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Purdue getting a new fleet...
Student pilots to benefit from new jet, planes | jconline.com | Journal and Courier
Purdue University will soon have the only collegiate turbojet pilot training program in the world. Today university trustees are expected to approve spending more than $8.5 million to replace the entire fleet of the aviation technology department. The purchase includes one $3.5 million jet plane that will allow all aviation students the distinction of graduating with a Federal Aviation Administration jet rating that no other program can provide. "Now, we have eight or 10 students a year who graduate after training as a (jet) co-pilot," said Brent Bowen, Department of Aviation Technology head and professor. "With the new plane, all students will graduate as a pilot in command of a jet plane. ... This will be the only program in the world to add this." The Purdue Board of Trustees finance committee approved the purchase Thursday during its regular committee meeting. The full Board of Trustees will meet today at 8:30 a.m. in Stewart Center, Room 326 for a final vote. The total cost, $8,624,046, will be paid from the sale of the current fleet of 18 training planes, two King Air jet planes and the department's own funding. The new fleet will be fitted with a common operating system designed from the newest technology and designed airframe. The jet plane will be operated by the system used in single-engine training planes so students will be able to progress more naturally from trainers to jets, Bowen said. "The King Air is a good plane, but it is a 20-year-old technology," he said. Dennis Depew, dean of the School of Technology, said the key to advancing the professional flight program is having a technology base that make a seamless interaction between deck display technology, navigation, communications and flight technology. The planes to be purchased are: one Embraer Phenom 100 jet, two Cirrus SR-22G3 single engine planes, and 14 Cirrus SR-20G3 single engine planes. Besides the advanced technology, Bowen said the Cirrus planes have a ballistic parachute system intended to support the entire plane in the event of engine failure. Purdue administration will use the Phenom for business travel as they do the King Airs currently. Students co-pilot these flights with a command instructor for education experience, Bowen said. If the trustees approve, Bowen said, the planes will be purchased quickly, but the replacement process will happen in summer 2010. The current training fleet is about 10 years old, said Mike Suckow, assistant department head in aviation technology. Replacing planes every six to eight years is common, he said. |
A phenom type rating is still going to be a substitute for operational experience...unless the students all get 1000 hours in left seat.
Is turbojet training a good thing? At the entry level, probably only for the very best students. But I don't see how the potential career benefit can justify the cost of such a program. Or maybe they are just looking at how a shiny little jet will boost their admissions :rolleyes: |
Originally Posted by rickair7777
Or maybe they are just looking at how a shiny little jet will boost their admissions :rolleyes:
There's no denying that graduates of any collegiate training program need operational experience, but I think the purpose of this curriculum change is to train pilots in an ab-initio, MPL-style environment where they're exposed to the same advanced cockpit & procedures from Hour 1 through graduation day so that they'll be competent crewmembers (albeit ones lacking significant operational experience) in a crew environment...just like graduates in the past. |
Originally Posted by BoilerUP
(Post 688019)
There's no denying that graduates of any collegiate training program need operational experience, but I think the purpose of this curriculum change is to train pilots in an ab-initio, MPL-style environment where they're exposed to the same advanced cockpit & procedures from Hour 1 through graduation day so that they'll be competent crewmembers (albeit ones lacking significant operational experience) in a crew environment...just like graduates in the past.
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Originally Posted by rickair7777
(Post 688036)
All of that makes good sense, but you don't really need a turbojet to accomplish it. I just see a high cost with a relatively low benefit...and the students will end up paying for it.
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its enough to wet the appetite and remind them that there is something beyond a 172.
just make it optional for the students and this is a great idea. |
PU has operated 2 KA-B200's and the BeechJet(or DiamondJet) forever. I got 14hrs in the KA's and it absolutely opened my eyes to ACTUAL part 91 ops and the real world. It was probably the greatest experience I had there. The 727 sims, which you do a 2hr training per week your whole Jr & Sr years, shared with 2 other students, also prepare them for real-world flying moreso in the 121 side. A lot of folks don't know that PU actually operated an airline for awhile with DC9's and students did fly as part of the crew. Purdue History
As far as the costs, the BeechJet and KA's were part of the university flight dept, and the students didn't actually pay for the time, other than the mandatory KA ground school course which takes place the semester prior to the students actually flying the plane(usually Fall Sem. Jr. year). I can't speak for how they are planning on Typing everyone in that jet. I knew the Beechjet program was a "Honorary" type program and that it was paid for by the university, and only a select few got to do that program. I'm mostly positive about this transition, but saddened by the loss of 200PU/300PU, they were great planes!!! Plus, flying with MG, DAP, TQ, and the others was a priceless experience too. |
Originally Posted by Ewfflyer
(Post 689225)
I'm mostly positive about this transition, but saddened by the loss of 200PU/300PU, they were great planes!!! Plus, flying with MG, DAP, TQ, and the others was a priceless experience too.
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Originally Posted by IFly86N
(Post 689371)
I just can't see them getting rid of 200/300PU. They serve way too much as a valuable learning tool/experience. And they are important to University business. I may have to ask DAP if this is true.
I'm not sure how they will replace the lift 2 King Airs will provide with a single Phenom 100, though...unless they plan on replacing the Beechjet with a Phenom 300 down the road AND also use the SR22s they bought for intra-state travel in addition to student instruction. They could have very easily done the Garmin G1000 B200 STC for each airplane (allowing them to have G1000 fleet-wide), done a full Blackhawk engine/Raisbeck EPIC mod package and had the equivalent of two B200GTs for a fraction of the cost of a Phenom. It'll be interesting to see if any professors are at NBAA and if so, to get their take on everything. |
So what does a 300 hour TT pilot do with a type rating?
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