AOPA’S AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW REAL PILOT STORY

In Real Pilot Story: Pressure Over the Atlantic, the Air Safety Institute talks with international ferry pilot Kerry McCauley about his harrowing experience during a 1994 single-pilot night flight in a Bonanza over the North Atlantic. McCauley, who now has more than 30 years of experience with more than 100 ocean crossings logged, recounts what went wrong as he discovered a serious problem transferring fuel from the ferry tank and how he overcame the odds of making it to his destination safely.

"In ASI’s Real Pilot Story series, pilots share their encounter with a dilemma so others can benefit—while comfortably on the ground—from lessons learned the hard way in flight," said AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Director Paul Deres. "We applaud Kerry McCauley for keeping a cool head in the face of a life-threatening situation and enduring a grueling eight-hour ordeal, and we thank him for sharing his story with the general aviation community to help make us all safer pilots."

Watch Real Pilot Story: Pressure Over the Atlantic.

About the Air Safety Institute

Since 1950, the AOPA Air Safety Institute has been working to create a safer culture for general aviation through knowledge, training, and proficiency. As the world’s largest provider of free general aviation safety content, ASI is responsible for guiding and positively influencing pilot behavior, policy makers, manufacturers, and training providers with engaging material, thoughtful research and analysis, and modern, effective outreach. In addition to its best-in-industry online flight instructor refresher course, ASI offers more than 300 free online safety programs including videos, podcasts, webinars, publications, courses, and quizzes that are proudly funded by the AOPA Foundation. To learn more, visit ASI at airsafetyinstitute.org.