"Yachting" in an airplane

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Ryan Young

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I've been saving up for quite some time to launch an around the world journey on my 30th birthday. Until recently I'd planned to set sail as both means of transportation and living space, however the experiences of friends having done something similar has me second guessing that.

A recent article has me wondering if it's plausible to do something similar via airplane. I don't have any flying experience but have plenty of time to learn if this becomes a promising alternative.

The main questions are in regards to expenses and hangers, is a pilot ever allowed to sleep on a plane while it's stored and is a plane even adequate to be a confined living space. I make good money and intend to keep working while traveling. All online articles I can find focus more on owning a plane exclusivel for business trips.

I welcome any thoughts or advice and thanks in advance for any contribution.
 
Ryan Young said:
The main questions are in regards to expenses and hangers, is a pilot ever allowed to sleep on a plane while it's stored and is a plane even adequate to be a confined living space. I make good money and intend to keep working while traveling. All online articles I can find focus more on owning a plane exclusivel for business trips.
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As with most things "it depends". You should be able to sleep in a plane while it's stored yes. I've slept in a 172 before (small 4 seater) but defining a "confined living space" is vague and you'd be looking at a relatively expensive cabin class twin before living in it would be remotely comfortable.
 
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Where are you going to go to the bathroom? Most small planes dont have reclining seats.
I flight planned a trip across the Atlantic. The route with the shortest leg has 450nm as it's longest leg, so getting to Europe is feasable. If you go across Russia there are no other long ocean crossings as Russia and Alaska are close to each other. My understanding is you have to hire a guide to fly with you in Russia and pay his expenses. The trip is not going to be cheap, it is 21600 nm (360 degrees times 60 minutes btw) at the equator and that is 216 hours at 100knots. But you are going to have to pay fees in just about every country you go into. It can be done!
 
If you do this, I fully expect you will post on here at each stop, along with appropriate costume changes. :)

Edit: (I see you are new, search for Cajun's long XC thread.... Its an inside joke)
 
Why not carry a tent and expand your living space a bit? Lots of people do fly in camping or even just sleep under the wing with a tarp. It is not like a boat, where you are in the middle of the ocean for days or weeks. You are pretty much going to be on solid ground every night.
 
Ryan Young said:
I've been saving up for quite some time to launch an around the world journey on my 30th birthday.

[...]is a pilot ever allowed to sleep on a plane while it's stored and is a plane even adequate to be a confined living space.
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Beech 18. Enjoy!
 
If you plan to be gone a year or three you'll want to do it in a sailboat. If you plan to be gone a few months the plane might make sense.
 
John221us said:
Why not carry a tent and expand your living space a bit? Lots of people do fly in camping or even just sleep under the wing with a tarp. It is not like a boat, where you are in the middle of the ocean for days or weeks. You are pretty much going to be on solid ground every night.
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If you are not on solid ground I would think something went wrong, just sayin!!!
 
You'll want to remove the rear seats, and get a portable toilet if you plan on roughing it. If you go by way of Greenland and Russia then you wont have super long ocean crossings, but still need a plane that can comfortably go 800 miles on a tank. I've thought of this myself, good luck.
 
Ryan Young said:
I've been saving up for quite some time to launch an around the world journey on my 30th birthday. Until recently I'd planned to set sail as both means of transportation and living space, however the experiences of friends having done something similar has me second guessing that.

A recent article has me wondering if it's plausible to do something similar via airplane. I don't have any flying experience but have plenty of time to learn if this becomes a promising alternative.

The main questions are in regards to expenses and hangers, is a pilot ever allowed to sleep on a plane while it's stored and is a plane even adequate to be a confined living space. I make good money and intend to keep working while traveling. All online articles I can find focus more on owning a plane exclusivel for business trips.

I welcome any thoughts or advice and thanks in advance for any contribution.
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Not sure about "yachting" around in a plane, sounds more prestige seeking than adventure / flavoring ones soul.

If you're going to do it, I'd model it after what Tom Claytor did
http://www.claytor.com


teejayevans said:
You'll want to remove the rear seats, and get a portable toilet if you plan on roughing it....
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200w.gif


...perhaps a portable dry cleaning kit for your satin panties too?
 
