Hey guys, I have been lucky enough to have a friend that has opened a door for me to start flying SIC in a Beechjet 400A. I am a pretty low time pilot with commercial SEL/MEL and CFI, CFII. I haven't ever flown in a 2 crew environment and was wondering if any of ya'll had any advice for me in how to make this transition to the turbine world the best and smoothest. Thanks for your responses.

 

buy the turbine pilot's flight manual

ask what should be expected of you as FO

and learn your "callouts" and what they mean

 

Sounds awesome - good luck up there buddy!

 

First off, congratulations!

Second - how are they planning on training you? The answer to this drives some of what follows, but as general suggestions to expand on Chris's good advice would be:

Definitely a good starting point.

Find out if the operation has written SOP's or some similar document that you could get a copy of (of appropriate sections). If so, there is an excellent source of what is expected. If not, they probably have standard procedures they use, try and get with one of the pilots (preferably the chief pilot) and sit down in the cockpit and learn what procedures they use, who does what and when. Don't overlook ground duties - I'm guessing the captain will be checking weather and filing a flight plan. Where and how do you make coffee, stock the aircraft, where does the newspaper go. What is the protocol when the passengers arrive, and so on.

Spend time in the cockpit with a power cart plugged in learning to work the avionics and FMS. Even a basic knowledge of how to tune the comms, go direct to a fix, load and approach will be helpful. You certainly won't master it, but knowing how to accomplish routine tasks will be helpful.

Get a copy of the checklist they use, and learn it. Know where the items are that are being checked, and why. Find out what checks they actually do prior to every flight vs. first flight of the day - there are a number of expanded procedures on the 400A, not all operators do them all before every flight.

See if you can get a copy of the AFM and/or a training manual from a training provider such as FlightSafety (if they use one). Study those and learn the aircrafts systems. Along the same lines, become familiar with the emergency checklist. It's likely you'll never need it, but if you do, you'll want to at least have some idea where to find the appropriate checklist. Learn which procedures have memory items, know those as well as the basic limitations for the aircraft.

Now more to the meat of the matter: If you haven't already studied it, do some reading on CRM. I don't have any good books to recommend off the top of my head, but here are a couple of websites quickly found by googling:

SKYbrary - Crew Resource Management (OGHFA BN)


Crew Resource Management tutorial for aviation aircrew and pilots

I have only glanced at both of these, but at first blush it looks like good info.

To me, a few of key elements to working as a crew are (in no particular order):

Communication: This starts with as listed above, finding out what the normal operating procedures are for this operation, and then learning them. Beyond that, there's the whole CRM concept - one of the big contributing causes of accidents is a breakdown of communication - one of both pilots thought something was wrong, but no one was talking about it. Look at the info on the CRM sites about clues that your SA is breaking down - understand those so you can be aware if that starts to happen and the talk about the situation.

Mind you, on the first few flights you will likely have NO SA because you'll most likly be hanging on for dear life just trying to keep up with communications and the aircraft. That is normal, don't get frustrated. This is where knowing the checklist and standard calls and procedures helps tremendously. Know this stuff forwards and backwards so you can do it in your sleep, then you'll have more brain power available to work on the other tasks.

Leadership - Obviously the captain is in charge of the operation and sets the tone, but as an FO you still have a leadership role in your own right. Again, knowing the SOP's (written or otherwise) will help you accomplish this. By following those SOP's and doing your job the way you are supposed to, you can help maintain proper operations if (for instance) the captain isn't well rested today and is missing things or just isn't as alert as normal. You don't have to call him out on it (unless it's really bad), but by doing your job correctly, you can actually help lift his SA level higher.

Advocacy: This is a fine line to walk, obviously you aren't coming in the door thinking you know it all; on the other hand, you do know somethings, and you are there as part of the safety system of operating the aircraft. IF you know or think something is wrong, you need to make that known. There is something of an art to doing this sometimes, and it often comes down to knowing who you are working with. The fact that they are bringing you in as a low time pilot hopefully signals they they have a good attitude about mentoring and welcome your input as a crewmember. Unfortunately, there are some operations who will do this because they don't want you to say anything. In the case of the former it's easy - express your concerns and discuss the issue, they will value your input even if it's determined that the was no actual problem (and when I say problem or issue here - that can be anything that you're not certain if it's right). If it's the latter then you'll have to be more diplomatic if there is some uncertainty about the issue, but find ways to bring it up. Perhaps ask it as a question: "Should the transfer pumps be on with fuel in the aft tank?" Answer, yes they should - and you'll know that, but by phrasing it as a question with proper intonation you aren't challenging the other crew-member, you're asking for input or advice.

