Transitioning to high performance/complex

[WildcatPilot]

Hey JC CFIs, my commercial checkride might happen this week and I still feel about 10 miles behind the Bonanza when flying it. I got my 10 hours finished back in November and got back in it with my instructor for 1.2 yesterday. He's confident that after maybe 0.5 more training in it, I'll be fine. I don't feel as confident. Is that normal? I know a CFI will never sign you off unless he's 100% confident in you, but I still worry.

 

[esa17]

GUMPF
Gas
Undercarriage
Mixture
Props
Flaps

Once that is taken care of it's just an airplane, you can handle it. It doesn't matter what fixed wing you're flying, pitch for airspeed and power for altitude.

You're to demonstrate that you are the master of the aircraft and at no time is it flying you. Just do what you've been trained to do and put the fact that it's a "complex" aircraft out of your mind.

It's just an airplane, make it do what you want it to do.

 

[tgrayson]

I know a CFI will never sign you off unless he's 100% confident in you

I recommend that you trust your own judgment. If you feel you're behind the airplane, then you are. Yes, you may pass the checkride, but don't you think your odds are much higher when you feel like you are the master of the airplane? If I were you, I'd go get 10 hours in the pattern before I'd ever consider a checkride. The airplane should fit like a second skin.

 

[Blackhawk]

What model Bonanza are you flying? Do you have profiles for it?

 

[WildcatPilot]

Thanks guys. I feel the same, tgrayson. I'm planning on getting up for a bit tomorrow morning and see how it feels. I do have the profiles, Blackhawk, but have been focusing so much on the written recently that I haven't looked at them in a while. Noe that that's out of the way, I'll be looking at them hard! It's an A36.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

I do have the profiles, Blackhawk, but have been focusing so much on the written recently that I haven't looked at them in a while.

There's 100% of the reason you feel 10 miles behind the airplane.

Even VFR, you are not going to take an airplane traveling 165 kts, descend to the pattern and level off at 90-100 kts without either using a profile or being way behind the airplane.

The profiles aren't something you "study." They're something you use every single time you fly the airplane.

 

[WildcatPilot]

There's 100% of the reason you feel 10 miles behind the airplane.

Even VFR, you are not going to take an airplane traveling 165 kts, descend to the pattern and level off at 90-100 kts without either using a profile or being way behind the airplane.

The profiles aren't something you "study." They're something you use every single time you fly the airplane.

Thanks Midlife. Do you mean that I should have it in front of me during each phase of flight like a checklist or just be familiar enough with it that I know the procedure without looking? Obviously, at some point the latter should happen.

 

[NJA_Capt]

Hey JC CFIs, my commercial checkride might happen this week and I still feel about 10 miles behind the Bonanza when flying it.

Just something to think about. Just because the plane will DO 170 kts, it doesn't mean you HAVE to go 170 kts. If you feel rushed......slow down. When we are in the sim, we rarely fly a profile or check at high cruise speeds, most are approach profile speeds. You can always slow down or extend a vector. No need to rush.

Do you mean that I should have it in front of me during each phase of flight like a checklist or just be familiar enough with it that I know the procedure without looking?

You should be very familiar/committed to memory...in essence, second nature.

 

[Mike H]

On both my SE & ME Commercial checkrides, when the examiner said to head back to the airport and do the landings, he wanted to see best forward speed back to the airport. Slow down? Do it when you get ready to enter the pattern. Time is money- whether you're carrying a DPE, or the guy in back paying you to fly him around in his airplane.

Until then it didn't occur to me why my instructors were perfectly happy heading back to the airport at 90 knots instead of 130

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

Thanks Midlife. Do you mean that I should have it in front of me during each phase of flight like a checklist or just be familiar enough with it that I know the procedure without looking? Obviously, at some point the latter should happen.

It's really the latter.

Think back to your student pilot days. Whether Cessna, Piper or something else, at some point you were probably traveling level in the pattern at about 90 kts with the power set at about 2100 rpm. You hit abeam the downwind and reduced power to about 1500 rpm, dropped some flaps and the airplane magically began descending at 80 kts.

But it wasn't magic. It was a phase of flight configuration. Just some of us weren't taught from the beginning that that's what is was.

It doesn't matter much if you weren't were taught that in a 172 or 152 or PA-28. Those airplanes were slow and dirty enough that you could play it by the seat of your pants. Move into something cleaner, faster or both, or fly anything IFR, and it starts to make a huge difference.

IMO, it's just the way you fly. Checklist is not out of the question. In my case, I'm just a weekend pilot who flies airplanes from stodgy 172s to DA-40s with G1000 synthetic vision to a 300 HP Bonanza that cruises at almost 170 kts. So, my personal checklists have a chart for the basic IFR profiles. Fortunately, my IFR profiles have VFR equivalents, so I don't need to double up.

 

[FDX8891]

I recommend that you trust your own judgment. If you feel you're behind the airplane, then you are.

I completely agree with this.

You're either suffering from a lack of confidence or you really are behind the airplane. Both need to be addressed before you take the ride.

Side note - Profiles for a piston single, really? GUMPSCC...

