An Antiguan TBM Getaway
Flying, bonding in the Caribbean
TBMs fly to Antigua
Escorted tour operator Air Journey runs what’s become an annual TBM fly-out to a Caribbean destination. This year, participants met at Stuart Jet Center at Stuart, Florida’s Witham Field Airport for a trip to beautiful Antigua. Pilots received a briefing before heading for the ramp, where the TBMs were lined up in a neat row.
Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport handles regular airline service, mostly from Great Britain and the United States, as well as scheduled regional flights between the islands—and, of course, general aviation. Nevertheless, the mass approach of our group of TBMs must have thrown ATC a curve; what should have been a one-hour, 20-minute hop from the fuel stop in Puerto Rico turned into almost two hours, one of which was spent in a holding pattern while waiting for clearance to land.
But the wait no longer mattered once we had taxied to Antigua Executive Business Center and emerged into the balmy Caribbean air. Friendly customs officers met us at the aircraft and efficiently processed our paperwork.
This was a fairly large group, connected not only by the common interest of flying, but also by flying a particular type of aircraft. But how would group dynamics play out in the days on the ground, without an airport in sight?
Air Journey’s Thierry Pouille, who accompanied the group as trip organizer and has led many similar tours, offered an unscientific insight: The size of the aircraft is a factor in group tours. TBM owners are a social bunch. He explained that they usually carry no more than two people on board and therefore are more inclined to socialize in a group setting. Pilatus owners, on the other hand, can carry more company and tend to remain within their circles.
The next couple of days would prove him right, at least as far as TBM owners go.
Antigua isn’t a big island, but it’s diverse and offers activities that go beyond relaxing on one of its beaches (although exploring every one of those—there are 365—would keep a person busy enough). On the first day the group took a leisurely catamaran ride around the island. Being together in a confined space, everyone began to mingle, renewed old friendships, and made new ones—all while enjoying Antigua’s coastline of crystal-clear water, sandy beaches, rows of palm trees, and verdant mountains. By the time we stopped at a remote beach for some swimming, snorkeling, and an on-board lunch, several people had already made plans to go deep-sea fishing; others were planning to zipline, scuba dive, or organize a kayak outing in the coming days.
I’d never been deep-sea fishing. I’d never been deep-sea anything. To a landlubber like me, the vessel that approached to pick up our foursome the next morning looked awfully small, and the waves looked awfully big. But once we were miles off the coast and in the deep blue waters of the ocean, I enjoyed the rocking and rolling of the waves. I was the first one to take the seat and, feet firmly planted against the tackle box, I reeled in the first of many barracuda (I would eventually catch a mahi-mahi). While we took turns on the rods, the conversation ranged from what made us get into flying to flying particular airplanes. In four hours we caught five barracuda and three mahi-mahi. The latter were cleaned on board, and provided our whole group a delicious lunch the next day.
Antigua is a prime yachting destination, so a visit to English Harbour to see the yachts and visit England’s colonial naval station, Nelson’s Dockyard, is a must. Lovingly restored eighteenth-century buildings now house museums, restaurants, and a market. All of this dwells beneath a forest of towering, swaying masts of big, bigger, and truly huge yachts and sailing boats docked nearby. Their billowing flags showed they are from around the world, a reminder that Antigua is home to the famous Antigua Sailing Week, which brings more than 100 ships to the famously protected port every April.
Getting there
This trip originated at Stuart, Florida (SUA), with a 905-nautical-mile leg to Borinquen, Puerto Rico’s Rafael Hernandez Airport (TJBQ). The route went from Stuart to the Freeport, Bahamas, VOR (ZFP), then along Bahamas Route 65V to the Nassau VOR (ZQA), Grand Turk VOR (GTK), and then the R763 airway to Borinquen. Our flight time was three hours and 10 minutes. Jet A, by the way, goes for $1.60 a gallon at Rafael Hernandez’ Copeca Jet Center. Some pilots elected to go nonstop to Antigua, because winds were favorable at typical cruising altitudes: FL260, FL280, and FL300.
The second leg was 315 nm and TBM times en route were around one hour, 20 minutes. The leg ran from Borinquen to Saint Croix (COY) to the UG633 airway’s GABAR intersection, then on to Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport (TAPA). Flying into Antigua, there is a transition level at FL40 where you switch your altimeter from the standard pressure of 29.92 inches Hg to the local altimeter setting—sometimes given in millibars—and often described by tower controllers as QNH. (Not all countries transition at 18,000 feet, as we do in the United States, see “On Instruments: Transitioning Up and Down,” p. 89)
On departure, there is a transition altitude at 2,500 feet msl, at which point you change from the local altimeter setting to 29.92 inches Hg. The return to Stuart reversed the legs to Antigua.
There are few challenges to flying IFR in the Caribbean—except perhaps understanding the differently nuanced local English. Just remember to file eAPIS documents outbound and inbound, check weather (usually not an issue, except in hurricane season), file your flight plans, arrange for fuel releases, set up your taxi or car rental, and make your hotel reservations. Don’t want all that hassle? Then consider an Air Journey trip. They’ll take care of all that for you. —Thomas A. Horne
If you go
This TBM fly-out was organized by Air Journey, a Florida-based company specializing in escorted trips in owner-piloted aircraft, with destinations ranging from the Bahamas to around-the-world jaunts. Air Journey also offers a concierge service that takes care of all organizational tasks for your trip.
Hotel:
Sugar Ridge is a chic boutique hotel with welcoming, attentive, and helpful staff that will make your stay a great experience. Carlisle Bay is a family-oriented, remote luxury resort.
Restaurant:
Carmichael’s, St. Mary’s, Antigua offers fine dining in a pleasant environment with spectacular views of the sunset over the bay. Check out the secret pool!
Activities:
Deep sea fishing: Pacific Marlin, catamaran cruise.
And if you ever felt that aviation is expensive, here’s a thought: One regal yacht moored at English Harbour sleeps 10, and can be rented for about 300,000 Euros (that’s $333,801) a week—dry. No fuel, no food, no staff. That’s all extra.
One day we went rogue and took a car to the capital, St. Johns. We enjoyed the eclectic, busy place, full of markets hawking everything from fruit and spices to colorful cloth. Streets were clogged with traffic and tourists from two cruise ships visiting the port. In Antigua you drive on the left side of the road, and it’s wise to be on the lookout for massive potholes, speed bumps, pedestrians, chickens, cows, and donkeys.
The group usually had dinners together. Invariably the conversation would lean toward—surprise!—flying, as well as the events of the day, while everyone enjoyed locally caught fish and other delicacies in beachside restaurants.
After three days, and way too soon, it was time to go home. This time the trip back to Borinquen, Puerto Rico, our port of entry to the United States, was only an hour. Then it was back over the Bahamas and into an unseasonably cold Florida, where the whole group met again at Stuart. It was like saying goodbye to family as everyone went their separate ways. We’d do it again in a heartbeat. The mahi-mahi in our local supermarket just doesn’t taste the same as the ones we caught.
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