Again, if you think something is wrong, it may very well be. Don't sit there quietly and let someone fly you into a mountain - use the appropriate level of directness and challenge appropriate to the situation.

There is much more, but it's late and my SA is rapidly deteriorating, so I'll leave it at that for now. Hopefully others will chime in with more thoughts for you.

If you have any 400A specific questions feel free to PM me, I have some experience with it.

Again, congratulations and enjoy the jet!

 

Thank you for your responses. They are a great help. I took a turbine transition course for a semester so I already have the turbine pilots flight manual and know it back and forth so I know the basics in that regard. I met with another FO the other day and he gave me the training manual from flight safety, a complete checklist for the aircraft, and flash cards for the memory items so I would say I am heading in the right direction according to ya'lls advice. I'm also meeting with one of the captains next week to sit down in the cockpit with a power cart plugged in to get used to the avionics and such. This is all gonna be a big step but I'm really looking forward to it and can't wait to burn some jet-A!

 

I am pretty sure that your going to need a type rating for SIC and a formal ground school ie flight safety. You also have to meet the mins for SIC of turbine engine. But I am sure that the flight department will make sure that you are fully qualified in the event of a ground check. Good Luck!

 

From what Ive been told my commercial MEL rating is all that is needed to be SIC. As well as three takeoffs and landings to be passenger current in type. Insurance was all right with me being SIC without any formal training, im guessing because they know the captains very well and know that they are very qualified. All of the flying is done Part 91 also

 

[COLOR="Black"]The SIC-type joke is only to keep the Euro-weenies happy with crews flying over there (well, technically, ICAO - but it's still the Euro-weenies). You do not need it domestically (however, you would need it for trips outside the U.S. If they do those, it's just a paperwork shuffle with your local FSDO to add an SIC type once you've completed the basic requirements of 14 CFR 61.55.


§ 61.55 Second-in-command qualifications.

(a) A person may serve as a second-in-command of an aircraft type certificated for more than one required pilot flight crewmember or in operations requiring a second-in-command pilot flight crewmember only if that person holds:

(1) At least a private pilot certificate with the appropriate category and class rating; and

(2) An instrument rating or privilege that applies to the aircraft being flown if the flight is under IFR; and

(3) The appropriate pilot type rating for the aircraft unless the flight will be conducted as domestic flight operations within United States airspace.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may serve as a second-in-command of an aircraft type certificated for more than one required pilot flight crewmember or in operations requiring a second-in-command unless that person has within the previous 12 calendar months:

(1) Become familiar with the following information for the specific type aircraft for which second-in-command privileges are requested—

(i) Operational procedures applicable to the powerplant, equipment, and systems.

(ii) Performance specifications and limitations.

(iii) Normal, abnormal, and emergency operating procedures.

(iv) Flight manual.

(v) Placards and markings.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, performed and logged pilot time in the type of aircraft or in a flight simulator that represents the type of aircraft for which second-in-command privileges are requested, which includes—

(i) Three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop as the sole manipulator of the flight controls;

(ii) Engine-out procedures and maneuvering with an engine out while executing the duties of pilot in command; and

(iii) Crew resource management training.

(c) If a person complies with the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section in the calendar month before or the calendar month after the month in which compliance with this section is required, then that person is considered to have accomplished the training and practice in the month it is due.

(d) A person may receive a second-in-command pilot type rating for an aircraft after satisfactorily completing the second-in-command familiarization training requirements under paragraph (b) of this section in that type of aircraft provided the training was completed within the 12 calendar months before the month of application for the SIC pilot type rating. The person must comply with the following application and pilot certification procedures:

{snip - you can look up the rest if you need to, if goes on forever after the ICAO-diots got ahold of it),

 

Since it's not airlines, then they are absolutely right that all you need is your commercial multi. From what I understand, a lot of insurance companies want SICs to through a formal training program like Flight Safety though.

Like others have said, know callouts and procedures. And if its been a while since you flew IFR (as on IFR flight plans) it wouldn't hurt to review those kinds of procedures. When you're in a turbine aircraft it seems everything happens a million times faster than it does in a piston if you haven't done that stuff for a year or two.

 

Good advice.. I was a little behind the curve when I started my 91 KA gig because I was a little rusty on my IFR procedures. Definitely good to review those and maybe sit in a sim for a half hour or so