Flying other aircraft

nickporter15

nickporter15

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What is the process for flying other airplanes of the same category and class. I learned on a warrior but a friend's father owns a Beechcraft sundowner and I was wondering what the process is to fly it? A few flights with an instructor? Nothing at all?
 
You can fly it legally but you need to be comfortable in it.
Would be smart to get a flight in with a CFI
 
Depends.

FAA doesn't much care one way or the other.

The insurance company may or may not care depending on your qualifications and if you are acting as PIC or not. They may or may not require some number of hours with an instructor.

If you are renting, it is common for the FBO to require some kind of checkout.
 
As with anything SEL, find a CFI and get a checkout until you and the CFI are comfortable.

Then again if it's a Grumman, you will need a "type rating" style check out by a Grumman club "approved" CFI. :rolleyes: :D
 
You need to find out if the owner has an open pilot clause on his insurance. For example, 500 TT, 100 Retract, 25 in type.... I've seen some as simple as "any person holding a private pilot certificate or higher"

If you do fit the open pilot clause, it would be a good idea to buy your own renter's insurance. Or get named on his insurance policy.

I fly an airplane owned by another person. For us the best solution was for me to get named on his insurance policy and we split the premium. If you are just flying it occasionally and fit the open pilot clause, getting your own renter's insurance (non-owned insurance) is probably the best thing to do. As it covers you in all airplanes you don't own.

Once the insurance is taken care of, ask the owner if he can recommend a CFI to check you out in the plane. Chances are he does know someone. Expect an hour of ground instruction to go over the systems/POH and preflight inspection. From there, 1-2 hours flight time should cover everything. Basically you are just going to do some slow flight, stalls, and several landings.
 
Be very cautious and careful flying a new plane without an instructor experienced in THAT plane. Every plane is different.

There is one model of 172 that has the gas pee valve in the cockpit. Guy flew it and had never flown it and the CFI, well, I guess he never had either, not sure. Anyway that knob looks like a heat knob and the pilot pulled it. Its on the pilots left. The CFI didn't notice. When you open that valve in flight, it leaks gas. All the gas leaked out in about 1/2 hour or so and they had an engine out. They weren't injured but the plane was totaled.

Its always better to get some instruction (once you are a pilot you can get instruction from anyone, just don't log it) in a new plane to you.

Sure, there are CFI's who have and will fly "anything". (although I haven't met any yet).

Some bully is going to say "Ah, you don't need any instruction in that plane, just hop in and fly it! That what I do! HAR HAR HAR" See, combating THAT is the hard part.

If you are careful and cautious and the plane is not too different, it can be done. It's a bit risky though. Proceed with caution.
 
Fly the plane with the owner,who should know the plane better than anyone. Make sure to check the open pilot warranty.
 
Doesn't need to be a CFI, go up with the owner or anyone with time in the plane, get comfy in it.
 
I've flown quite a few different types with 0 instruction. Was I uncomfortable? Yes.

I had to teach myself the Skymaster. Luckily for me, it was one of the easiest handling planes I've ever gotten my hands on. The systems were interesting.

You should have seen me in a 707.
 
no one's opinion matters except the owner of the plane and his/her insurance company
 
RotorAndWing said:
Then again if it's a Grumman, you will need a "type rating" style check out by a Grumman club "approved" CFI. :rolleyes: :D
Click to expand...

For real? Whats special about needing an extended checkout to fly a grumman?
 
RotorAndWing said:
Then again if it's a Grumman, you will need a "type rating" style check out by a Grumman club "approved" CFI. :rolleyes: :D
Click to expand...

Bahahahaha

Applicant must also have PIC time in a F104 and the shuttle before starting AA1 training.
 
If I flew with the owner and wasn't familiar with the aircraft, could I legally log PIC time if the owner didn't?
 
nickporter15 said:
If I flew with the owner and wasn't familiar with the aircraft, could I legally log PIC time if the owner didn't?
Click to expand...

What does your certificate say on it?
Those are the planes you are legal to fly right now, meeting the insurance requirements may be another matter.
 
nickporter15 said:
If I flew with the owner and wasn't familiar with the aircraft, could I legally log PIC time if the owner didn't?
Click to expand...
Doesn't matter who owns the plane, just who's flying it. The one flying it logs the time. The other one logs nothing. And that could mean you each log part of the time.
 
champ driver said:
Those are the planes you are legal to fly right now, meeting the insurance requirements may be another matter.
Click to expand...
Right -- that which is legal isn't always safe. So before you go launching off into the wild blue with your new plane in which you have no prior training/experience, make sure you get some training in it from an instructor with experience and familiarity with the type -- and that doesn't change for Cessna, Grumman, Beech, Piper, or any other manufacturer.
 
All of the above is correct:

FAA wise, you're good to go.

Insurance, you have to ask them what they want. Then, you need to figure out if you're insured or not. Renters insurance is really called non-owner insurance. The other way is to be added as a named insured. One way or the other, make sure YOU (not just the airplane's owner) are covered.

Getting a checkout from an instructor is always a good thing. Getting a checkout from an instructor who actually knows the airplane is even better. Often, there is a insurance requirement that the instructor has to meet in order for there to be effective insurance coverage during the checkout.

When I was an instructor,hungry and looking for hours, I would not give primary instruction nor would I do insurance checkouts in a plane type I had never flown. Sadly, I know many that would. It's your choice.
 
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