King Air flying

[scubabri]

I just got a chance to spend 10 hours in the right seat of an A100, and I've got a few questions.

The biggest question I have is, how much flying is generally done by hand. I found that I spent more time inside on instruments during straight and level than outside.. it just seemed easier to do.

The other question, how many hours did you fly before you felt you were comfortable flying one?

The next question, for approach and landing, what are good power settings for flying the ILS and non-precision approaches?

thanks

Brian

 

[SDdriver]

I can answer 2 of your ?'s.

First one, you will find that the bigger the aircraft gets the less you look out, I mean especially flying IFR, (NOT IMC) IFR, when on an IFR flight plan you have to maintain your altitude and course very strictly, so just flying around joyriding and looking out goes out the door, your scan has to be so regular to maintain those requirments that little time is left to look out. That is if you are hand flying. I found when flying Transport aircraft, I rarley look out except for the occasional looking at the stars or sunset. Also, everything is an approach in transport aircraft, not required, but if there was an ILS on the runway I was landing, no matter if it was clear and a million, for saftey reasons and just making it easier to stay on a good GP, I would fly the ILS. If no ILS and it was VFR, always flying the VASI or PAPI or what not. THe larger the airplane, the harder it is to tell your distance from the ground, so vertical course guidence is a BIG help, not including a BIG saftey concern.

Other question, how long to feel comfortable, that really depends, I think, on your average experience level. I mean if you have only 500hrs then it will take you some time to feel comfortable, but after flying a few larger turbine aircraft like the B100, B200, SA227, you get to be able to feel comfortable pretty quick transitioning to something of equal size. I mean if you go from flying a B200 to flying a SF340, then you won't have that big of a comfort problem, I don't think, but going from a C172 to a CRJ, well that is self explanitory. That is why I still can't understand why they let guys with 350 or 400hrs sit right seat in a CRJ with 50 people in the back. The practical experience level is just not there. Everything is fine as long as the guy in the left seat is ok, but if he is out of commision, you are going to wind up with a serious problem I believe, especially if multiple things are going wrong.

AS far as power settings, not sure, I have flown the 200, the 90, and the 350, but never the 100 so I couldn't tell ya.
Just play around on the ILS and trim it well and see what power setting gives you the right decent rate for the GS and there ya go. Shouldn't take you long to figure them out. Take care.

SD

 

[jergar999]

The A100 is a weird one. There is no trim wheel, so get used to moving your thumb. During an ILS, during the downwind or equivalent, or prior to procedure turn I slow to about 150-160 knots (700-900 on the torques). Once established on the localizer I drop approach flaps, this slows the aircraft to about 135-140 knots without a power change, and puts you below gear speed. Drop the gear one dot high, pull power to about 600lbs. per side, and this should put you in a steady descent on the glideslope about 120-125 knots. Full flaps about 2-3 mile final with the same power setting should put you over the numbers at 100 knots. Here's the fun part, once over the numbers hold the trim down with your thumb and gently pull throttles to idle. Once you've done this a few times it's about like auto-land. I haven't actually pulled on the yoke during a landing in months, except during crosswind landings. The same power settings will work on a non-precision approach, although you may want to descend a bit quicker. The A100 is an easy airplane to fly, although maybe a bit underpowered (as compared to a 90 or 200). As far as autopilots go, we only use ours during cruise flight, both to help maintain our skills and because it is as old as the airplane and can get cranky. If you do end up using the autopilot make sure it's disengaged anytime you change configuration, especially flaps (the airplane really wants to pitch up when you add flaps, and I have yet to fly one where the A/P holds altitude within 200 feet when you add flaps). I hope this helps. I have about 550 hours in the A100 now and it really didn't take too long to get comfortable. The Pratt's are a lot easier to deal with then geared turbo piston engines and the plane, like most Beech products, is predictable and solid.