Single-pilot jets?

[BoilerUP]

I was told, at last 525 recurrent, that if it's your first type you are limited to flying with a typed SIC for so many hours. It's like an IOE.I forget the number but was not small.

25 hours, IIRC...61.63 is the applicable FAR. Besides, insurance would at least that much "mentoring" before cutting somebody loose as PIC anyway, probably 50-100 hours and maybe more for a pilot with little multi/turbine experience.

 

[guido411]

The USAF flies F-15 and F-22 single pilot but no passengers to worry about if the one pilot dies or is incapacitated!

They also have higher weather minimums and an ejection seat.

 

[fu69atacafyeah]

Yea, this week I am the "boss" but that can change month to month like most contract labor. Cj3 would be nice, but I've heard the citation V is single-pilot and affordable. It sounds as if the insurance is based on the experience level and value of the aircraft. When these guys decide exactly what they want I will have around 500 twin time with 300 turbine so hopefully I will qualify for either jet. They want to spend about $2 million range

You are god! The "iceman" of corporate aviation with your 500/300 hours!! You are ready to fly the retired Space Shuttle!!

Ahhhh I can see it now...your tombstone will read as follows: "before i balled this thing up and killed myself, I saved the millionaire owner 45k in salary for a SIC." Meanwhile your family and your bosses family will be grieving the death of their family member because you were selfish and arrogant. Enjoy yourself!

 

[paid4training]

You are god! The "iceman" of corporate aviation with your 500/300 hours!! You are ready to fly the retired Space Shuttle!!

Ahhhh I can see it now...your tombstone will read as follows: "before i balled this thing up and killed myself, I saved the millionaire owner 45k in salary for a SIC." Meanwhile your family and your bosses family will be grieving the death of their family member because you were selfish and arrogant. Enjoy yourself!

Blow it out ur a$$ there maverick!!!!

 

[paid4training]

And um a$$clown, I'm looking 2-5 years down the road not the first year. I WILL have a co-pilot with a crapload of hours for the first year. Lets not make this personal huh sunny!!!

 

[CaptSeth]

And um a$$clown, I'm looking 2-5 years down the road not the first year. I WILL have a co-pilot with a crapload of hours for the first year. Lets not make this personal huh sunny!!!

What you really need, sparky, is a CAPTAIN with a crapload of hours. My guess, if your employer is smart enough to make the kind of bread to buy one of these things, he's going to want someone with enough EXPERIENCE to fly it safely and be INSURABLE.

 

[paid4training]

Sparky huh? I actually meet the insurance requirements now with my TOTAL time. You must be one of those old crusty pilots that have more hours than sense. You Go through level 5 t-storms because you did it back in 85 and it worked out okay or go down to zero zero cause your just that good!!! Now I see why pilots are a commodity to those millionaires that some fly for. Whether it be commerical or corporate, there are alot of a-hole know it alls that make the rest of us normal humble pilots look bad. I'm done asking any rational question on this site. Most of you on here are bitter about your jobs, your 3 divorces and your kids you never see. It gets old and from some of the attitudes on here, probably deserve it. I wasn't given anything in this industry. Hell I'm probably older than most of the posters, but I'm happy what I'm doing. Even if is flying a jet, turboprop or how I got here, flight instruction.

 

[Paradoxus]

Hell I'm probably older than most of the posters

Older, close to zero experience, and most shockingly demonstrative: little or no education to speak of. Your posts are seething with all-manner of grammatical and cognitive offenses.

You'd be well-advised to consider the opinions of those whom do this for a living, Brightspark.

 

[con-pilot]

Just a couple of points, the military, USAF version of the Sabre 40, the T-39 was a single pilot aircraft, it also had no auto-pilot, no radar and no anti-skid.

The Lear 24 was originally designed as a single pilot aircraft. Bill Lear tried every trick in the book to receive FAA approval for a single pilot certificate, even to the point the MGTOW was under 12,500 lbs, to no avail.

In my opinion, as all turbo-prop aircraft, under 12.5, are single pilot certified, I really see no reason that this new generation of very light jets cannot be as well.

However, personally I believe that any business jet or turbo-prop that operates in any high traffic density aircraft area should have two pilots. There are times that the work load in a Kingair 200 is much higher than in standard medium business jet that requires two pilots.

Bottom line, cheaper is not always better.

 

[SENECAII]

Most of the time,one pilot is fine.Its for those other times when a second pilot would be nice.

 

[tdwnds1]

I think one of the subject that might be lost here is the Captain as mentor. A higher experienced Captain has the ability to impart his experience to his less experienced partner, even if both are PIC. I will say that much of what I learned about flying came from the much older captains that "took me under their wing" and taught me what they new. I still use many of their techniques in my everyday flying and Im extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn from them.

