I imagine some people may have read elsewhere that Colin Hales has crossed Russia and arrived at the Chinese border in his little Jabiru powered KR2. My purpose in posting the video here is a bit different… An Aero Commander is featured that I’d bet once lived in California with a certain twin engined aircraft aficionado.
In fact, Russia has become a destination of many aircraft gone beyond their useful life in the first world countries. Besides less stringent airworthiness oversight, in Russia it is possible (or at least was recently possible) to transfer a certified aircraft into an experimental category. There are even some ‘guerilla flyers’ who never bother registering their aircraft.
Impressive he was allowed to fly solo – I always understood that for VFR type aircraft you needed a Russian licence holder on board? Perhaps the AOPA Sergei with his bathtub Commander managed to get special permission for the flight.
Another epic non certified non IFR, non FIKI, aircraft journey.
RobertL18C, it’s not for VFR, it’s for flying anywhere except international airports.
Great catch Silvaire! I wish someone would translate for me what Sergei is saying?
Here he is picking the old girl up in Los Angeles with his friend Victor and a Russian handler who lived in Florida. It was funny, because plane was out of annual, so I couldn’t really do much more than show them how to taxi it and go through all systems. But then their Russian registration finally came through, and as they had a Russian ferry permit – voila! – legal to fly. So I took her up for a spin to clean the cobwebs out of her system, and she performed flawlessly as the sun was setting over the city. They were giddy and loving it. I remember the pause the tower controller had in his voice after I called up with the RA callsign. You could literally here him rummaging through the ledger going “where the hell is this registration from…”.
Couple of days later they left for their journey back to Siberia. They had some problems on the way, but nothing too bad. Long 9000 mile journey for them.
After emailing with Sergei, turns out that Colin with his KR2 is staying with him as he waits for his Chinese visa. Here he can be seen giving a helping hand on the 520.
How did they fly her to Russia? Via the Atlantic and Europe or via Alaska and Siberia?
Colin had a similar sort of local situation when I met him and the plane in the US. A very resourceful and pleasant fellow. His KR2 ocean crossing stories were anxiety inducing to this listener… on that level I’m glad to know its mostly dry land back to the UK, however far it might be!
172 – they flew her up to Alaska, across at Nome and then all the way back down to Vladivostok area.
I could not do what Colin has done. I would have died in an anxiety attack over the Pacific in that little thing. Hats off!
Gee the hangar in the background reminds me of Tokol Airport in Hungary.
Big question where do they get Avgas from along the way and in Russia?
