- Hemisphere dancer
Infobox Aircraft
name= Hemisphere Dancer
type=Flying boat
manufacturer =Grumman 
caption= The Hemisphere Dancer parked atJimmy Buffett's Margaritaville inOrlando, FL , where it currently resides
first flight=22 August 1955
primary user=Jimmy Buffett
more users=United States Navy
built= 1954
variants with their own articles=HU-16 Albatross Hemisphere Dancer is the name of singer/songwriter
Jimmy Buffett 's personalseaplane . A Grumman Albatross flying boat, serial number 137928 and civil registration number N928J, the aircraft is central to the action in Buffett's best-selling book "A Pirate Looks at 50". It is considered to be one of the finest examples of an Albatross, due to the restoration and continual maintenance completed by Buffett.History
This aircraft began life on August 22, 1955, as a long range search and rescue platform for the U.S. Navy [ [http://www.hu-16.com/current.htm The Grumman Albatross Web Site - Let Us Never Forget September 11th 2001 ] ] . The largest member of the storied
Grumman 'waterfowl' series of amphibious airplanes, the Albtross remained in service with US forces until the mid-1970's. After remaining inactive for a number of years, Buffett purchased the aircraft in the 1990's and restored it.Jamaica Mistaica
This is the plane Buffett was flying during the incident recounted in the song "Jamaica Mistaica" on the album
Banana Wind . While in Jamaica on January 16, 1996, Buffett's plane was shot at by Jamaican police. The "Hemisphere Dancer" had been carrying Buffett, U2'sBono , and Island Records producerChris Blackwell , but they were not onboard at the time. Police suspected it was smuggling drugs. No one was hurt, although there were a few bullet holes in the plane [ [http://www.buffettworld.com/airplanes_albatross.html Buffett World - Airplanes - Grumman HU-16C Albatross - The Hemisphere Dancer] ] .A Pirate Looks at 50
After making a number of other trips around the Caribbean with it, Buffett set off on a tour of the Caribbean, Central, and South America, in celebration of his 50th birthday. Accompanying him were his wife, son, youngest daughter, and some hired pilots to lighten the workload. Despite numerous efforts at obtaining the requisite clearances and permissions, the Hemisphere Dancer was only allowed to make a water landing once during the month-long odyssey. This action is chronicled in Buffett's autobiographical travelogue "A Pirate Looks at 50", which was an immediate #1 best seller on the
New York Times best seller list.Current Status
Since publication of "A Pirate Looks at 50", the Hemisphere Dancer has become an icon of Parrothead culture, being featured on clothing,
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant menus, and as the namesake of drinks and garnishes at Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise Restaurants. It has made numerous visits to general aviation fly-in's such as theExperimental Aircraft Association Sun 'n Fun and AirVenture Oshkosh exhibitions.In 2003, Jimmy retired the aircraft from active flying service. Currently, it resides at Buffett's Margaritaville in
Orlando, Florida .pecifications
"General"
*Manufacturer: Grumman
*Model: HU-16C Albatross
*N-Number: N928J
*Year: 1954
*Serial Number: 137928"Performance "
*Cruise Speed: 130 kts
*Max Range: 2,477 nm
*Service Ceiling: 25,000 ft"Engines"
*Number: (2)
*Manufacturer: Wright
*Model: R-1820-76
*Engine Power: 1475 hp
*Cruise Fuel Burn: 53 gal/hr per engine [ [http://www.buffettworld.com/airplanes_albatross.html Buffett World - Airplanes - Grumman HU-16C Albatross - The Hemisphere Dancer ] ]References
ee also
*
HU-16 Albatross
*Jimmy Buffett
*Parrothead
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