For 3 men to fly a Robinson R44 helicopter from Nord Kapp Norway across the North Sea to Cape Wrath and then on to Capetown South Africa.
THE REWARD – Raising £100,000 for 2 Charities, The Photographs & The Memories
First Part Complete! 5th May 2012 !!
Facing the Challenge
Although neither unique nor particularly pioneering, flying a single engine helicopter from Norway to the UK and then onto South Africa should be regarded as seriously challenging and a bit risky – if not crazy.
Single engine piston helicopters, the Robinson R44 in particular are configured to fly 4 people in relative comfort to and from convenient locations in the range 50 to 200 miles apart. This they do well and often cruising at about 100 knots (over 100 mph) taking between 20 minutes and 1 ½ hours to do these distances.
Most private pilots/owners of R44s make an average of 2 or 3, 1 hour flights per week and mostly in good/safe conditions over fairly familiar territory. Very few would wish to cross significant sea distances or ever consider a 6 or 7 thousand mile journey, but some have and do look for the ‘skies less flown’.
With this in mind, we came up with the plan to fly a standard R44 Raven II from Scotland to Nord Kapp, Cape Wrath and Capetown . While doing so use the epic nature of the challenge to raise funds through contributions or sponsorship from my many private and corporate clients for the charities we support.
Like all ideas you don’t quite see the problems immediately. Despite being faced with ‘no can do’ and procrastination for the last 5 months we are almost there.
Taking about 4 weeks, travelling about 6,000 miles including a total of about 1,500 miles over some of the most inhospitable of the world.
The range of a standard R44 with full fuel is 300 nautical miles. 
Plannining and Preparation
The Planning
In spite of a lot of disappointment and abortive plans since January, we are ready to go in April and can now make firm arrangements for a variety of logistical details which will be important for a safe trip.
Route Planning: We will aim to cover at least 500nm per day (weather dependant).
Preparation
The most difficult part of any extraordinary journey like this is to commit to it and stay positive/optimistic even when others gang up to tell you 'why it can't be done' or 'why don't you forget it'.
Then discipline yourself to work at the significant variety of elements which need researched, investigated, decided on then carried through.
Then persist in pushing people who say they will do it or respond but don’t. Further I’ve learnt not to assume people’s promised intent will produce results – always verify, always make sure.
Training
There are a few elements of the trip's dangers, which can be considered in advance, and some training undertaken to minimise the risks.
Flying Competence
Flying helicopters requires enormous self-confidence and control. This is true even when you are flying in good weather over familiar territory. Flying in a different country under slightly different air laws and landing in unfamiliar airfields will add further demands on our concentration, alertness and awareness. Other than being mentally prepared and knowing all 3 of us have had good experience flying in Europe, we will be taking off each day having fully checked the machine, prepared our plan well, considered all the weather and air route factors and be confident our attitudes are right for each leg.
General Fitness
Accidents happen because of a lack of anticipation and preventative action. One of the most important items of safety preparedness is the human factors i.e. mental and physical well-being. There are clear guidelines about your state of mind and body, which have to be recognised in ourselves and each other. We do not take off unless we are physically and mentally ready for the journey ahead. All 3 of us consider ourselves fit and ready for this challenge.
The Dangers
Ditching
Perhaps the single biggest threat to our safety is having to ditch in the sea. With 3 long sea journeys of ~250 miles each this is a real possibility. Fortunately engine failure in this type of machine is very rare indeed. Nevertheless we have prepared as best as possible.
We have learnt how to use sea survival kit – life rafts, jackets, self-breathers and flares. Staying alive in a life raft for 5 days or more awaiting rescue is a daunting prospect, but at least I now know some techniques to assist the long wait which could be ahead if the initial ditching doesn’t kill you anyway.
Sea Rescue
How to use flares, personal locator beacons and how to help your rescuers find you and get you out of the water hopefully stayed with me but more hopefully won’t be needed.
Land Dangers
Norway and the whole of Africa is seriously remote. If we have to land for whatever reason we are as unlikely to be found quickly as we are in the sea. A few dangers can be planned for but not solved in advance.
These dangers are:
1. Animals
In particular polar bears (they can smell food 20 miles away). We may be advised to pick up a polar bear rifle on route, at least my co-pilot Brian is an excellent marksman but I couldn’t or wouldn’t want to shoot one, I’d just run until I was caught and eaten.
2. Shelter From Cold
AMG Force 10 and Trangia have thankfully provided the items required here. A special thanks to Ronnie Smith, Mountaineering Instructor (www.imsoutdoors.com) for the instruction on what to do.
3. Sustenance
We will have 3 day's survival rations. After that we are down to what we can forage for or find in the tundra (anyone got Ray Mears' mobile number!). A clever piece of knowledge passed to me at a survival course I did was; do not eat or drink anything for the first 24 hours (you have enough reserves anyway) then your survival rations will last 4 days. After that it's down to initiative and mental strength.
