Originally Posted by
seoceancrosser
AA and Phantom thanks for your input. I speak from experience. I did my first crossing in a SE comanchee at 400 tt and my first solo crossing in a 172 at 500 tt. It can be done. I want to encourage education and decision making to this pilot. I can highly relate to the anxiety this pilot is feeling. I wouldn't feel right saying "don't go." With this pilot's experience I would say don't be afraid to apply common knowledge (I know this can be controversial), common sense and don't be afraid to utilize the backbone (developed during numerous flight instructing hours) to sit around 2 or 3 weeks.
Rather than use "aggressive diplomacy" as you would I prefer the "don't go" attitude. You have no business insinuating that a TATL crossing in a single engine recip with no wing or tail anti-icing capability can be done safely in the winter time with a pilot who has never flown a TATL crossing in her life. All the education won't help her when she ices up and ditches because she has NO options left. Telling her not to do it will save her life, not education on the intricacy's of a crossing during the summer time.