FLYING THE TURBINE

If you are a piston pilot, the turbine will uncover a completely new dimension of flying to you. The rude engine power, the reliability giving peace of mind, the advanced aircraft systems, the pressurized cabin which gets you above weather; these are the qualities you have not experienced flying a piston powered aircraft.

Since turbine aircraft are so performing and diverse, each of them require a special “type rating” that qualifies you to fly the particular aircraft type. You can obtain the Piper Meridian type rating directly in our training facility. The training course takes a week of ground school and ten hours of flight time. After completion you will have to pass a skill test with our examiner.

What is the biggest difference between flying a turbine against a piston powered airplane? First of all, the speed. Pilot has to think and make decisions much faster. In comparison with a typical piston airplane everything happens twice as fast and pilot must not loose situational awareness.

The other major difference is a great flexibility of power. You have a whole spectrum of power, from zero to full takeoff power at your fingertips, and the airplane response is accordingly dynamic. You can never pull the power to idle when flying piston engine aircraft and transition from one power setting to another one should be smooth. This is not the case with turbine. Turbine pilot has to accept greater acceleration and deceleration of the aircraft and include these parameters to his/her decision making.

We shouldn’t forget to mention that turbine engine is not as subtle as the high-power piston engines are. Turbine aircraft are easier to handle and better accept rough pilot inputs. Pilots transitioning from piston to turbine usually find there is not much “to do”. Turbine airplanes have simpler operational procedures and shorter checklists, so many pilots have the strange feeling that they must have missed something. After some time they finally accept they are not forgetting anything, there is rather almost “nothing to do”.

GALLERY