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100LL in Siberia is going to have to be arranged for in advance. That is actually the biggest obstacle. Get that one solved. But first get the permits. Contact the Embassy of each country and request a permission form? Then get the fuel delivery figured out. Those are a couple of steps. A woman from Colorado did it in a Pilatus or similar. She went through India and over the Pacific ocean though. That has long overwater flights. Really long if you go over the Pacific. Hawaii to California is 2200nm and nothing in between. Dont go that way in small GA.
 
coloradobluesky said:
100LL in Siberia is going to have to be arranged for in advance. That is actually the biggest obstacle. Get that one solved. But first get the permits. Contact the Embassy of each country and request a permission form? Then get the fuel delivery figured out. Those are a couple of steps. A woman from Colorado did it in a Pilatus or similar. She went through India and over the Pacific ocean though. That has long overwater flights. Really long if you go over the Pacific. Hawaii to California is 2200nm and nothing in between. Dont go that way in small GA.
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Even better, since the OP said he had money, hire a handler to do everything above. That will eliminate about 90% of the things that can go wrong and make the endeavor tremendously more fun.
 
Wow, and thanks for all the quick replies. The trip is planned as a ten year journey so I definitely won't be spending every night on the plane or camping. I don't like planning travel. So far I've explored North America in it's entirety, I've found what I like to do is bounce around rapidly then pick one spot and settle in for a bit. That rapid exploration period is where the plane really appeals and would probably involve more than a few nights of sleeping on or near the plane (thanks for the camping idea).

The research for the past few days has really enticed me, I think flight school is in the near future regardless.
 
Fearless Tower said:
The only way to camp....

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Hey, I have time in that 18 (and some blood shed while restoring it), and the guy who restored it has several around-the-world flights under his belt (though none in the 18).

I dream of such an adventure!
 
rwellner98 said:
Even better, since the OP said he had money, hire a handler to do everything above. That will eliminate about 90% of the things that can go wrong and make the endeavor tremendously more fun.
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Have money, but I do work for it which means I'd rather not give it away quite so easily. The advantage here is that this is nowhere near rushed, four more years to prepare while saving up, and I'm really just sampling the idea at the moment. In addition it's a long enough journey that I don't have to prearrange everything, instead I can plan out the first few years and go from there.
 
Art VanDelay said:
A Grumman Albatross would be my first choice for this .......if money were no option of course.
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I've always thought that one of the Grumman amphibs decked out like a RV camper would be fun to have as sort of a a flying house boat.
 
I don't think anyone has done it your way @Ryan Young.

Are you envisioning flying to a country, hanging out for weeks/months, going to the next place, etc until eventually finishing the circumnavigation?

I've heard of it done in boats, but not in airplanes.
 
The Grumman looks amazing, plus it yanks at the adventurous heart-strings just at looking at it. Originally I was looking at the NEEL trimaran when sailing was my plan and this really isn't too far off in price. The big issue with sailing is the regional limitations due to piracy (huge problem right now) and being confined to coasts. That being said I have a lot of experience on the sea and zilch in the sky. How much extra experience is needed to fly and land a seaplane in comparison?

For that matter, how long did it take for some of you to really feel competent in the sky and is four years really a reasonable time-frame for this? I have a friend who owns a plane and fly's often so I plan on asking him to take me up and showing me a bit when I get back to Arizona. Once I do I'll start looking into flight schools if this really is for me, but I really appreciate all the feed back I'm getting here.
 
rolivi said:
I don't think anyone has done it your way @Ryan Young.

Are you envisioning flying to a country, hanging out for weeks/months, going to the next place, etc until eventually finishing the circumnavigation?

I've heard of it done in boats, but not in airplanes.
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That's exactly it. I work in two fields, catastrophe adjusting is my main income source and I use that income to buy and sell gems and minerals. Both work very well with travel and aren't confined to any specific area, though in both cases there are more opportunities in some areas than others. I must admit, hearing that this may be a first is also a big draw suddenly. I think in most circumstances sailing is the better option, but for both of my businesses it's important to move quickly (days, not hours) so a plane is actually a really appealing option.
 
If you REALLY want to see the most parts of the planet an amphibian is the way to go. Why limit yourself to a paved strip ?
 
Ryan Young said:
.... So far I've explored North America in it's entirety.....
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Wow. When you're bored, care to open a separate thread and either share pics or recommendations on your favorite places and why?
 
eman1200 said:
Wow. When you're bored, care to open a separate thread and either share pics or recommendations on your favorite places and why?
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I could certainly give some highlights, I've been working on a sort of diary/memoir since I started at seventeen. No real plans to publish at this point, just recording my experiences. What section of the forums would be best for something like that? This topic was my first post on PoA.
 
