belliott

I just got an internship flying SIC in a Metroliner. I have heard that they are very finnicky and a handful to fly. Any tips on studying info or what to look out for in the Metro? Any advice from y'all would be awesome.

Ziggy

Their just like any other complex piece of machinery, just study systems and flow's and you should be fine. This of course is assuming you have commercial stardard IFR flying skills.
BTW, who's the internship with?

aero550

Ziggy has it right. Learn all you can about the systems, particularly the electrical system. Everything else will come along with time - it's not like they're going to turn you loose left seat solo right off the bat.

I use to fly co-pilot on a Merlin III, which is the shorter corporate version of the Metro. They're big old trucklike handling machines, but they do the job.

Thedude

Sensitive in the pitch and heavy in the roll....ah the Metro. Believe it or not, the handling has a lot in common with 727 and the Metro is a good place to cut your teeth.

I have a couple of thousand hrs in the pig and used to fly it single pilot on quite frequently....I will tell you it should NOT be a single pilot airplane

Systems are not really that complicated but is designed like a mini-airliner.

Learn the annucator panel....that will make you or break you.

Don't do battery starts if you have Ni-cad batteries. You chance of getting a hot/hung start go up dramaticlly with those crappy batteries.

Manual pressurization is for emergency use only.....believe me on this one and your ears will thank you.

When flying in high MEA areas....be aware that you single engine drift down is around 8800 ft.

Dont ever pull the power completely off for a good landing...if you do that is where you are going to plant it and I do mean PLANT it. 12% is a good number to set.

Your supposed to spin the props after you shut down the engines for shaft sagging reason or you could be lazy like me and use the starter motor to do it for you.

Switch-ology on the Baker Box.

Always check those nose baggage doors to make sure they are latched. A flight with one unlatched will drive you nutters with the vibration

Get a GOOD headset, I wore David Clarks and they weren't enough.


Now you could be a systems stud and tell me what circuit braker needs to be pulled that will make the Cargo Door light come on in exaclty 10 mins. Or what breaker needs to be pulled to make the water injection work with the engines shut down. I used to occasionlly spray a few of the rampers that way.

GauleyPilot

Nice to hear from Ziggy and TheDude on the subject.

I asked a Merlin pilot about flying them once, and he said I should stay away because King Air pilots were "Piper Cub Pilots" who could not handle the airplane.

I tried to pull out the "I fly jets also" card on him, but he said it really took a pilot with "heavy" time to fly a Merlin.

While Im sure he had his reasons, it seems bogus to me, as there are/were successful Merlin/Metro pilots that have no "heavy" time.

I think the Merlin is cool, I like Conquests and TurboCommanders--However--
When people brag about some hot-rod turboprop beating my King Air in every way, I remind them not in the most important way----SALES.

They still make new B200s. They Refurbish the rest.

Thedude

Wow, that guy must have been a real a$$hat. I went from flying 152/172/Travel Air to flying the Metro. Addmittly the Metro did eat my lunch for the first couple of months and my legs were sore from V1 cuts in the sim, but if you have reasonably good airmanship skills, you to can be a San Antiono Sewer Pipe Sailor.

If you ever have the chance in a 727. Turn off all the hydros and slow to 250 kts. Amazingly it handles just like the SA-227. I have done it both in the sim and in the aircraft. I heard the rumor and I had to see for myself.

I went from flying the Metro to the King Air 100/200 and had the hardest time for the first few flights. The controls just felt way to light and I was so used to having to man-handle the Metro. The B-200 is a great airplane and is easy to fly.I got to earn my money in it a couple of times by flying in formation with the XV-15, with a full boat, and taking picts over my shoulder of the other bird, but that is another story.

I always wanted to fly the Merlin IV-C. Its supposed to be a real hot-rod. Merlin short body with Metro 23 TPE-331-12 engines. Supposed to true at over 350kts.

Bottom line is, most Metro guys are pretty sharp.

ufoDziner

I think it's a really good first turbine. You'll be very sharp when you're ready to move on. Speaking for myself, it has taught me a lot. It is sort of heavy in roll and lighter in pitch, as Thedude mentioned. It is just another plane though, and you do what it takes to make it go where you want. Just learn the systems and you'll be set. It's not that complicated, but it can be a bit overwhelming initially. I also agree with the 12% rule. Most of your landings in it aren't likely to be greasers, but you'll get a fair amount of them. I've had a blast flying it.

aero550

Yeah, I use to fly King Air B100/200's and the Merlin III during the same period in my career. I would much rather be in the King Air on a long multi-leg day in poor weather - much less fatiguing. Having said that, though, the Merlin really wasn't a bad airplane to fly. It was much bigger inside, almost like a mid-size jet cabin, and the exterior baggage was nice to have. The cockpit was also much roomier. Rode turbulence at cruise better. All in all, I enjoyed the big old dinosaur, but was still more than happy to get scheduled in the King Airs.

And I agree on the power in landing. Anything with 331's is going to drop like a stone at flight idle. It can be an advantage when you come to grips with when and how to use it.

ufoDziner

Like when you're abeam the approach end of the runway on downwind at 8k and they clear you to land ahead of a guy on 10 mi. final? It works for us.

freightdog

I've jumpseated many times on our company's Metro's between BUR and OAK. My hats off to those freight dogs flying those birds. I actually really look forward to day that I might get the chance to fly one. I've jumpseated on SWA a lot and I've had SWA captains try and tell me that our company can't fly the Metro single pilot and that we're flying it illegally. I try and assure them that our company has been doing for years and that it is perfectly legal. Now on the other hand, even though it is approved for single pilot operations doesn't mean that it should be flown that way. I've seen the cockpit layout and it was definately designed with two pilots in mind.