Edward Snowden could fly from Moscow to Ecuador on a private jet with one stop
US surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden could fly from Moscow to Ecuador on a private jet, but would need to make one fuel stop, according PrivateFly, an online booking network for business aviation.
US surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden could fly from Moscow to Ecuador on a private jet, but would need to make one fuel stop, according PrivateFly, an online booking network for business aviation.
Writing for the PrivateFly blog, Adam Twidell, CEO and co-founder, claimed that ultra-long range jets such as the Airbus ACJ319, Boeing Business Jet, Bombardier Global Express XRS, Dassault Falcon 7X or Gulfstream G550 (pictured) could make the 14 hour journey possible, but said Snowden would have to stop for fuel at an airport such as Gustavo Rizo in Cuba or Nouakchott International in Mauritania.
“Using normal safety limits, a direct private jet flight from Moscow to Ecuador would not be possible,” wrote Twidell. “The distance of 6,255 nm, combined with strong headwinds, puts this routing out of the range of a direct flight on any aircraft.”
“It would be possible for Edward Snowden to fly from Moscow to Ecuador on a private jet,” he added. “However using legal safety limits a fuel stop would be required.”
After leaving Hong Kong, it is thought that Snowden is currently in the transit area of a Moscow airport and is seeking asylum in another country, with Ecuador heavily linked.
Twidell said the flight would cost $212,872 (€162,821) using a private jet, and excluding the fuel stop, the flight would take 14 hours and 15 minutes.
He also suggested that much like driving a car, pilots can take steps such as flying slower or higher, or optimising winds to improve the fuel efficiency of the aircraft.
