Single-pilot jets?

[Jetdriver69]

I flew a Cheyenne and Citation single pilot before my current Gulfstream job. All I can say is that it was a very interesting two years! I had a "crapload" of time before this gig and I still found there were days that were very challenging flying by my lonesome. I can't say the experience didn't make me a better pilot, but I can say I wasn't a safer pilot pilot without a second set of eyes and hopefully, a functioning brain from a copilot. To each his own and pay whatever the insurance man says, but a high performance single pilot jet CAN be too much of a handful for some pilots, super experienced or not. If you are deadset (no pun intended)on flying a jet SP, operate out of less congested airports. Like go to Manassas instead of Dulles or Peachtree instead of Hartsfield. I found this to be the greatest work load reducer, but a copilot works even better.

 

[ksu_aviator]

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.

Forget about it. He can't be talked to. He has 300 hours and knows it all already.

 

[paid4training]

Hey ksu, go back to manhattan and sit down at a restaurant at Aggieville(I think that in what it's called) and order yourself a nice bowl of dicks!!!! I grew up half my childhood in that town, They must have given you the key to the 7-11 crapper!!! And I know you gotta be proud!!!

Yea, um can I insure my daughters Barbie jeep with you??? I asked about insurance!!!!

A$$hole!!!!!

 

[Paradoxus]

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.

Hey ksu, go back to manhattan and sit down at a restaurant at Aggieville(I think that in what it's called) and order yourself a nice bowl of dicks!!!! I grew up half my childhood in that town, They must have given you the key to the 7-11 crapper!!! And I know you gotta be proud!!!

Yea, um can I insure my daughters Barbie jeep with you??? I asked about insurance!!!!

A$$hole!!!!!

As presented, Exhibit A in the argument that second-career-types in aviation ought be regarded with an answerable-level of suspicion.

 

[paid4training]

Ohhh yea, well ur stupid!!!

Childish, bitter, get a life!!!

 

[paid4training]

Deleted

 

[imacdog]

I hear the insurance rates on psychopaths is typically higher than someone a bit less frothy at the mouth.

 

[CaptSeth]

I was going to contribute something useful here. But I've been busy busting minimums and plowing through "level five thunderstorms" with 400,000 pounds of metal strapped to my ass.

 

[con-pilot]

I was going to contribute something useful here. But I've been busy busting minimums and plowing through "level five thunderstorms" with 400,000 pounds of metal strapped to my ass.

"Busting minimums"? Now just what did those minimums ever do to you that made you break them?

 

[BayBum37ft]

I have been flying jets single pilot for years with the F/Os they give me that don't have a clue and a few captains too.
Capt. Seth where you at these days?

BayBum

 

[U of I Tweak]

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.

Umm...I started with zero hours of jet time....like I suspect you did at one point. Was I dangerous? There's nothing mystical about flying a jet. - 800 hour jet SIC

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[ksu_aviator]

Hey ksu, go back to manhattan and sit down at a restaurant at Aggieville(I think that in what it's called) and order yourself a nice bowl of dicks!!!! I grew up half my childhood in that town, They must have given you the key to the 7-11 crapper!!! And I know you gotta be proud!!!

Yea, um can I insure my daughters Barbie jeep with you??? I asked about insurance!!!!

A$$hole!!!!!

I like to think I'm a pretty good judge of character. When you put so much importance on 300 hours, it tells me you don't realize how little experience you have. It tells me you have 2 of the 5 hazardous attitudes, macho and invulnerability. I don't think you've posted anything that disproves my initial assessment.

300 hours is nothing. Likely you haven't seen all four seasons. You probably haven't even had a real emergency yet. You may or may not have deiced. You need to understand that 300 hours has not afforded you any special wisdom, even if you are an ace pilot with a photographic memory.

Quit taking offense to the fact that you have a lot to learn. I have more than 6,000 hours now and I'm enrolled in an online class to learn more. Try learning something from me and the other posters on this forum, and admit you aren't ready to fly a jet single pilot. You just aren't.

 

[BoilerUP]

Umm...I started with zero hours of jet time....like I suspect you did at one point. Was I dangerous? There's nothing mystical about flying a jet. - 800 hour jet SIC

I was an 800tt/0 turbine jet SIC at one time, too.

In hindsight, despite being trained at FSI, I'd probably have been just slightly more useful than a lump of coal if we'd experienced a legit in-flight emergency. I could read a mean checklist and flip switches as commanded and regurgitate systems stuff from the systems manual, but I had zero experience to draw from.

Then again, at some point we ALL have zero experience to draw from, and have to get that experience somehow.

As with anything, flying the airplane Point A to an ILS at Point B is the easy part.

Pilots successfully go from SE pistons to VLJs all the time so more hours isn't an end-all/be-all, but single pilot in a jet is no place for a professional pilot's OJT in my personal opinion as a guy who flies a jet SP.

 

[paid4training]

Again, thank you for all the helpful responses. This forum is a place where someone can ask a question anonymously but along with the good perspectives and information, you also have some negative schoolyard banter such as ksu and few others who post on this forum.

I understand not everyone earned their experience the same way; some military, some civilian, and some had family money help. While others took chances with their own business, met the right person at the right time and earned their experience. There are many different ways to create your own opportunities in this industry; you just have to ignore some people who know nothing about you or your situation.

 

[wingnutt]

Pilots successfully go from SE pistons to VLJs all the time so more hours isn't an end-all/be-all, but single pilot in a jet is no place for a professional pilot's OJT in my personal opinion as a guy who flies a jet SP.

...agreed!

There's nothing mystical about flying a jet. - 800 hour jet SIC

And, while I would also agree there is nothing mystical about a jet, 800 hours in the right seat does not, in and of itself, mean much...no offense.

Its a whole other world out there when you (and you alone) are the one making the decisions, and dealing with the consequences

 

[CaptSeth]

I have been flying jets single pilot for years with the F/Os they give me that don't have a clue and a few captains too.
Capt. Seth where you at these days?

BayBum

Aren't you on Facebook? All the gory details are there. Including the fact that I'm sitting in VIDP at the moment and trying to avoid a case of Ghandi's revenge.

 

[LJ45]

What are you going to do when you are 2 hrs into a 4 hr trip and you need to use the bathroom?
That is my biggest question:beer:

And, yes I have done SP ops in a Citation. Only on short trips and good weather. But, now that I'm older and wiser I think in your situation it's a bad idea to even think about that right now.

 

[wingnutt]

What are you going to do when you are 2 hrs into a 4 hr trip and you need to use the bathroom?

...same thing one does when 2 hours into a 4 hour trip, while flying a king air

 

[ksu_aviator]

...same thing one does when 2 hours into a 4 hour trip, while flying a king air

King Airs have weewee tubes.

Now, in a Metro, that was a different story. All I can say is that there are some great products at Cabella's and Bass Pro!

 

[imacdog]

Umm...I started with zero hours of jet time....like I suspect you did at one point. Was I dangerous? There's nothing mystical about flying a jet. - 800 hour jet SIC

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Of course I had zero turbine time at one point. What I didn't do, was go from zero turbine time to single pilot in a jet. Especially when going from flight instruction, there is a learning curve involved that precludes one from being a safe captain until some experience is gained.