Lord Sugar shows off new £600,000 plane he bought in US as he battles to find pilot who can fly it back to UK for him
- Lord Sugar has picked up a Cirrus SR22T aircraft which can carry five people
- The light aircraft has a range of around 1,200 miles and cruises at 200mph
- The tycoon was pleased to take his new aircraft for its maiden flight yesterday
- He is now looking for a professional ferry pilot to bring the aircraft to the UK
Apprentice star Lord Sugar has picked up a brand new airplane in the United States and boasts that it still has the ‘new car smell’.
The tycoon, who has had a pilot’s licence since 1975, bought a single-engined Cirrus SR22T and took it for a test flight yesterday.
The aircraft – which has a base price of £578,000, rising to £720,00 depending on the number of options on board – can carry five people, including the pilot.
Lord Sugar, pictured beside his brand new £600,000 Cirrus SR22T aircraft, collected the plane from Knoxville, Tennessee and flew it down to Florida
The multi-millionaire tycoon is on holiday in Florida but is hoping to bring the aircraft to the UK
Lord Sugar posted a photograph of his new aircraft on Twitter, having flown from Knoville, Tennessee to Pompano beach in Florida.
The businessman answered several questions from fans about his new aircraft, including that it does have a ‘new car smell’, and has a cruising speed of 180kts.
The 73-year-old from Essex confirmed he is planning to bring the aircraft back to the United Kingdom, but will need to arrange for a ferry pilot to complete the job.
His aircraft has a maximum range of around 1,200 miles – depending on the weather – will need to make a number of stops while crossing the Atlantic from the United States to Britain.
It is likely the ferry pilot will have to stop to refuel on their way to Canada before refuelling again in Newfoundland. The small aircraft will then likely head to Greenland, where it will again refuel, before flying to Iceland. From Iceland, the aircraft will head towards Scotland for more fuel before completing its journey.
The piston-engined aircraft has been fitted with a turbocharger to increase performance and allowing it to reach 25,000 feet – as long as it has been fitted with the optional cabin oxygen system.
Lord Sugar, pictured at the controls of another aircraft, has had a pilot’s licence since 1975
According to Dave Plange of Alpha2Bravo aviation, who provide ferry services, Lord Sugar’s new plane is ‘a very good aircraft’.
Speaking to MailOnline, he said: ‘It is a very good aircraft to fly and the turbo version can cruise at 25,000 feet.’
He said despite the current Covid-19 restrictions, the tycoon should still be able to arrange for his aircraft to be delivered to the UK.
He said ‘You need to plan ahead when crossing the Atlantic in a small aircraft and need to be able to judge the weather very well.’
Mr Plange, who has 5,500 hours experience and has been in the business for 12 years said the summer months are easier, but it is possible to fly 12 months of the year.
He said: ‘Normally, I would look to leave Bangor, Maine at around 4am to arrive in Goose Bay, Canada at daylight to refuel. Then it would be a daylight flight of around four-and-a-half hours to Greenland, for more fuel and a final trip that day to Iceland for a further four-and-a-half hours.
‘It is a long day of around 13-and-a-half hours. In total, bringing a single-engined aircraft from the US to the UK will take between two and three days. ‘
Mr Plange said occasionally an owner will want to accompany the aircraft on its marathon trip.
‘This is something that can be arranged, but it is the ferry pilot who is in command and determines whether to take off or if there is a need to turn back.’