Pilatus Gouge?

ppragman

No pasa nada.
Seen as how Air Methods is the current career of choice of many ex-Freightdawgies have on here, I figured I'd see if I could get some gouge on the Pilatus for my outfit. I have class scheduled for Simcom in Scottsdale on the 28th. What do I need to know to not crash, and or get myself killed in the airplane. We've got a -47 model. Thanks!
 
Nothing special. You'll get everything you need at school. It's an easy airplane. You'll like it...depending on what you're coming from.
 
Don't look for a prop lever. There isn't one. :p it's an easy docile plane. It's my fav turboprop so far.
 
Nothing special. You'll get everything you need at school. It's an easy airplane. You'll like it...depending on what you're coming from.
I'm in the Navajo here right now, but I've got PIC time in 99s, Caravans, and 1900s. It looks super conveniently laid out, also - cupholders!

I'll be switching back and forth between the Navajo and our Pilatus, and I suspect I'll be going to school for the new caravan EX here some time this spring if cessna meets their delivery times. Should be fun. Any easy gotcha's?

Don't look for a prop lever. There isn't one. :p it's an easy docile plane. It's my fav turboprop so far.

I saw that, is there any way to vary prop RPM?
 
I'll take one PT6 over 2 IO-540s pretty much any day. ;-)

That's funny. My dad has over 3500hours teaching behind 2 IO-540s. Not a single failure. He had 18 engine failures through his career all ranging from chit-the-bed catastrophic to precautionary shut downs. All were turbine. Most of them Garretts.
 
Very easy airplane to fly. Just about everything is automated. Do you have any specific questions?
 
Very easy airplane to fly. Just about everything is automated. Do you have any specific questions?

How does it do engine out? Does it glide fairly well? Any "Gotcha's" in terms of systems or Emergencies that would be nice to not worry about?
 
Give me your email and I can send you the study materials I have. Rule of thumb on glide is 2 mi for every 1000 ft of altitude.
 
I honestly can't think of a single thing that's difficult about the airplane. The avionics are a little bit weird in that it's kind of "neither fish nor fowl"...way more toys than steam, but less intuitive and obvious what's talking to what than it is in an FMS setup. But you can learn that stuff just by reading the manuals. The actual flying of the thing is a piece of cake.
 
Ours has the 5 bladed carbon-fibre prop too, which is supposed to be night and day to the other set up.
 
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