Mack's news feed

MackSolo Team Update – Day 137 ✈️ 🌍
Sara Sidner interviewed Mack LIVE on the CNN Amanpour show 💪. Just listen, as he recounts the highs and lows of his solo flight around the world.

Right now Mack Mack left #Goosebay, #Canadan 🇨🇦 and has reached #Narsarsuaq, #Greenland 🇬🇱, having done 1 of the 3 hop-stops of his Trans-Atlantic #flight.

Considering a single-engined ✈️ cannot fly the entirety of the #atlanticocean between the American continent and Europe in one stretch (as bigger jets do), Mack is making multiple island-jumps to reach the #unitedkingdom: #Narsarsuaq, #Greenland; Reykjavik, Iceland and Wick, UK. As this crossing comes at the end of an already epic adventure, it might seem a formality, but don't be fooled.

A Trans-Atlantic flight is a BIG DEAL and for most pilots tempted by wide horizons, the #ultimate #adventure 🙈 😅. Flying long stretches over icy waters 🥶 and remote uninhabited land is not for the faint-hearted! Only a few months per year are there enough weather windows 🌤 to seriously attempt the crossing.

So how are we mitigating Mack's risk? A #flight over the sea is potentially always riskier, as there are no options to divert and land in case of an issue.

For a start, Mack has already done the crossing twice 2️⃣ with his dad. He has knowledge of the route, what the destinations and landing strips look like, what to expect and be careful about,...
The weather forecast is absolutely glorious 🌞 for the first 2 days and only slightly less good for the last stop. He also has a lot of overseas flying hours under his belt now (even over icy waters with his 10-hour flight from Japan to the USA). And, contrary to most pilots 👨‍✈️, he actually likes flying over water: Mack finds it comforting to know there is nothing fixed to be hit , that there is barely any traffic ✈️ at the same altitude, and, that there is very little radio work to be done,... In the end, all is a matter of perspective 😂.

Mack also trusts his Shark (with recent maintenance), as well as the additional Turtle Pac fuel bladder and his Propellers E-Props which give him more range/efficiency than he otherwise would have 💪👌.

He also has a team of experienced pilots advising him at all times and with whom, thanks to an Iridium Communications satellite system via YB Tracking he is permanently in contact. In fact, that is exactly what is happening during every stretch. Someone on the Flight Ops team tracks every flight, for the whole flight. Mack exchanges multiple messages 🎧 with them regularly about the weather, heading, potentially unexpected events, etc. This is the reason the team, based out of Europe, is almost living a permanent jet lag without even traveling 😅🤪.

Additionally, if anything were to go wrong, Mack is aware he is wearing a Viking Life-saving Equipment (SA) (Pty) Ltd immersion suit that will give him at least 1 hour of survival in the icy waters rather than only a few minutes. This gives SAR (search and rescue) or vessels 🚢 - the team is aware of the shipping routes- potentially more time to find him.

Mack also followed a ditch-training course before his attempt and Sharky has a #parachute 🪂 he can pull which would make for a soft, cockpit-up landing on the waters as well as an onboard life-raft.

Thank you to all who help keep Mack safe 🙏!

Last but not least, if Mack were not happy to take off for whatever reason, he can and will delay, as he is under NO time pressure. He has only just turned 17 and much more than a year separates him from the age @Travis Ludlow, had when breaking the record. Mack will take his time as needed. #safetyfirst.

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➡️ Interested in the ditch training Mack had? Head here for some footage of a "fake storm" he had to endure and try to survive: https://www.facebook.com/groups/253929698105648/permalink/2176829235815675/

➡️ Interested in vessel routes and 🚢 that could be contacted in case of an emergency? Find them here: https://www.vesselfinder.com/

#Macksolo #youngstersmakeadifference #aviation #grit #stamina #courage #pilot #avgeek #avgeeeks #aviationlovers #aviationlover