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From Zero to VLJ | How Would You Do It?

Old 02-28-2018, 07:22 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by navigatro View Post
you sound rich. hire a professional pilot to fly with you the first 500 hours so your family doesn't lose you to some stupid accident. I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but don't end up like JFK Jr.
More like don't end up like the Bramlage family. Now that was a real gut-punching tragedy and a horrible way to go for all of them.
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Old 03-01-2018, 08:05 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by rickair7777 View Post
If you're going to do many hundreds or even 1000+ hours in GA, you don't need to rush right into a twin.
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Originally Posted by rickair7777 View Post
If you want experience flying fast, fly the prop twin fast on arrivals/approaches... it will do that. You don't need experience flying fast in cruise flight.
Very insightful, thanks. You must have been reading my mail.

It is precisely the Approach that concerns me. Not to a point of negative concern - just something that I continually hear jet pilots talk about - "Staying Ahead Of The Aircraft" - "Everything That Happens In A Jet, Happens Faster." The sooner I can ramp-up to being more competent at flying faster, more stable instrument approaches of a wide variety, the happier I'm going to be.

All three of the VLJs I'm looking at have approach speeds somewhere in the 120-130 kts region. Yet, they all cruise at better than mach 0.8 and each of them can descend like a rock if necessary - so they can all get down very fast. I wonder how difficult it will be getting into a stable approach with something having with such dynamic horizontal and vertical speed ranges. Can't wait to find out!
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Old 03-01-2018, 08:17 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by galaxy flyer View Post
The NBAA, AOPA and the Bombardier Safety Standdowns put on single-pilot seminars, CRM training for single-pilots and offer human factors programs. Worth attending.
Thanks for the tip. I've watched some online already - a little over an hour for both. Never heard of the Bombardier Safety Standdowns, though (I'll look into it).

What do you think about integrating some Upset Recovery Training as part of my initial flight training? Or, maybe wait until after the Instrument Rating?

Or, could I replace Upset Recovery Training with Basic to Intermediate Aerobatics Training planned as part of my fundamental flight training?

I don't plan any aerobatics in a VLG, of course. But, I want a wider flight experience, so I can be familiar and comfortable with any aircraft attitude at any given moment in time. Again, I remember Bob Hoover, as being my inspiration in this regard - many years ago. Aerobatics, just seem to make an overall more spatially aware or spatially conscious Pilot. I could be wrong about that, but it seems logical to assume.
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Old 03-01-2018, 09:09 AM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by ShyGuy View Post
More like don't end up like the Bramlage family. Now that was a real gut-punching tragedy and a horrible way to go for all of them.
Have you read the NTSB Report on N950KA? The initial belief was that N950KA flew into IMC with Miami reporting severe radar weather echos and after being cleared up to FL250 then FL260 on a course deviation to 320 degrees from present. N950KA was attempting to get around the weather up to the North of most convective activity. Communications between N950KA and Miami seemed normal (to my reading) for someone trying to avoid bad weather. N950KA continued to climb up to assigned altitudes when given clearance. Everything appeared to be fairly normal.

N950KA was using the AP to make the climb on course (deviation) and had just activated the inertial separator and prop de-ice. While climbing at 109 kts, the AP disengaged at a bank angle of 25 degrees. After AP disengagement, bank angle doubled to 50 degrees in the same direction, to the right. I don't know the pitch angle at this point, but I'm going to assume it was something close to negative.

N950KA then initiates an AP Test, instead of rolling wings level to avoid increasing excessive bank angle. After AP tested "passed," the bank angle had already increased to 75 degrees with significant negative pitch angle well below the horizon. Airspeed had increased to more than 335 kts. That's a rapid increase and differential in airspeed of 226 kts in the time that it took to complete the AP Test.

Apparently, this put N950KA 110 kts over Vo with the nose down and speed probably still increasing along with bank angle to the right. Dropping altitude rapidly, N950KA pulled back on the yoke, shearing both wings. He flew the airplane apart in IMC.

If you read my posts, I specifically state how important it is to me to be prepared for the VLJ before operating it as single pilot in any flight regime. That's what my entire program is all about - getting prepared. The pilot of N950KA, took delivery of his PC-12 about four (4) weeks before this tragedy. Prior to that time, he had not logged a single PIC hour in a Turbo-Prop and he had not flown in IMC for seven (7) full years prior. My approach is completely the opposite of this.

