Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
As Seggy will tell you, it helps put hair on your chest.
.... and your back, and your neck, and your arms...
As Seggy will tell you, it helps put hair on your chest.
.... and your back, and your neck, and your arms...
The aircraft was certified under Part 23 (commuter category) standards. Does not require things like autopilot, flight control disconnects, or the same electrical bus separations you are required to have on a Part 25 aircraft. You can always add it on but it costs $$$
Part 23 is much easier to certify than Part 25 aircraft. Part 23 aircraft in the commuter clause cannot weigh more than 19,000lbs on takeoff. 1900 pilots: What is the max takeoff weight of the 1900 (17,120 or something. Like to hear from the guys with a lav onboard the 1900)? Autopilots cost a lot of money and weight that could be a pax bag, you don't need it.
Max weight on the 1900C model is actually 17710 with the thousand pound gross weight freight increase :rawk::rawk::rawk:, plus whatever the ground crew doesn't tell you about
At Skyway, it was a VOR to VOR airplane so there was really not much else to tinker with.
Max weight on the 1900C model is actually 17710 with the thousand pound gross weight freight increase :rawk::rawk::rawk:, plus whatever the ground crew doesn't tell you about
The answer to why there is no autopilot in the 1900 is simple economics. It is cheaper to train a "human" autopilot (first officer) than it is to install and maintain one. For the same reason we didn't have a GPS in the 1900, GPS is ill-suited to operations in the northeast corridor on short route segments. The costs of maintaining the GPS vs. the benefit doesn't justify it's installation.
And, it truly does make a pilot out of you to do non-precision approaches to "no-####e" minimums in places like Bluefield, WV in moderate icing. As crazy as it sounds I lived for that kind of thing...Or doing the ILS 24 ACK with 30 knot crosswind component and circling to 15..That will put some hair on your nuts!
Regards,
ex-Navy Rotorhead
You continue to show that you are a safe, legal and proficient pilot.
As much as I hated the lifestyle of the 1900, when I actually got off the ground it still is some of the best flying Iv'e done, especially NE during winter. You're actually a pilot vs tech support.