How a Cape Air prop made the 'water jump' from Europe to the U.S.
Cape Air and Tecnam Aircraft are understandably proud of the Tecnam P2012 Traveller, the regional airline's first-ever new aircraft and the airframer's first joint effort with an operator on a new model.
The twin-engine prop, the result of a decade of collaboration between the companies, is due to take to the skies of New England between Boston Logan (BOS) base and Rutland (RUT) in Vermont in early December. The Traveller seats nine passengers plus two crew and is due to replace the carrier's fleet of 84 Cessna 402s in five years or less.
Related: Cape Air marks 30th anniversary with brand-new Tecnam aircraft
The first two Travellers are now on property at Cape Air's base at Barnstable Municipal Airport (HYA) in Hyannis, Massachusetts, a third aircraft is en route. Ten more are due by year-end. But how does a plane designed for hops of less than hour make the journey of more than 4,000 miles to get from Italy to Cape Cod?
Slowly but determinedly -- with multiple stops, safety precautions and grit.
"It was an exciting experience. I could never find the right words to [fully] express it," Tecnam managing director Giovanni Pascale, the pilot-in-command of one of the first two aircraft on the trip to Hyannis from Capua in Italy, said of the journey at an event showing off the aircraft on Wednesday.
Pascale, along with three other seasoned crew members, made the trip with five stops in three days. Their routing traversed 4,621 miles from Capua to Groningen (GRQ) in the Netherlands, on to Inverness (INV) in Scotland, then Reykjavik (KEF) in Iceland, Narsarsuaq (UAK) in Greenland, Goose Bay (YYR) in Canada, and finally down to Hyannis, where they landed on Sept. 25.
The longest leg was about five hours from Goose Bay to Hyannis -- a distance of 926 miles -- said Pascale.
To make the trek, the Travellers were outfitted with 119 gallon (450 liter) collapsable fuel tanks in the rear of the passenger cabin to complement the aircraft's nearly 200-gallon wing-tank capacity.
The journey was not necessarily comfortable. The crews flew the Travellers at an altitude of up to 13,000 feet on each leg, putting them more at the mercy of the weather than the standard commercial jet flight that can fly at calmer, higher altitudes. In addition, each crew member wore a safety suit and had oxygen tanks on hand in the case of an emergency. The pilots were essentially "locked in" to their seats when onboard, said Pascale.
Despite any potential discomfort, Pascale still described the trip as exciting and highlighted the legs into and out of Narsarsuaq as among his favorite.
"It was gorgeous," he said. "Flying over the fjords -- taking off from Greenland where there was just nothing, then flying over the Labrador Sea and approaching Goose Bay."
With Cape Air holding firm orders for 20 aircraft and options for 90 more, a lot more Travellers will soon be making the "water jump," as David Beaty described the transatlantic trek in his seminal 1977 book of the same name.
Dan Wolf, founder and CEO and Cape Air, said Wednesday that he wished he could have piloted one of the first Traveller flights to Hyannis. He was the pilot-in-command of the airline's first flight from Provincetown (PVC) to Boston on Oct. 16, 1989 -- 30 years to the day from the Traveller unveil.
"In modern history, 100 billion human beings have lived and [only] seven billion live today," he said. "If you think about the number of that 100 billion that have been privileged to get into an airplane and actually have the experience to fly over this beautiful planet, it is a very small number. It is a privilege and a blessing to be a pilot."
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.