SEL with Flight Director

C

ComplexHiAv8r

Well-Known Member
Would it be beneficial or not to do training for commerical in an aircraft with a Flight Director? I heard that a local FBO might get an arrow with FD on it. Might cost a few more dollars (they said not more then $7/hr over their other arrow). It also has an HSI and Garmin GPS/COM/NAV.

Thanks in Advance
 
From what I remember of the pratical test standards for commercial, I can't see how a flight director would help whatsoever. Remember 100% of the manuevers you're performing are VFR.
 
Sorry, won't help a bit. As Doug said, commerical is a visual rating. As far as general IFR flying, it depends on what you consider benifits.

If you are asking in reference to what airlines will think of you having that experience, it probably won't amount to much. Once you get the FD programmed, using it is brainless, you follow the command bars. Programming it can be confusing for some, so experience with the model that the airline uses might help you personally after you get hired, but it won't make a difference for the interview. The problem with that Arrow's FD will be that it's not the same model that any airline will use, so you won't get the benifit of knowing how to program it.

If you want to keep your basic instrument skills sharp, it will be a detriment.

If you want to be a safe single pilot instrument flyer, then it is the next best thing to an autopilot.

It all depends on what you want to get out of it.
 
Thanks, I was wondering more towards long term getting exposure to a FD. I have the long cross and night to do for the commerical, and thought I might use this instead to get some more complex time, as well as exposure to an FD.

I would fly the plane with the FD, not let the autopilot use the FD.
 
Long cross countries in an Arrow? That's just two more systems and not a whole lot of speed improvement over flying an Archer!
smile.gif
 
I still think you should do the commercial without the FD. You should not be looking inside the cockpit for the commercial rating and all the FD is going to be is a distraction. You're going to be maneuvering so much that it won't help at all.

After you get the commercial rating, then grab a safety pilot and go check it out under the hood.
 
Thanks, I hope to do the long X-C and return at night on business so the business will pay for the aircraft rental. It's just me going, so no "commerical" issues.
 
I plan on finishing my commercial before learning the G1000 that is on a 182T at the FBO. I think it will be useful training, especially since I have never done a GPS approach However the commercial license is more about precicision, maneuvers, and knowledge.
 
Not sure how a Garmin 1000 or a FD will help you on using your visual reference for lazy eights and chandelles. Definately won't help much on steep spirals or eights on pylons. Landings? Nope, not much help there, either. Steep turns? Doubtful. Now, if we're talking INSTRUMENT rating, that's a horse of a different color.
 
Just a hinderance for commercial maneuvers. FYI, I recently did a type rating in a sim recently, and for the steep turns we had to clear the FD off the display. For instrument training, some FD experience is good, I think.
 
I'm not the most knowlegable fella on this website and by all means, correct me if I'm reading one of ComplexHiAv8er's post wrong....BUT, if you are working on your commercial rating and can't work for compensation/hire yet, then how can your aircraft rental be paid for by the business. Doesn't this fall into the compensation category and also a no-no? Of course I don't know the specifics..just what I'm reading.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm not the most knowlegable fella on this website and by all means, correct me if I'm reading one of ComplexHiAv8er's post wrong....BUT, if you are working on your commercial rating and can't work for compensation/hire yet, then how can your aircraft rental be paid for by the business. Doesn't this fall into the compensation category and also a no-no? Of course I don't know the specifics..just what I'm reading.

[/ QUOTE ]

Because it is not a commercial flight. It is like the company reibursing him for the use of his car. It is incidental to the business. Any person can fly a plane on company business even if they don't have a commercial as long as it is incidental to the business and he is not being paid to fly by the company.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks, I hope to do the long X-C and return at night on business so the business will pay for the aircraft rental. It's just me going, so no "commerical" issues.

[/ QUOTE ]

?!?!?!
 
It's not used for manuevers, we turned it off in the sim for steep turns, stalls etc (not that it would be useful anyway). It's a great tool in a two crew cockpit, but my experience from using it single pilot while hand flying on MS flight sim has been thats it's been more hassle then its worth. Don't forget that in order for it to give useful guidance, you'll have to keep "updating" the info. on the flight guidance panel (bug speeds, change headings, altitude etc).....easy when you have a NFP next to you, but try it sometime alone and you'll see.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Because it is not a commercial flight. It is like the company reibursing him for the use of his car. It is incidental to the business. Any person can fly a plane on company business even if they don't have a commercial as long as it is incidental to the business and he is not being paid to fly by the company.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is correct. I actually showed a large client (one that lost over $1 Billion so far this year, and its not UAL) that it is actually cheaper to pay rental aircraft and travel time compared to rental car and travel time. I have also carried others with me when I was going to a meeting, and they needed to also. It hasn't happened much, but allowed some time into the logbook.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top