Pilot Margrit Waltz successfully completed her 900th ferry flight last week, taking a TBM 940 turboprop from Daher’s production site in Tarbes, France, to Delaware County Airport (KMIE) near Muncie, Indiana. The trip took three days, 15 hours and 38 minutes of which were in the air, with stopovers in Wick, Scotland; Keflavik, Iceland; Canada’s Goose Bay; Bangor, Maine; and Scranton, Pennsylvania. Waltz, who was one of the first pilots to ferry a TBM across the Atlantic Ocean in 1991, has delivered more than 200 TBMs to North America.
“It’s highly symbolic that Margrit flew her milestone trip with a TBM 940, as her ferry flight services on behalf of Daher during the past three decades have contributed to the TBM program’s success,” said Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president of Daher’s aircraft division.
Born in Germany in 1957, Waltz currently lives in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. She earned her pilot’s license at age 18 and started ferrying aircraft at 20. In addition to North America, Waltz has delivered TBM aircraft to Africa, Asia and Australia.
Very impressive.
As I can say from my experience as a physician, time spent aloft does not count against your life expectancy so good for her!
If I remember correctly when Margrit was learning to fly she had a very famous flight instructor, Eric Hartmann.
Interesting sidelight – she’s using longer legs than the minimum ones, which would involve Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
A testament to good preparation of aircraft and herself, including weather and survival equipment.
I have heard Margrit speak over the years and have enjoyed her stories, especially about taking her newborn with her on a crossing to deliver a new Mooney in Germany, taking her husband along on another trip and dealing with a male who ate the wrong thing for breakfast! Blue skies to you Margrit and congratulations!
Now that’s one bad-ass pilot!!!
Another great aviator that has help push forward the wonderful GA industry.. Wind in your hair..