 

[ksu_aviator]

And um a$$clown, I'm looking 2-5 years down the road not the first year. I WILL have a co-pilot with a crapload of hours for the first year. Lets not make this personal huh sunny!!!

You aren't going to be ready in 2-5 years. I had nearly 3,000 hours in t-prop and jet aircraft before I flew them single pilot. Today I'm flying with that 300 hour wonder that thinks he knows everything and won't listen to me when I give him corrective instruction. You remind me of him. You aren't ready.

 

[fu69atacafyeah]

You aren't going to be ready in 2-5 years. I had nearly 3,000 hours in t-prop and jet aircraft before I flew them single pilot. Today I'm flying with that 300 hour wonder that thinks he knows everything and won't listen to me when I give him corrective instruction. You remind me of him. You aren't ready.

Amen to that!!!!

 

[paid4training]

My 7-month-old son is now asleep and I am not typing on my ipad so allow me to retort.

Yo old dudes, like whatever man!!! All I waz axing was an opion on an planz for some bling bling to make mo' money for all my baby momma's!! I aplogixs for offending youz if I did!!!

However, thank you for all the constructive responses along with the information, I will research your views and opinions to reach a decision.

Although it does not matter to anyone but those involved in the process, I am not a 300/500-hour wonder. I have over 3000 hours with 500 multi and 300-turbine time with ZERO accidents or incidents. The insurance company has approved my application for the past two years for the value of the airplane.

 

[paid4training]

Older, close to zero experience, and most shockingly demonstrative: little or no education to speak of. Your posts are seething with all-manner of grammatical and cognitive offenses.

You'd be well-advised to consider the opinions of those whom do this for a living, Brightspark.

You must be a peach to fly with!!!

 

[wingnutt]

Interesting thread, and a quick answer to the question...

• Phenom 300
• Citation CJ series
• Beech Premier

...and as for the associated hooplah, nothing inherently wrong with single pilot. Most (90%) of my total time has been single pilot. Crappy weather, bitchy passengers, screaming babies, puking dogs, missed approaches, icing airframes, and even the Teterboro vortex can all be handled fine SP. I have flown all of the above in both jet props and SP jets, and I will take the SP jet workload all day, any day in the same circumstances.

Explosive DC is not much of a factor since you are supposed to have your dam mask on anyways. High insurance premiums means you need either; a new broker, or a pilot with some dam experience.

To the naysayers...please note I am not implying SP is better, merely that it can be, and is done quite safely on a daily basis. I can honestly count on one hand the times I wished I had an SIC on board, the most recent was for an extra ear to interpret what the dam controller in Manzanillo was babbling about

 

[HalinTexas]

Work load is also dependent on A/P. If it's cumbersome to use, it will increase your workload. If you don't have one, well that's a whole other animal.

Insurance, insurance, insurance.

Your confidence level is also dependent on how often you'll fly it. Likewise, but inversely, with how long your days will be. Fatigue in SP ops. is stupid crazy.

 

[ditchpilot]

citation V is the best value in the single pilot jet market.
lots of positives very few negatives.
find a good shop outside of the cessna service center system and enjoy the ride

 

[BoilerUP]

Single-pilot jets require an operable autopilot for SP ops, otherwise you are required two qualified crewmembers.

Low-time pilots jump from Cirrus or Lancair into Eclipses, Mustangs, CJs and Phenoms pretty regularly...but those are purpose-built SP jets. A pilot with little multi and/or turbine experience isn't going to qualify for a 500-series Single Pilot Waiver.

To the naysayers...please note I am not implying SP is better, merely that it can be, and is done quite safely on a daily basis.

Also, this.

I'd almost always rather fly with a second crewmember (and do most of the time) but SP ops can be and often are perfectly safe.

That being said, IMO it is wise to ask why, in an airplane designed with multiple redundancies, an owner would voluntarily choose to have a single point of failure in a single pilot at the controls.

 

[imacdog]

My 7-month-old son is now asleep and I am not typing on my ipad so allow me to retort.

Yo old dudes, like whatever man!!! All I waz axing was an opion on an planz for some bling bling to make mo' money for all my baby momma's!! I aplogixs for offending youz if I did!!!

However, thank you for all the constructive responses along with the information, I will research your views and opinions to reach a decision.

Although it does not matter to anyone but those involved in the process, I am not a 300/500-hour wonder. I have over 3000 hours with 500 multi and 300-turbine time with ZERO accidents or incidents. The insurance company has approved my application for the past two years for the value of the airplane.

2500 hours of flying in the practice area does not prepare one to be a captain on a jet. 300 hours of turbine is about enough to not be dangerous as a copilot. You have a way to go yet before you're ready.