 

[WildcatPilot]

Thanks so much, guys. I've been chair flying the profiles tonight and am feeling a little better about things. As FDX pointed out, lack of confidence is a factor here. I have a flight scheduled before work in the morning which will hopefully build my confidence up a bit. I voiced my concerns to my instructor on the phone this evening. He laughed it off and told me that I'm doing just fine and that I had the same outlook just prior to my instrument ride. We'll see how tomorrow morning goes before making any decisions. I'm trying to restrain myself from jumping at the first opportunity to take the ride. I can almost taste what I've been working toward for over ten years now and don't want to jump the gun. Will report back tomorrow. Thanks again guys. It really is a great thing to he able to get real feedback from those who've gone before me.

 

[esa17]

Side note - Profiles for a piston single, really? GUMPSCC...

I wish I could bold that three times. There is no piston single, none, that needs anything more than a plan of 500ft per minute. If you're at 10,000 start descending at 20 minutes out.

The simple answer is to just do it man. Your instructor is not going put you up if you're a failure risk. Being a pilot is about making decisions, decide to be ahead of the plane.

If that sounds harsh or impossible, it's not. I recently had a small issue on IOE and the check airmen said: "push that crap out of your mind and fly the plane."

The best advice I ever got in an airplane came while flying a V-tail: "Shut up and fly the damn plane."

 

[ryan1234]

Thanks so much, guys. I've been chair flying the profiles tonight and am feeling a little better about things. As FDX pointed out, lack of confidence is a factor here. I have a flight scheduled before work in the morning which will hopefully build my confidence up a bit. I voiced my concerns to my instructor on the phone this evening. He laughed it off and told me that I'm doing just fine and that I had the same outlook just prior to my instrument ride. We'll see how tomorrow morning goes before making any decisions. I'm trying to restrain myself from jumping at the first opportunity to take the ride. I can almost taste what I've been working toward for over ten years now and don't want to jump the gun. Will report back tomorrow. Thanks again guys. It really is a great thing to he able to get real feedback from those who've gone before me.

Sounds like you nailed it. It's really just a single engine airplane. There isn't too much to worry about except the basics. Mind your speeds, make sure the gear is down when you're landing, know the nuances... you'll be good.. if you need another hour or so... do it up.

In a couple hours from now, you'll be so confident in the airplane - you'll wonder why you ever weren't.

Good luck!

 

[///AMG]

I love flying the Bonanza, more so than any other light single. Congrats on moving up, and don't be afraid. The thing you need to keep in mind is that it is really a slick airframe aerodynamically speaking. You can accelerate very quickly in a descent, and on approaches this can bite you in the butt. It really isn't THAT much faster than most other non-high-perf singles out there in the grand scheme of things, so just spend a few hours getting used to thinking a little faster to stay ahead of the airplane. Aside from that little nuance, it is a very forgiving airplane IMHO, though a little bit unstable in V-tail form in turbulence or fast cruising. I'm sure you will very much enjoy being qualified to fly it......it's a serious go getter for cross countries (I've made over 10 cross continental trips in it thus far)

 

[WildcatPilot]

Did some pattern work this morning and am feeling MUCH more confident. Stage check Thursday night.

I love flying the Bonanza, more so than any other light single. Congrats on moving up, and don't be afraid. The thing you need to keep in mind is that it is really a slick airframe aerodynamically speaking. You can accelerate very quickly in a descent, and on approaches this can bite you in the butt. It really isn't THAT much faster than most other non-high-perf singles out there in the grand scheme of things, so just spend a few hours getting used to thinking a little faster to stay ahead of the airplane. Aside from that little nuance, it is a very forgiving airplane IMHO, though a little bit unstable in V-tail form in turbulence or fast cruising. I'm sure you will very much enjoy being qualified to fly it......it's a serious go getter for cross countries (I've made over 10 cross continental trips in it thus far)

Thanks AMG, I feel silly complaining about the "High Performance" Bonanza and getting replies from a Hornet driver!

 

[///AMG]

Thanks AMG, I feel silly complaining about the "High Performance" Bonanza and getting replies from a Hornet driver!

Well it takes a little time getting used any faster more complex aircraft, no reason to feel silly. I had to make a similar adjustment when moving into the T-34, then the T-45, and now being in the process of getting qualified in the Hornet. It is always a challenge at first, but it will definitely make you better. I'm sure it won't take too long before you are very comfortable flying her!

 

[MikeD]

Well it takes a little time getting used any faster more complex aircraft, no reason to feel silly. I had to make a similar adjustment when moving into the T-34, then the T-45, and now being in the process of getting qualified in the Hornet. It is always a challenge at first, but it will definitely make you better. I'm sure it won't take too long before you are very comfortable flying her!

350 up initial, pitch into the break and bleed all your speed in the break to downwind.

Who says speed will put you behind?

 

[///AMG]

350 up initial, pitch into the break and bleed all your speed in the break to downwind.

Who says speed will put you behind?

Haha, given the speed regs in CONUS airspace, I have always thought the break was kind of a funny notion, though fun of course. Just like you said, speed up just to slow down again. Now the boat makes a little more sense...and it's always a good show at civilian airfields if the controllers/pattern permits

 

[MikeD]

Haha, given the speed regs in CONUS airspace, I have always thought the break was kind of a funny notion, though fun of course. Just like you said, speed up just to slow down again. Now the boat makes a little more sense...and it's always a good show at civilian airfields if the controllers/pattern permits

What speed regs? If you're talking mil tactical jet.......91.117(d) applies to most. Or do you mean some piston type?