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7 Answers

It’s time to upgrade to a Turboprop

Asked by: 11654 views
Aerodynamics, Aircraft Systems, Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations, General Aviation

Good day guys, let me say thanks to everyone for your help.

Now it’s time for the fun questions,

 It’s time to upgrade to a Turboprop and I was hoping you can give me some advice.

Below are my boss’s top picks for the planes he would like to own and have me fly. I’m just a 3000 hour pilot with Comm., Multi, and Instrument.  Only a few hours right seat in a C-414, no Turboprop experience.

1.    Model: TBM 700C

2.    Model: TBM 850

3.    Model: Meridian PA 46TP

4.    Model: Meridian PA 46TP

5.    Model: King Air B100

6.    Model: King Air 200

7.    Model: PC 12

He is leaning toward the TBM 800, (have you flown one)

He likes the king Air, but the operating cost is too high.

Please let me know if you have flow any of these aircraft as well as:

·         Required Training (and cost for the training)?

·         Can it be flow as single pilot?

·         Single pilot FAR PART 91?

·         Take off distance/ground roll (we have a 2700 foot airport.)

·         And witch would be the best for me to fly (look good in the log books for future jobs)

7 Answers



  1. Pat Flannigan on May 31, 2011

    First off, I don’t think you have to worry about your skills as a pilot. We’ve got FO’s in regional jets who were hired at 250-500 hours and they’ve done a fine job thanks to a solid training department.
     
    Regardless of what you fly, the insurance company is almost certainly going to require you to go to school if you’re PIC on a turboprop. In fact, I don’t think you should transition to something that much faster without some degree of training. Things happen a lot quicker and you need some specific type training.
     
    You can find out about the cost of training by looking at FlightSafety and calling for an estimate. Regardless of what you fly, it’s not going to be cheap.
     
    The closest thing I’ve flown is a King Air 90. I can tell you that King Air’s are fantastic airplanes – the are robust, reliable and are a joy to fly.
     
    I know for a fact that the King Air is a single pilot airplane, and I’m almost certain that the same is true for the Meridians and PC-12. I don’t know anything about the TBM.
     
    If you’re looking for something that’s good for you with respect to the logbook, then you’ve got to go for multi-engine turbine time. That stuff is golden, and you would not believe how many doors open up once you hit the magic number of 1,000 hours multi-turbine PIC.
     
    I’m sorry I can’t give you a de-facto choose this airplane answer – hope this helps.

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  2. Earl Kessler on May 31, 2011

    I have been flying a PC12/45 as a corporate pilot for the last decade.  I am also qualified on the Meridian.  I love both aircraft.  Both models are amazing aircraft that do everything well and are simple to operate once you understand the onboard systems.  Your insurance company will insist you go through initial training.  It is a week long and is taught by Simcom in their simulators.  Although I enjoyed and learned a lot from both initial courses, their recurrent annual training tends to be taught by people who are not as familiar with the aircraft as they should be and I have found an alternative course through American Aviation that satisfies the insurance companies recurrency requirements in the aircraft and tackles new items every year instead of the same stale training annually.  I adore the reliability, versatility and stoutness of the Pilatus.  The Meridian is a sports car and fun to fly but is limited in its load carrying capacity and range.  The only drawback with both planes is the lack of multi-engine experience if you are looking to go on to an airline.  The trade-off is the cheaper cost of operating and maintaining one engine. But going 265 knots with one engine is a testament to great efficient design.

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  3. James MacGregor CFI on Jun 01, 2011

    Hey Pat whos hiring FOs with 250-500??????
     
     As for the question I’d go with a PC-6, but I’m a taildragger kind of guy

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  4. Pat Flannigan on Jun 01, 2011

    Not a lot of options for low-timers right now. I am aware of American Eagle hiring ATP grads at 500/250 through a bridge program – heres the letter of agreement. But during the big pilot shortage during 2006-2008, just about every regional was willing to drop the requirements to nil.

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  5. danny chapman on Jun 02, 2011

    I think I have come in at a far more advanced level than my comprehension but as a very junior pilot im looking to get into the commercial side of things in the coming years, any advice?

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  6. danny chapman on Jun 02, 2011

    i meant to also meantion some IFR & VFR flight planning software I have developed and how do you think I could best utilise this to imrpve my skills

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  7. Don Quattlebaum on Jun 05, 2011

    If the TBM 850 fits the mission profile, then it will be the best choice. Fast, more economical than most of the others and a blast to fly.
    Your time is no issue. You’ll need a week at Simcom and some time with an instructor, then you will be good to go. Simcom is $6000 plus or minus for the week, then half of that each year for recurrent.
    I can load 1350 pounds of people and bags and still have enough fuel with reserves to go 700 miles. Back down to four (large) people and plenty of bags, and you are over 1,100 miles.
    Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle at sea level mid weight is 2,100 ft at ISA. If you are high or it’s hot………. But also ground roll is only 1,750 ft, again at ISA and sea level

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