I don't think it is a figure of speech, I think when he said that in the documentary it was a 'statement of fact'
I am guessing that with the almost always need for a ferry tank inside the cabin area it restricts the capacity to take every precaution when flying a light single across the Atlantic via Greenland and the like. So I have seen a ferry pilot who doesn't even wear an immersion suit or suchlike because he reserves himself to the fact that he ain't going to get out or rescued if he goes down in the Atlantic on 90% of the routings.
I think everyone knows a pilot who does ferrying or has done ferrying
Not always do they fly with every type of safety equipment imaginable. Not always is The planning for these type of flights done extensively and well researched
There are cowboys in every aspect of aviation so not all are professionals as has been proven in this very instance.