From the Cockpit – Phenom-enal Delivery to Vienna
Today’s post is contributed by Captain William Rowell, currently a captain in the Phenom 100. This Air Transport Pilot rated Mississippi native started his career with CFM in August of 2005 and is now type-rated in four different aircraft. Enjoy, as Will recounts his trip over the Atlantic to Vienna delivering a brand-new Phenom 100.
As I sit here and ponder these last few days, I can’t help but think how inherently adventurous aviation really is. Reviewing this latest trip to foreign lands, I am reminded of how magical and inspiring flying can be. It seems to me that pilots get caught up in the day to day monotony of our “jobs” and loose sight of the wonders of FLIGHT, at least I do. However, this being the first time I crossed the Atlantic in anything but the dead of winter, I was in for an amazing tour of the world. Prepared only for the normalcies of the North Atlantic, I was impressed and inspired by the people, places, and experiences we encountered along our way.
I was accompanied by co-captain, Troy Denson. Day One was from Smyrna, Tennessee, to Goose Bay, Canada, via Bangor, Maine. Goose Bay is a popular destination to refuel and pick up survival gear for the Atlantic crossing and the people are really great; so we stopped in to rest up for Day Two. As we settled in for the night, the next day weighed heavily on our minds. Goose Bay to Nassarsuag, Greenland, is probably the most critical leg of the entire trip because of the rapid weather changes that Greenland experiences. With limited alternates, the weather had to be good. As it turned out, the weather was great; but, the wind forced us to land on a less desirable runway. As “interesting” as the approach and landing was, it was uneventful. You just had to be there, as they say. Once on the ground, we began our planning for the next leg of the trip - Greenland to Iceland.
Reykjavik, Iceland, is another popular destination. The folks at the FBO are always very accommodating and helpful. As it is with northern latitudes, the sun never really sets in the summer months. Paperwork extended our stay there and, although, the island is beautiful and the locals are nice enough, the lack of darkness and sleep was wearing us thin. After two days of waiting for paperwork to clear, it was time to move on!
With most of the mileage behind us, we still faced our longest day. Day Five finally took us from Reykjavik to Wick, Scotland, and then to our final destination, Vienna, Austria. Losing two more hours in the process, our body clocks began to suffer. Anticipation of a speedy return home drove us to complete this mission expeditiously and with flawless execution. In other words, we didn’t need any set-backs. It was time to come home.
There were no delays at Wick and I highly recommend this stop if traveling to Europe. Andrew, the FBO manager, really has things together there. After a brief refuel, quick cup of coffee, and a few words of encouragement from Andrew, we were on our way. Three hours later, Vienna was in sight. Upon landing, we were met by the aircraft owner and a few other people. Everyone was happy to finally have the brand new Phenom 100 on the Austrian ramp. With huge grins and great anticipation, we exchanged hand shakes, paperwork, and finally, keys. Mission complete!
I wish everyone could have this experience, not only pilots. Regardless of what we do and how much we love it, we all sometimes lose our drive or become bored with the day to day duties of working for a living. This delivery was a chance to explore new territory, physically, emotionally, and culturally. It was more than just a delivery to me – I found a renewed passion for flying. You don’t have to fly half way around the world to find it, you only have to take off with the right attitude.
