the Pacific, crash landed on a small island. Harrision Ford has his PPL and was the actual PIC for all the aerial sequences. The insurance company had to have their arm twisted to allow him to do it. Rather fanciful the way he adapted the floats from an old WW II Japanese floatplane but hey - it's only a movie! :-lolRoger

Yeah I remember that movie and that is not what I was thinking of. Dang it would be an interesting if albeit short film :-lolI met Harrison when he came into where I used to work in Seattle. Great guy that has one of the nicest Beavers (Please no one take that bad :-lol ).

Chris,You've set my brain in motion. I aslo recollect seeing a dramatisation or re-enactment of that event - possibly a tele-movie. When I was working I had access to a library of video on all things aviation and I've seen so many ........ they say that memory is the first thing to fade as you get old, I forget what the secong thing was. :-lol Danged if I can recall the name of it but it does exist.Roger