Jetlife

Who cares what's harder? Nobody looks more like a retard than a freight guy trying to brag to a bunch of 737 drivers about how much of a better pilot he/she is than everyone else. It's why AMF and other freight organizations have such a bad rep in the 121 world. That's fantastic that we could all shoot a strait NDB single pilot at night into the worst airport in the world during a hurricane, but the reality is that nobody gives a rats ass. The only people that stroke the freight pilot ego, are other freight pilots. Shooting an NDB to mins takes skill, you know what also takes skill? Flying and systems managing a very complex airliner with dozens of live bodies inside. It's great that flying skills derived from freight flying are regarded enough to land jet jobs outside of the 121 world, but at the same time, those same pilots are trying to get to the majors where none of that stuff matters.

Airhoss

And what do you do now? Because obviously and by your own admission. You are a man who is endowed with enormous aviation genitalia and who acts the part most indubitably.

I and all others should bow to you as your awesomeness precedes you sir. When not piloting a intergalactic starships I'm sure you are the chief pilot of several legacy airlines. My apologies sir as I'm truly not worthy.

bozobigtop

Amen! I haven't shot an NDB approach in training or on the line since my ATP checkride almost 28 years ago.

MR JT8D

So, did you ever actally fly night freight? And for how long?

My exact point is that you'll be paying for your crashpad/apartment with Ameriflight, you'll be home based with DPJ's. In your own quiet, warm hotel room. You don't have to worry about commuting with DPJ.

I'm well aware of the training issues, ect. But it's still better than flying night freight.

MR JT8D

Exactly. I have over 17 years of night freight experience under my belt.

mojo6911

Ummmm, I was implying that I'm an average to slightly below average pilot and the metro wasn't a big deal. Basically, if I can do it, nearly anyone with an ATP should be able to do it. I wasn't implying I'm awesome by any means.

Airhoss

Yeah mojo...

Got it, still get it, message received and understood, over.

Thanks.

Cubdriver

I haven't flown the Metro personally, but I have been around them a good bit. It has a poor reputation for ground control with an engine out, and even with both engines turning it is considered hard to control in heavy crosswinds. The tiller is a pure hydraulic design prone to failure, many companies just disconnect them altogether. All you have left when an engine fails is your own skill at stomping a rudder and history has shown not many pilots are ready for that. Even on a good day the obsolescence of the design means there is a ton of cockpit noise, outdated avionics, high chance of system failure on other hydraulics (ie. flaps), and the types of companies that use them are notorious for cheap maintenance. If you flew this airplane any number of hours and did not have serious trouble then count yourself lucky. The reason so many are still out there is they are dirt cheap and nothing goes that fast for that little money.

frmrbuffdrvr

Wow. You seem to have a pretty strong "understanding" of how the plane operates for someone who has never flown it.

I have flown metros for over 13 years with over 5000 hours in them. I can't speak for the small Merlins as I have never flown one. But for the bigger Merlin 3s and Metro IVs I have had very little problem. Of course that could be due to our notoriously "cheap maintenance." I have had a total of 2 in flight engine failures in that time.

Regarding the stearing, I have flown one plane with a tiller. It was one we had just purchased from a Mexican charter company. I flew it from Laredo to Burbank and when I dropped it off and mentioned to our then DO that it had one his comment was "Well that will be the first thing to go." Now you make it sound as if when the tiller is removed you have no stearing. We have normal pedal stearing that is disengaged for takeoff before 40 knots and re-engaged below that on landing. So it really isn't a factor for an engine failure.

And as for "not being ready" to stomp on the rudder for an engine failure, if you are doing basic multi-engine takeoff procedures and focus on keeping the airplane tracking down the centerline on take off, getting the runner in also should not be a problem.

All told, I enjoy flying the metro. It's fast, it has long legs and when it is light weight you can practially stop it on a dime. Or at least in only a couple thousand feet.

Airhoss

I flew the Merlin III not even an A model, a straight short body III with the -10 engine conversions. It had the electric steering tiller. If that went you had nothing but differential braking and power.

I guess the break down here comes from a misunderstanding of fact. There are no airplanes that are "hard" to fly once you get used to them and understand them and have some experience in them. With that in mind a Metro flown single pilot is a much higher work load than flying one as a crew and even then it's a much higher work load than flying a fully automated RJ.

I've flown several different big radial engine airplanes including some large tail wheel airplanes. The workload was higher than that of the Merlin at times lie take off and landing in gusty cross wind but each is unique in it's learning curve and peculiarities. None were hard to fly if you have your skills wired tight to begin with. Those that don't have issues with any and all airplanes and some airplanes have a pretty good chance of getting those folks killed.

Then we have the whole night freight single pilot all weather flying dynamic in which you's better have some pretty solid instrument skills or bad things are going to happen. That is an undeniable fact.