TBM Direct to Big Easy

One of the two EADS Socata TBM 700s on show at Lakefront Airport was flown here from its makers in southern France to the convention in just 20 hours flight time.

Accompanying Socata's Aircraft Div. Vice president Dominique Des Champs (who has ferried 14 other TBMs across the Atlantic) was Jean-Francois Trassard, the COO and senior vice president of EADS Socata.

"The flight was fantastic -- it was something that I always dreamt of doing," said Trassard on arrival at the convention. He was also given a quick, low-level wiz over the frozen wastes before climbing to 31,000 feet and above cloud. "Flying low above Greenland was like looking at the moon with snow on it -- unbelievable!"

The trip took 2 days and refueling stops were made at Wick in Scotland and overnight stop at Reykjavik in Iceland. Day two was busy with stops in: Greenland; Goose Bay; Bangor, ME; Norfolk, VA; and Socata's base at North Perry, Miami. The final leg was North Perry to Lakefront.

By Mike Vines.