RSVM for USA, Cherry, and Ameristar

[LJDRVR]

Most of the passenger-carrying 135 operations out there have not done much. My former employer has not done a single conversion yet, and I think it all comes down to money. (Cost of the mod/not having the jet producing revenue while in shop.)

My understanding of DRVSM is that it's FL410 inclusive. Climb-through is at ATC's discretion, good luck. Quite frankly, I don't see how some of these operators are even remotely competetive.

Customer: "You do have some of the latest avionics for our safety, don't you?"

135 operator: Uhh...sure, our jets are equiped with state-of-the-art 1992 GPS navigation sets.

Customer: "Wow, sounds impressive! how about TCAS, GPWS, TAWS. RVSM, Datalink, FMS?"

135 operator: "We have a DVD player in back with miniature plasma screens..."

 

[leardrivr]

Cherry recently passed the word to us that they will RVSM their aircraft, the Lears anyway. Take it with a grain (or many grains) of salt. Like some other operators though, no aircraft have been done yet.

I was one of the first pilots to fly a rvsm certified lear. It is a 24B with no buckets (N876MC). It worked great! I also flew a 25B and a strait 24 with the same result. Maybe some of you have seen them out there. We had the first one finished around febuary of 04 I think. Anyway the company has completed seven or eight mods out of there fleet of Lear 20 series aircraft and they have been awarded a group certificate to sell and install the rvsm package to any one with a 20 series lear regardless of the wing you have i.e. dee howard, century III, softflight. I just spoke to one of the pilots there last night (I left to fly somewhere else) and he told me that none of the autopilots will maintain altitude within 100 feet anymore. They are just as worthless as they were before they rebuilt them and installed the cadc's and digital altimeters. It seems that old f100 analog autopilot just won't do it. Hand flying is not such a chior now with the new static system but without a reliable altitude holding capability I just don't see how this aircraft will be worth flying. It is hard enough to get a good climb up to 410-450 as it is now. Once rvsm kicks in forget it. You will be stuck in the mid twentys pushing your profits out the tail pipes.

 

[Wiggums]

It seems that old f100 analog autopilot just won't do it. Hand flying is not such a chior now with the new static system but without a reliable altitude holding capability I just don't see how this aircraft will be worth flying. It is hard enough to get a good climb up to 410-450 as it is now. Once rvsm kicks in forget it. You will be stuck in the mid twentys pushing your profits out the tail pipes.

I heard different, that with the new static system the autopilot altitude hold is rock solid. In the non-RVSMd aircraft I've flown I've seen some autopilots that worked great, so I know that when everything is setup correctly the original autopilot can do the job. Since rebuilding the autopilot is part of the mod I'm hoping that they all work well once they get back. Now that flying with an MELd autopilot is no longer an option the mx on them is going to have to be better.

 

[ultrarunner]

Getting permission to climb through RVSM airspace...that means we will have to be at 410 and 430.....

Nope...290 to 410 inclusive. You'll need to be at 430, and you're just not going to be able to count on at AT ALL.

 

[HAZ-MAT]

Yes, the new static system is great. You can hand fly it with great precision now, but from the memo we recieved (AirNet) that when at cruise altitude you need to have the autopilot engaged. Is it a regulation no, but it stresses "should." I did talk to a Cherry Air pilot who said they had a Lear 24 RVSM'd. I'm curious about Bank Air, have any of their aircraft been equip'd?

 

[pilotyip]

Autopilot

Flight above FL 280 must be with an engaged functioning Autopilot. The Autopilot must be engaged for level using either an altitude pre-select or manual pitch inputs to the engaged Autopilot. Autopilot must maintain 65' of engaged altitude while in RVSM airspace. If the Autopilot fails, you must notify ATC and tell them you are not RVSM compliant. The rule reads you may momentarily turn off the Autopilot to trim the airplane. They may ask you to leave RVSM airspace. I understand the FAA will be keeping a national wide database on operators having problems in RVSM airspace and may elect deny RVSM access to repeat problem aircraft.

 

[Canucit]

i would imagine that for a little while (after jan 2005) it would be petty hard to fly thru rvsm airspace without rvsm compliance to go to FL430