Steps On Flying Other Planes?

[Guest aaronb]

Hey Guys,

 

Been outa flying for a while and going to get back into it and finish my RAA ticket and get my x-country.

 

My question is I am learning in a Jabiru J160, once i get my ticket in that what steps do i need to takes to be able to fly other types of Raa Aircraft ie; Jabiru LSA, Texan, Gazelle or a Tecnam? is it just a set minimum of hours with an instructor?

 

Thanks guys!

 

Aaron

 

 

[Yenn]

Find someone who owns one and will let you fly it. That goes for nosewheel types. To fly a taildragger you will need to get an endorsement by a CFI first.

 

 

[Matt]

Technically nothing more than Ian has mentioned - someone who'll let you fly their aircraft so long as it's within the scope of your certificate. I'd suggest (as would most on this forum I reckon) getting at least 5 hours on type with an experienced pilot of that type or an instructor, read and become familiar with the POH and critical airspeeds.

 

There's a lot of differences in the many aircraft that fit within the same category that you're legally allowed to fly on your certificate - some of these differences can be significant in terms of aircraft performance, handling in high and low speed situations, stall characteristics etc etc.

 

Despite the legalities, it's not as simple as jumping from a Falcon to a Commodore.

 

My 2c and humble opinion.

 

Cheers,

 

Matt.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

I agree, the cost for a suitable instructor for 5hrs is nothing compared to the cost of the excess on an insurance policy......assuming you've survived and assuming there is one, and assuming its still valid for a 0hrs on type pilot.

 

Bottom line is that the regs cant be prescriptive for every circumstance, if it were we'd be GA with all that entails, so we must all be personally resposible to some extent. While pondering this remeber the line in Ozzies joke yesterday. The cub is the safest aeroplane, it can only just kill you. Most of the aircraft you mentioned will come somewhere after the cub

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest browng]

The cub is the safest aeroplane, it can only just kill you. Most of the aircraft you mentioned will come somewhere after the cubAndy

That was first said by Northrop test pilot Max Stanley about the J3 Cub back in the 1930's. Today however, things have moved on a bit, and 99% of RAAus aircraft will be a hell of a lot easier to fly than a J3. Unless you have experience on similar types, you may find ia J3 a challenge to taxy, let alone fly. Manton Fain, retired Concorde Captain and test pilot, who first soloed in a Cub in 1942, when asked about the difference between his first flight and his last (in Concorde), said "If you can fly a Cub, you can fly the Concorde, but the reverse is not necessarily true". It is not that that the Cub is terribly difficult, it is that more modern aircraft are easier, they are better designed with the benefit of time.

 

 

 

That said, get some conversion training, if it's a single seat type get extensively briefed, sit in the cockpit and familiarize yourself with the 'picture' over the nose in the landing attitude, and when you do first take off, don't do circuits first, climb and do upper air work before returning for circuits. This way you learn the type's characteristics in the stall and in slow flight, at a safe altitude before doing so at low level in the circuit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Yea mate, get an instructor to go up with you..do some stalls and steep turns..if the instructor needs to come on the controlls at anytime including during the landing, then doa few more hours...but flying is flying..I was worried about converting at first and indeed i did sometimes find myself trying to toe on the brakes in a jabiru (when the brakes are actually on a lever )..but i soon got used to it...just don't be in a hurry would be my advise...