1900 single-pilot?

[KeroseneSnorter]

I thought that's what the autopilot was for....

If auto pilots always worked and never failed or popped breakers, then you would have a good point. And then we could get rid of half the airline pilots in the country.

 

[FearlessFreep]

The most fun thing in the Metro III flying single pilot was taking off High & Hot (Toluca, MX) with the water/alcohol injection, I think it was called WAI. When you'd turn it off there is a dramatic decrease in performance and it would happen instantaneously. This was accompanied with a pretty fair change in pitch attitude. Flip the WAI switch off and then immediately SHOVE the power levers forward, but not so far as to kick on the SRL lights, simultaneously jerk the column to adjust for the power adjustment. Right about at the same time tower would be calling you to go to departure frequency.

Actually flying the Metro single pilot isn't too bad once your used to it, if it's VFR and everything working ok. If it's solid IMC, and things are breaking it could be a handful. The one's I were flying had NO FD and NO Autopilot. Flying it in weather was a lot of fun, even if you were real busy. Would give you a pretty good sense of accomplishment when you would shoot an approach down to minimums in a driving rain storm.

 

[Groundpounder]

.

Cessna tech told me that the XL was originally designed with SP ops in mind but the lack of visibility shot it down. I think one of Simuflites sims is one of the first built and has the gear handle on the left side. something that no XL was ever produced with.

Wrong. Here are two examples. It was up to the buyer where the gear handle, RTU's and MFD is placed in the cockpit.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/743808/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/566522/M/

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Wrong. Here are two examples. It was up to the buyer where the gear handle, RTU's and MFD is placed in the cockpit.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/743808/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/566522/M/http://www.airliners.net/open.file/566522/M/http://www.airliners.net/open.file/566522/M/

Yep, you got me. Didn't account for the "If you have enough money, they will build it" senario. The point is that they are not sp waivable as Cessna originally intended.

 

[ultrarunner]

That looks like alot of plane for one guy

Naa...it's just a King Air, a bit longer, but that's it.

 

[I.P. Freley]

If auto pilots always worked and never failed or popped breakers, then you would have a good point. And then we could get rid of half the airline pilots in the country.

You do realize I was kidding, right? You know... Something on the other side of the aeroplane doesn't work, so hit the AP and walk over there...

 

[siouxicide]

The most fun thing in the Metro III flying single pilot was taking off High & Hot (Toluca, MX) with the water/alcohol injection...

You're right on about the CAWI system. Nice kick in the pants on takeoff with the extra 100hp/side.

Lots of people can't believe we fly the Metro single pilot. Honestly, it could be a handful....if you're complacent, but that goes for anything. In reality, it's just another 402 or Navajo after a while, with a few more gadgets to mess with. I remember when I thought a Tomahawk had a lot of gauges...you get used it.

 

[I.P. Freley]

In reality, it's just another 402 or Navajo after a while, with a few more gadgets to mess with. I remember when I thought a Tomahawk had a lot of gauges...you get used it.

All I remember about the Chieftain I used to fly was the fact that if you had an engine failure, you had negative climb performance on a hot day at max weight.

Heck, maybe you had negative climb performance on a COLD day at a more reasonable weight, for all I remember. I'm just glad I had a good MX dept. behind me to keep that thing in tip-top shape. Thankfully they found the bad turbo before I did, if you get my drift.

 

[AutoBus]

All I remember about the Chieftain I used to fly was the fact that if you had an engine failure, you had negative climb performance on a hot day at max weight..

Oh and don't forget the "User Hostile" layout of the controls. Monitor the EGT's, Fiddle with the props to keep them insync, reduce power one inch of MP at a time, Don't forget the cowl flaps, boost pumps and the fuel system. On top of that the AP never works when you need it, and on a bad wx day every passenger shows up with extra bags and a jump seater shows up begging for a ride.

I had a cylinder "blow" off a Chieftain just after takeoff in LGA with 4 pax, aircraft flew fine, but we were light and the wx was cold.

I flew it single pilot in scheduled passenger operations for about six months and began suffering from NSS (Navajo Stress Syndrome) was glad when I got to transistion back to turbine equipment.

 

[I.P. Freley]

I think it would be easier to raise the dead than to get a Chieftain started within five minutes of shutting it down in the summer.