Getting sponsors are more important. Work on those first.

Two hours at a time as the ship was steaming across.

Hmmmm....That all there is to it? Seems like I am doing alot more than that. Either you don't cross much or you never crossed w/o CPDLC.

If I was to guess, I'd say never crossed.

Yup, thats about all there is to it. It aint rocket surgery. Basic position reports and fuel calculations, keeping up with the flight plan, and good SA. Same basics you did for your private/instrument ticket. If something goes wrong your options are limited so you dont have to use much brain power to figure out what you need to do.

Sure its different than flying from Fresno to Burbank, but its not difficult nor does it require the skills of Sky King. I fail to see why some folks make such a big deal out of doing crossings. Its different, but thats about it.

I don't think the requirement is about just the crossing itself. But flying into some countries requires a lot more planning and experience than going from ORD to YYZ. Try flying from US to someplace in Russia. Or flying into Turkey with a Greece overflight. And I haven't even touched the complexities of State Rules and noise abatement procedures.

my favorite way to cross is in first class..........

When I checked out as an MD-11 captain, one of the requirements was to do two Atlantic crossings. These were done on IOE, with mine being from EWR to STN and then on to FRA, followed by a return from FRA to MEM. Before we got CPDLC, one of the more important tasks was the receipt of the oceanic clearance, which really has to be done correctly, avoiding mistakes at all costs. As well, at that time we not only did standard position reports, but we also did position plotting, until someone realized that the FMS's and GPS's that were used to present "the magenta line" was the same nav aids that showed us our position. We then stopped plotting. Pacific crossings were not required as they were very straightforward. Good luck!

What the captain meant to say was that he doesn't need any oceanic crossing training, because he flies a jet that (at FedEx at least) doesn't make any ocean crossings, unless you consider "crossing the Atlantic", coasting out somewhere over South Carolina and coasting in near Ft. Lauderdale.

Yep, doing that on Monday to NRT. So tough that I'll need a 48 layover when I get there!