I have studied this incident from the very beginning because an entire Family was lost. Indeed, that is not something I want to happen to me or my Family. There are many reports similar to this one. Unfortunately, this is not the first and it won't be the last. I just want to make certain that such mistakes, errors in judgment, lack of situational awareness and just really poor decision making as a pilot are not things that visit my flying on a regular and routine basis.

This also begs the question: Are FAA Minimum Pilot Requirements Truly Enough?

My goal is to go well above and beyond what the FAA requires. Ironically, your post came right after my questions about Upset Recovery Training and Aerobatics Training as a matter of routine course in my preparation. Would Upset Recovery have helped this pilot? He performed the AP Test and lost recognition of aircraft attitude relative to the horizon. That was the beginning of the nightmare.

What I want to learn how to do is not get into such conditions, but if they do take place - catch it, correct it and get back out in front of the aircraft before I end up with two unsolved problems cascading their way to three, four, five, etc.

Thank you. I am aware of N950KA. It is sobering.
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Old 03-01-2018, 10:00 AM
  #15  
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Here’s a link,

Safety Standdown: Aviation Safety Seminars and Online Resources | Safety Standdown
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Old 03-01-2018, 10:30 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by November Seven View Post

This also begs the question: Are FAA Minimum Pilot Requirements Truly Enough?
Enough in the same sense that DMV minimum motorcycle training is enough.

Frankly they are not enough relative to the *normal* acceptable risk in recreational activities for typical upper middle class grownups. Most of us don't base-jump or wing-suit either.

That's why GA fatality rates are far higher than for most of the other activities folks like us participate in.

You can of course hold yourself to standards well above the minimum.
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Old 03-01-2018, 10:59 AM
  #17  
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Great find, thank you!
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Old 03-01-2018, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by rickair7777 View Post
Enough in the same sense that DMV minimum motorcycle training is enough.
Wow. That's pretty minimal.

Was the FAA's shift away from the old PTS to the new ACS, an example of that regulatory body trying to do something about the accident history or proficiency in GA? Does ACS make things worse or better?

I'm trying to think about how any change the FAA has made in Flight Training Requirements thus far, would have had a net positive effect on N950KA (as just one example of many). I can't think of any.

This video (posted through links put up by Galaxy Flyer) really gets to the heart of why I'm here on this forum asking these questions: https://livestream.com/accounts/2447...deos/165540140.
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Old 03-03-2018, 10:34 PM
  #19  
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Sorry didn't waste my time reading the whole thread but I was told the most dangerous people in the world were a street thug with a switchblade, a gorilla with a hand grenade, and a doctor in his Bonanza. Now we up the ante to a Single Pilot Light Jet ? Taps!

If you can afford the jet you can afford the crew!
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Old 03-04-2018, 12:15 PM
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I'll second the Bombardier SSD. Excellent event, top-notch program, great speakers, and it's free (other than your own hotel / travel / meals).

You sound like you want to go about this in the correct fashion, and although I admittedly only skimmed through some of the above posts, it seems like you're getting good advice.

I flew the CJ3 and the CJ4 single pilot for the owner's family and friends, and I flew in the right seat for the owner once he got his type rating.

My single pilot operations were challenging at times - it's a lot to manage for one person, especially when things conspire against you (weather, passengers, etc.). I came from a single-pilot military background (had a crew, but was the only pilot) and I can say some of the CJ flying filled up my task bucket pretty quickly. On the other hand, it was a lot of fun and satisfying to "run the show" all by myself.

Being crewed with the owner was a different set of challenges. Good pilot, but piloting was not his profession. And although the differences between a dedicated, talented, and thorough pilot vs a "professional" pilot can sometimes be subtle, they are there. All that said, I highly recommend you find a "professional" pilot to assist you in getting your CJ familiarity and experience (or whatever light jet you end up with).

I also highly recommend, once the time comes, you do your type rating training with an established training provider IN A SIMULATOR. The owner I worked with got his initial type rating in the aircraft. Later on I insisted we do a recurrent together in a nearby sim facility. It was a wakeup call for the owner, as the sim exposed him to things he had not seen during his aircraft training. To his credit he stepped up to the plate and made it through just fine.

Good luck with your pursuits.
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