A Flight by the Numbers

During a ferry flight across the Atlantic, a pilot needs to optimize aircraft performance to make each leg as efficient—and safe—as it can be.

Julie Boatman

Friday, December 10, 2021 at 12:18 PM ET

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Preflight as the sun rises and the frost melts at Keflavik, Iceland. Credit: Julie Boatman

Key Takeaways:

The article details a multi-leg ferry flight of a TBM 940 aircraft from Tarbes, France, to Groton, USA, covering over 15 hours of flight time across several international segments.
The pilot strategically managed the journey by optimizing flight altitude (FL280) for speed and adjusting routes, such as diverting to Iqaluit, Canada, due to significant headwinds.
The TBM 940 demonstrated strong performance throughout the diverse conditions, including long overwater legs, maintaining high true airspeeds, and executing a maximum performance descent upon arrival.

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We talked a bit about the longest leg of the trip during our first call.

It was important, because in order to optimize the efficiency of a ferry flight, a professional pilot must take a number of things into consideration, including the stamina of those on board.