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7 Answers

Client wants to get his Multi in a Kingair…

Asked by: 1730 views Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor

I'm a flight instructor and one of my clients owns a kingair and has asked me to train him for his multi in it. He's only a VFR commercial pilot with lots of single engine turboprop time...Question, can he do this VFR commercial in a turboprop or does it require an instrument rating? Or is this just whatever his insurance company says? Thanks.

7 Answers



  1. KDS on May 07, 2019

    He can. However, depending on the level of King air, it may require that the PIC hold a type rating. Even if it is one of the smaller King air’s, the real sticking point will be finding an examiner who is authorized to do checks in that type of aircraft. Most DPE’s are only authorized in the more common light twin trainers. I suspect you will have to make a request from the local FAA and they will assign an inspector to do the check.

    Needless to say, he is wasting a lot of capability by not getting his instrument rating. I’m sure there is a very interesting story behind how he got to the point in his aviation experience with a lo of turboprop time, a commercial certificate, and no instrument rating. As an instructor, I’d want to know how that happened. It could be there was a 44709 check in his past he hasn’t mentioned to you.

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  2. Russ Roslewski on May 07, 2019

    KDS’s answer is correct, except that DPE’s no longer need to be approved for each make and model of multiengine aircraft they perform checkrides in. If the King Air does not require a type rating, the DPE just needs 5 hours PIC in it (FAAO 8900.2). But, it may still be hard to find an examiner to do this. Start the search early.

    I’d also be curious about some details here, if you don’t mind getting them and providing them. What does he plan to do with a King Air and no instrument rating?

    Two categories of people immediately come to mind when talking about VFR turboprop operations – Ag pilots and jump plane pilots. Is he planning to use the King Air to drop skydivers?

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  3. Mark Unruh on May 07, 2019

    You guys are right, an Ag pilot and its a smaller kingair. We also have an examiner that said he would do it. You can suggest to these nice clients what you would consider to be the wisest coarse of action for them, but in the end its up to them what they will choose to do with their monies. He understands all the implications that goes along with a VFR commercial certificate.

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  4. KDS on May 07, 2019

    Russ, thanks for the update on DPE requirements.

    I know the rules in the DPE area changed a lot after I was out of that part of the aviation forest.

    I was talking with an old friend the other day who still maintains his DPE. I mentioned a FSDO where the office manager would not designate anyone as a DPE who had an association with a flight school. That was to avoid any pressure on the DPE’s to pass people from their school. He showed me the new guidance where it would be difficult to become a DPE nowadays without being either the chief or assistant chief instructor at a school.

    Sometimes I think they just change for the sake of change.

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  5. vaflyer on May 08, 2019

    I’m a DPE and I recently conducted a private in a C90 King Air with my FSDOs blessing. So it can be done.

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  6. Russ Roslewski on May 08, 2019

    vaflyer – that’s really interesting! Would you care to share any more about it? What you know about how his training went, why he wanted to do it in a King Air, how long it took, how the “solo” parts went, how the checkride went, any other interesting details? Thanks.

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  7. vaflyer on May 10, 2019

    Russ – I conducted the check ride, not the training. He is a doctor who has a King Air and a pilot who is also a CFI. The owner/Doctor decided to get his MEL since he flies with his pilot and figured that his pilot might have a medical issue. Good observation. He paid his insurance (I’m sure a lot) and did the solo flights, etc completing all the requirements for a Private MEL. He also attended a simulator twice. He did not pass the first evaluation. Many parts were good, his book knowledge was good, but he was behind on some of the maneuvers. I am scheduled to retest in a couple of weeks. When this came up I contacted my managing FSDO and asked their thoughts and received their blessing. Although my certificate of authority supported the check ride it was (and is) unusual so I wanted to be on the up and up.

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