Minnesota native Kerry McCauley has spent 30 years flying over 65 different aircraft and logging an astonishing 10,000 hours as a ferry pilot, a career that's taken him to some of the most remote and inhospitable corners of the globe.
When asked what drew him to this line of work, McCauley laughed, saying it sounded like "the coolest job in the world" - a sentiment he's lived up to with his remarkable story. From flying solo over vast expanses of ocean to navigating treacherous weather conditions, McCauley has faced his fair share of danger on the job.
Yet despite the risks, ferry pilots are an essential part of international air transport, as McCauley explained: "If someone's got an airplane in one part of the world and they're buying it from someone else who lives in another part of the world, that's where you need a ferry pilot." And for his part, McCauley has always been drawn to adventure - even taking up skydiving at just a young age.
As he shared stories from his career, one thing became clear: experience and instinct are key when flying. For example, when he first started out, he'd often get nervous before flights - but as soon as the engines roared to life, all that would disappear. "I was saying, 'No, not me,' But I was too stupid to do something smart like that," he joked.
McCauley has also emphasized the importance of preparation and planning. Before flying across vast bodies of water, for instance, he'll pack a carefully curated survival kit - one that includes everything from hand-held radios to flares, signal flares or lasers. The key, as he puts it: "If you crash on land, someone will find you - but if you go down in the water, that's when things get really serious."
When asked about just how hazardous the job can be, McCauley was candid: "Yes, it's pretty dangerous." Over the years, even a few aircraft and pilots have been lost - though he reckons this is more due to sheer bad luck than anything else.
And yet despite these risks, ferry flying has provided McCauley with a world of opportunities. From soaring over African savannas to flying low over Greenland ice caps, he's seen some truly breathtaking sights from the skies. Not least, he's also had the chance to thrill-fly over the pyramids in Egypt - no less than three times.
As for what it takes to make such adventures possible? McCauley thinks that flying in a small airplane is one of life's greatest joys: "You get to do some things you don't really get to do in any other circumstances."
When asked what drew him to this line of work, McCauley laughed, saying it sounded like "the coolest job in the world" - a sentiment he's lived up to with his remarkable story. From flying solo over vast expanses of ocean to navigating treacherous weather conditions, McCauley has faced his fair share of danger on the job.
Yet despite the risks, ferry pilots are an essential part of international air transport, as McCauley explained: "If someone's got an airplane in one part of the world and they're buying it from someone else who lives in another part of the world, that's where you need a ferry pilot." And for his part, McCauley has always been drawn to adventure - even taking up skydiving at just a young age.
As he shared stories from his career, one thing became clear: experience and instinct are key when flying. For example, when he first started out, he'd often get nervous before flights - but as soon as the engines roared to life, all that would disappear. "I was saying, 'No, not me,' But I was too stupid to do something smart like that," he joked.
McCauley has also emphasized the importance of preparation and planning. Before flying across vast bodies of water, for instance, he'll pack a carefully curated survival kit - one that includes everything from hand-held radios to flares, signal flares or lasers. The key, as he puts it: "If you crash on land, someone will find you - but if you go down in the water, that's when things get really serious."
When asked about just how hazardous the job can be, McCauley was candid: "Yes, it's pretty dangerous." Over the years, even a few aircraft and pilots have been lost - though he reckons this is more due to sheer bad luck than anything else.
And yet despite these risks, ferry flying has provided McCauley with a world of opportunities. From soaring over African savannas to flying low over Greenland ice caps, he's seen some truly breathtaking sights from the skies. Not least, he's also had the chance to thrill-fly over the pyramids in Egypt - no less than three times.
As for what it takes to make such adventures possible? McCauley thinks that flying in a small airplane is one of life's greatest joys: "You get to do some things you don't really get to do in any other circumstances."
. I mean, ferry pilots have to deal with crazy weather conditions and navigate through treacherous waters... it's only a matter of time before something goes wrong, right? 
And don't even get me started on all those hours spent flying solo - what if he gets lost or his plane breaks down? 
It's just a miracle he hasn't had a major incident yet. But hey, I guess it's nice that he got to see some cool sights from the skies... like, who needs personal safety when you can fly over pyramids three times? 
. Like, 10,000 hours is just insane and I bet most people would freak out half the time. And don't even get me started on those survival kits - who needs to carry around flares and lasers? It's not like they're gonna come in handy or anything... unless you're a total control freak, lol. And let's be real, flying over vast expanses of ocean is just plain scary 
. I mean, what if the engines fail? Or what if there's a storm? It sounds way too intense for me. Give me a nice, comfy couch any day 
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but mccaulay says it's all about experience & instinct - and having a survival kit packed just in case 
like hand-held radios & flares... talk about being prepared!
! I mean, can you even imagine flying solo over oceans and navigating treacherous weather? Mind. Blown. I've always been fascinated by aviation and adventure, so to see someone who's made a career out of it is super inspiring 
. The fact that he's got this huge survival kit stashed away in his plane just shows how prepared he is for anything 
. And let's be real, flying over the pyramids three times? That's some serious thrill-flying action 
! I think we can all learn from his approach to flying - it's all about trusting your instincts and being super prepped for anything that comes your way 
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30 years flying around the world, and he's still got it 
. I mean, someone's gotta make international air transport happen, right? The guy's been everywhere - literally. And his survival kit? 
Genius. You'd think they'd have some kinda fancy AI system by now, but nope, old school human ingenuity wins out.
. The bit about "no, not me" still cracks me up tho. Anyway, it's clear this guy knows what he's doing. Can't say I'd want to fly solo over vast oceans in my sleep either 
️ 10k hours = 1000s of flights, gotta respect the man 
also, he said it's pretty dangerous which isn't exactly reassuring. anyone else think this guy is just lucky or what? 
Still, it's clear he's got the skills and experience down pat. The whole preparation thing makes sense - you never know what's gonna happen out there. And let's be real, some of those destinations sound insane 
️. has anyone tried those new eco-friendly tires that are supposed to be good for the planet?
I mean, I'm all for adventure and flying being cool and all but.. seriously, the guy has seen some crazy stuff. From African savannas to Greenland ice caps... how does he not freak out?! 
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. And I love that he's not just talking about the technical aspects of his job, but also sharing stories about what it's like to be in the air and experience all the beauty and thrill of flight 
just reading about this ferry pilot dude and I'm blown away by his 10k+ hour career - that's like flying around the world a bunch of times! what's crazy is how much experience and instinct play into his job, he's not gonna wing it (haha get it?) when he's flying solo over vast oceans. and can you imagine having to pack a survival kit just in case? 
. They're always pushing themselves and facing new challenges, all while keeping people connected around the world. And let's be real, flying over remote areas can't be easy – I mean, have you seen those landscapes? It's like nothing else matters but the horizon 
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