Flying my first turboprop

Mavmb

Mavmb

Well-Known Member
Anyone have any good training links or tips for a brand new turboprop pilot? I'm learning about N1, bleed air, etc. This is easier than flying a piston twin?
 
Tip #1:
Just because it's a turboprop, it isn't necessarily a "go" airplane. If you tank an engine, the best option might be to land in control straight ahead. Out there in SLC, you'll have to be aware of the DA and the 99's SE climb (in)ability. You'll get a feel as you get more experience in it.
 
Enjoy! I have about 3200 hours in turboprops, and its been a blast. My biggest thing is learning to think ahead about ice. They do well in straight and level, but the climb can be interesting.
 
I'm not sure about the B and C as I flew a straight 99 with something like 520shp a side. I *#&(*#$ing loathed that airplane. But not because it was a particularly dangerous or scary airplane. Rather the opposite. It'll put you to sleep if you have an autopilot (I didn't, therefore had to fiddle with the INSANE trim constantly. For 8 hours a day. It runs at warp speed, you can never find the sweet spot...I would assume an autopilot can). Most of my hate and loathing stemmed from being forced at financial bayonet-point IN to a 99 and OUT of an MU-2 (which I'm sure everyone has suffered through my love of enough, so I'll redact the poetics).

Upshot being, a 99 is like a Baron with more power and engines you can't hurt. It's a great first turboprop. In a lot of ways it's even easier than a PC-12, which I'm pretty sure a monkey could fly. It's not quite as easy to land smoothly, but there are a lot fewer buttons and switches. In conclusion, it's slow, it's old, it's incredibly annoying if you've flown anything faster, BUT it's about as dangerous as a warm hug and about as complicated as your Labrador. Give it fuel, push the right things forward and pull the right things back and it will fly like a champ. Big fat old school wing, too, no surprises on the stall. And it'll carry a ton of ice. It's nothing to worry about. And that's the problem (for me).

PS. I've heard (third hand, obviously) that the only good thing about it is that it rolls like an Extra. Who knows, may even be true!
 
Boris Badenov said:
I'm not sure about the B and C as I flew a straight 99 with something like 520shp a side. I *#&(*#$ing loathed that airplane. But not because it was a particularly dangerous or scary airplane. Rather the opposite. It'll put you to sleep if you have an autopilot (I didn't, therefore had to fiddle with the INSANE trim constantly. For 8 hours a day. It runs at warp speed, you can never find the sweet spot...I would assume an autopilot can). Most of my hate and loathing stemmed from being forced at financial bayonet-point IN to a 99 and OUT of an MU-2 (which I'm sure everyone has suffered through my love of enough, so I'll redact the poetics).

Upshot being, a 99 is like a Baron with more power and engines you can't hurt. It's a great first turboprop. In a lot of ways it's even easier than a PC-12, which I'm pretty sure a monkey could fly. It's not quite as easy to land smoothly, but there are a lot fewer buttons and switches. In conclusion, it's slow, it's old, it's incredibly annoying if you've flown anything faster, BUT it's about as dangerous as a warm hug and about as complicated as your Labrador. Give it fuel, push the right things forward and pull the right things back and it will fly like a champ. Big fat old school wing, too, no surprises on the stall. And it'll carry a ton of ice. It's nothing to worry about. And that's the problem (for me).

PS. I've heard (third hand, obviously) that the only good thing about it is that it rolls like an Extra. Who knows, may even be true!
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The only reason you can't hurt the engine on the 99 is they're all so worn out no matter how hard you push the lever you can't hit max torque or EGT. Not like a newer Garrett that has 2 computers with a gajillion sensors, switches, relays, and valves to make it very nearly monkey-proof, because otherwise at any moment it's ready to tear the wings off the airplane and/or spit its own guys out the tailpipe as molten slag.
 
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Mavmb said:
Im flying the Beech 99 b and c models.
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AMF I assume? If so have you received your training materials yet? The packet (not the book, but the packet) they used to give out is actually a pretty good overview of the systems. I've heard their training program has changed a lot from when I was there, but last I heard the materials were still the same
 
deadstick said:
Tip #1:
Just because it's a turboprop, it isn't necessarily a "go" airplane. If you tank an engine, the best option might be to land in control straight ahead. Out there in SLC, you'll have to be aware of the DA and the 99's SE climb (in)ability. You'll get a feel as you get more experience in it.
Click to expand...
Yup. The C90 is even worse on single engine climb rates.
 
Boris Badenov said:
I'm not sure about the B and C as I flew a straight 99 with something like 520shp a side. I *#&(*#$ing loathed that airplane. But not because it was a particularly dangerous or scary airplane. Rather the opposite. It'll put you to sleep if you have an autopilot (I didn't, therefore had to fiddle with the INSANE trim constantly. For 8 hours a day. It runs at warp speed, you can never find the sweet spot...I would assume an autopilot can). Most of my hate and loathing stemmed from being forced at financial bayonet-point IN to a 99 and OUT of an MU-2 (which I'm sure everyone has suffered through my love of enough, so I'll redact the poetics).

Upshot being, a 99 is like a Baron with more power and engines you can't hurt. It's a great first turboprop. In a lot of ways it's even easier than a PC-12, which I'm pretty sure a monkey could fly. It's not quite as easy to land smoothly, but there are a lot fewer buttons and switches. In conclusion, it's slow, it's old, it's incredibly annoying if you've flown anything faster, BUT it's about as dangerous as a warm hug and about as complicated as your Labrador. Give it fuel, push the right things forward and pull the right things back and it will fly like a champ. Big fat old school wing, too, no surprises on the stall. And it'll carry a ton of ice. It's nothing to worry about. And that's the problem (for me).

PS. I've heard (third hand, obviously) that the only good thing about it is that it rolls like an Extra. Who knows, may even be true!
Click to expand...
Pretty much this...I only ever flew the C with 715 SHP per side, so at least it would cimb like a raped ape on lighter, cooler days.
 
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