Ryan Young said:
I could certainly give some highlights, I've been working on a sort of diary/memoir since I started at seventeen. No real plans to publish at this point, just recording my experiences. What section of the forums would be best for something like that? This topic was my first post on PoA.
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Hangartalk.

And I'm only asking cause if/when the day ever comes where I can swing my own plane, I'm off to roam the country.
 
That site is wildly addictive. I've been eyeing Bonanzas now with tip tanks, plotting long routes over water...
 
The OP stated a 10 year journey, that's a long time to be away. Would you sell the house and put everything in storage?

Your privileges as a private pilot are good for 2 years, you need to fly with a CFI every 2 years to demonstrate proficiency and have a current medical. The medical is based on your age.

Which mode you choose to travel, good luck, have fun, but do explore flying.
 
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First, it's funny that auto-correct wants @AKBill to demonstrate "prophecy" I know you meant proficiency. Medical is a changing item but that's all for us US pilots.

How long can you be in a foreign country without conforming to their licencing? In driving, they respect my US license everywhere I've been... but I can't just move there for a few years, work, and say "here's my TX DL. Deal with it"

I suspect that if you stop by France in your SR-22 and are gone in a month they would look the other way, but if you're going to hang around for a year or so they'll want every penny they can get, including requiring their pilot certification.

Anyone done this? What are the rules when you're not transient in nature?
 
AKBill said:
The OP stated a 10 year journey, that's a long time to be away. Would you sell the house and put everything in storage?

Your privileges as a private pilot are good for 2 years, you need to fly with a CFI every 2 years to demonstrate prophecy and have a current medical. The medical is based on your age.

Which mode you choose to travel, good luck, have fun, but do explore flying.
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Thanks for the information, very good to know. I'd been saving for buying a house for some time now and a few years back I decided instead to purchase land and wait to do anything with it until I'm done with my journey. I'm 26 and my career (catastrophic adjuster/vocational school instructor) is very functional for transient living so I don't have a whole lot to store really. I like to say I'm a professional nomad, meaning I live out of my car not in it. That's how I traveled 48 states and used some of the funds to explore Canada and Mexico recreationally and I should be able to make a decent income just about anywhere I can get a work visa. On doing more research I'm leaning towards a smaller seaplane to store some belongings and travel between countries.

Does anyone have any comment on security in hangars? I buy and sell high end gems and minerals so if I could safely keep them on board (about a suitcase in size) I would feel much more secure and could use that to supplement the intermittent income from adjusting internationally.
 
Ryan Young said:
Thanks for the information, very good to know. I'd been saving for buying a house for some time now and a few years back I decided instead to purchase land and wait to do anything with it until I'm done with my journey. I'm 26 and my career (catastrophic adjuster/vocational school instructor) is very functional for transient living so I don't have a whole lot to store really. I like to say I'm a professional nomad, meaning I live out of my car not in it. That's how I traveled 48 states and used some of the funds to explore Canada and Mexico recreationally and I should be able to make a decent income just about anywhere I can get a work visa. On doing more research I'm leaning towards a smaller seaplane to store some belongings and travel between countries.

Does anyone have any comment on security in hangars? I buy and sell high end gems and minerals so if I could safely keep them on board (about a suitcase in size) I would feel much more secure and could use that to supplement the intermittent income from adjusting internationally.
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It is hard to say internationally and it is likely that at many/most stops there will be no transient hangars (they are pretty much non-existent in CA, but states that have harsher weather have them for a price). Even still, they are often community hangars and your plane is moved in and out by the staff. Security is probably OK, but I don't think I would leave anything real valuable in the plane. I have no experience outside of the U.S.
 
John221us said:
It is hard to say internationally and it is likely that at many/most stops there will be no transient hangars (they are pretty much non-existent in CA, but states that have harsher weather have them for a price). Even still, they are often community hangars and your plane is moved in and out by the staff. Security is probably OK, but I don't think I would leave anything real valuable in the plane. I have no experience outside of the U.S.
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Given what you've said about US I'd doubt it was any more secure elsewhere, especially in developing countries. How would one accomplish long term (month rather than years) storage of a seaplane? On rivers I could see anchoring at a dock but with ocean tides and surf I'd imagine it isn't the best option.
 
On a side note, does anyone have a recommendation for an at home flight simulator? I don't expect a whole lot from learning on a computer but it would be nice for after work while I'm still in the work season. So far everything I've found seems way oversimplified with the exception of DCS, but that's all combat planes.
 
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