Single pilot jets

averettpilot

averettpilot

Well-Known Member
As I go to bed at 2 am after a 14 hour day I'm thinking this single pilot jet thing is really stupid sometimes. And it wasn't even that tough of weather tonight.

General thoughts from you guys? I've been hinting to people higher up than me that my company should get a second pilot. It's coming to a point where I'm done hinting.
 
You're gonna have a very hard time convincing me the SP jets out there are higher workload than a turboprop or even large piston twin. Sounds like it's the operation, not the equipment that's the issue here.
 
+1 to the above; In my experience, I find the SP jet flying MUCH easier than the SP KingAir flying.

I've been SP in a mid-sized jet for the past 8 years (with Light Jet and C208 in this mix). Most of the flying was international in all kinds of countries (S.A., Europe, Africa) and weather; this includes 11 North Atlantic crossings. I DO think it's more boring but not more dangerous or "stupid".

Also, logging flight time rules really sucks if you're the pilot sitting on the right side all day long.....
 
It has nothing to do with the engine and everything to do with how the pilot manages his time, especially in abnormal situations. The Phenom keeps me way less busy than the King Air 90, and there's no comparison to the Metro.

It also varies by plane, a lot. There's a huge difference in workload between a old single pilot Citation I and a brand new Phenom 300.
 
Is the desire for a second pilot driven by reducing the workload in flight, or rather that you'd like to split the number of trips you're flying and improve QoL with more time off?
 
I rather enjoyed the high-workload of the single-pilot jet. Not just in the weather, but when things were getting shot back at us, too.
osw_02_small.jpg
 
I fly a small jet SP and love it. It's not hard but you can get into trouble quickly And there is no one to back you up. I have an agreement with my boss that I do not do more than 12 hours of duty SP and if the show time is before 6am I don't do more than 10. If the day is scheduled beyond this we either change things around or bring an SIC. I developed a small manual with these policies as well as a risk assessment tool. PM me if you want a copy
 
It's a Phenom 100. Generally speaking, it's not a high workload aircraft by any means, as I'm sure all who have flown it can attest. I have 3300 hours 3150 of which is single pilot in quite a few different capacity, single pilot freight being one of them, so I know that this aircraft compared to others is quite easy. Probably just the missions I carry out from time to time. 3 am departure to a max range destination sometime getting back after midnight "same" day.

I do the job well, I don't really have a problem SP jet in general, but there are moments where I think to myself "gee this is getting pretty busy up here and I could easily screw something up if I don't bring my A game." All while transporting some important people. I guess my whole half asleep thought pattern was why would the people in the back want to have just one person up front. I have 150 hours of flying in a crew and that is so much more preferable for me. We were flying the Phenom as a crew and the all around operation was much more efficient with division of labor in all aspects, preflight, flight, and postflight. I'm not saying SP isn't safe, if it wasn't I probably wouldn't do it. Just think it's safER with two up front. I'm happy to be proven wrong, and I appreciate the thoughts out there.

Fly safe people.
 
CFI A&P said:
Is the desire for a second pilot driven by reducing the workload in flight, or rather that you'd like to split the number of trips you're flying and improve QoL with more time off?
Click to expand...
Both, although I really only work 10 days a month max. I was tired last night and reading this now, it comes across as a bit whiny which is not my intention. I've been mulling this for awhile and really just wanted peoples thoughts on the merits/demerits of SP jet in a commercial/charter/corporate capacity. I fly alone and I'm the only Phenom driver at my company so I don't really get to chat with other pilots about this subject. I was also quite disappointed at being the only one in recurrent at CAE. Couldn't compare experiences with other Phenom drivers.
 
mshunter said:
Problem is convincing the people who write the paychecks that it's safer.

"But the airplane is certified for only one pilot."
Click to expand...

One easy way to get the point across is to discuss the value of having two pilots VS the perceived value of saving a couple of dollars by not having that second pilot.
 
Hacker15e said:
I rather enjoyed the high-workload of the single-pilot jet. Not just in the weather, but when things were getting shot back at us, too.
osw_02_small.jpg
Click to expand...


I had to take care of all the crap myself :). For me, how much grease pencil there was written all over the canopy, gave a good indication of the workload, when we were pulling into the chocks.
 
Beep said:
One easy way to get the point across is to discuss the value of having two pilots VS the perceived value of saving a couple of dollars by not having that second pilot.
Click to expand...

Owner's are bean counters more often than not though, unfortunately. I watched a friend ask for a second pilot out of a job a few years back.

"We need another pilot. This isn't safe."

"You're right, we need another pilot. Meet your replacement. He thinks it's safe."
 
Beep said:
One easy way to get the point across is to discuss the value of having two pilots VS the perceived value of saving a couple of dollars by not having that second pilot.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine flies for a company that operates several airplanes ranging from a Bonanza up to large cabin class jets. Everything is operated with a crew, even the Bonanza. In the eyes of the bean counters, the second crew member is well worth the expense if it helps prevent an accident.

Also check with NBAA, they might have some material and information that could be helpful in your battle.


Sent from my Startac using Tapatalk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top