RV-7A to Australia

[Masterplumber]

This is just a general news item. I mostly read at this site, and seldom post. I built an RV 7A (with a lot of help) and started flying in 2003. I loved it but like a lot of us decided to change to an RV 10. I just finished that and flew it to OshKosh Wednesday, left in the rain.
I sold the 7A to an Australian in Adelaide. Jon Johanson acted as the broker and now is the ferry pilot. He is a truly amazing fellow to say the least. He has had some major adventures. Having him look over your aircraft at an annual before flying it to Australia really is an education in itself. He knows RV's.
In any event, he just called on his satellite phone. He is 4 hours out, cruising at 150 knots with zero wind factor, 7 gal/hr, planning to catch a bit of a tail wind soon, as he gets further west and south. 1500 more nautical miles to go to Hawaii. The 7A has an MT prop and Aerosport engine, IO 360 B1B, with an STEC AP, with altitude hold. I'm nervous as I can be.
I'm just amazed that this little aircraft can cross the Pacific. I'm wondering how many other readers know of Pacific ocean crossings like this? I can't imagine this happens very often. I don't think my reproductive organs are big enough to take this challenge.
My plane is at http://jpkoonce.net/

[cawmd82]

Thanks for posting this. I agree I am not sure that I would ever have the testicular fortitude for such a flight.

Can you tell us about the mods he made to ready the plane? How is the fuel system organized? Radios? etc.......

Do you know his route and fuel availability-preplanning required?

Keep us updated!!!

[Mark Burns]

I just happened to walk up as he was getting the plane ready to leave Oshkosh. When he told me who he was and where he was headed I was just beside myself. What a guy, and what an adventure!

Meeting him was one of the highlights of the trip to Oshkosh.

Here's a photo of Jon Johanson just after engine start.

[Masterplumber]

Jon annualed the aircraft with me pre-sale, and when he was happy, he made just a few mods. I used Vans fuel selector and there is an unused tap on it. We put a fitting into that and he uses tubing to connect to the ferry tank.
We removed the copilot stick and he used that side of the aircraft for a ferry tank of around 55 gallons. He says he has an additional tank of about 10 gallons that goes behind the seats. (He talks in "liters", which is some sort volume measurement I think).
He figures 14 hrs, 7 gal/hr, at 150 knots for 2100 total. He has a way of leaning I don't really understand. I use EGT's alone, but he uses fuel flow mostly and the EGT's are an additional aid. He flew from here, central Missouri, to OshKosh to pick up the ferry tanks from Van. (He also bought a new altimeter with something called millibars on it, for Australia. Weird.) Then he went to Colorado and then San Jose. That was mostly to get comfortable with the aircraft and fuel flows, etc. before the first long leg. He felt that would be enough to familiarize him with the plane. (Flying across the US ain't squat for him. He's very unassuming and humble, but after you talk to him you realize he knows how to fly.)
He has the survival vest from H###! ELT, streamers, one man life raft, lights, food, just a lot of stuff. Wears it the whole time with a helmet. He has interviewed people who have gone down in the ocean so is very well prepared. He's flown over the North and South Pole! (Not in my plane though, his RV is a real beast from what I can tell. He calls it a flying fuel tank.)
2100 nautical miles is slightly longer than the distance to Hawaii and gives him three hours extra. That is the longest leg. He follows winds closely. He is using the 250 XL GPS installed and has a new data card for after he gets to Hawaii (big island I think), for that side of the world. He uses a Sat phone for communication and I think talks to airliners. He does not have an HF radio. I installed a 12 volt outlet for the Sat phone. It is hooked to an unused site on the EXP 2 bus with a 3 amp protection.
After Hawaii he goes to Christmas island I think.

[JohnR]

My son and I had a chance to meet Jon as he was working on changing out the altimeter to the one that uses millibars. It was interesting to find out that he was heading to Australia with the plane. He was very casual about it and seemed very comfortable with the trip. We wish him well. If you can keep us informed on his progress it would be appreciated.

[Masterplumber]

For anyone following this thread, Jon called and is in Hawaii. 13 hr and 5 min, 7 gal/hr. Plans to leave for Christmas island tomorrow.

[rv9aviator]

I'm amazed but a little confused. Christmas Island is clear on the other side of Australia below Indonesia. Why would he go there and then fly southeast to southern Australia. I know the earth turns under you and you fly in an arc but that still doesn't cause you to fly past the destination. I got the willie's just flying from LA to Taiwan over the ocean in a DC10. God Speed to Jon and keep posting on his progress. It is very exciting to watch him fly half way around the world. It's incredible to me that he has this down to a "sort of routine" ferry flight.

[Masterplumber]

I think the real name of the island is Kiritimati, but is also called Christmas island. I think maybe that was the old name when it was part of the Gilbert islands, now called the Kiribati islands.
This is a web site used for the weather in that area. Look at ICAO area F. You can see Hawaii pretty easily and the little speck due south is Christmas island.

http://aviationweather.gov/obs/sat/intl/

[rjtjrt]

Jim
There are two islands named Christmas Island. One where you say in Indian Ocean just south of Indonesia, and one in the Pacific.
John

[Boxhead]

Been a few years since at Christmas Island but remember it being roughly south of Hilo and I think around 1300-1500 miles. It is part of the Line Island group. One shop run by a Pome and some Japanese researchers and the locals are real friendly. Airstrip is a monster and made from coral durring the war.
Cheers
Boxhead