Lindbergh did it alone in 33 hours, though that was eastbound. I did it 81 years later westbound, in a brand-new turboprop airplane, guided by an experienced transoceanic ferry pilot. It took four days. The experience was remarkable in very many ways; some were impressive technical aspects, others were extraordinary observations that are best categorized as personal.
I am not the first to experience a rookie’s view of a serious ferry flight. Others have done it, written about it, celebrated and dissected it. I was under no illusion that I could have managed the trip alone, or even could have completed a leg alone in an emergency.
