Some know that about 14 months ago I was fortunate enough to occasionally fly Learjets Pt 91 for one owner. Over the course of a year I got about 100 hours in the right seat to some very interesting destinations. Bill, the pilot I fly with is extremely experienced and has helped this low timer big time.
A few weeks ago the owner bought a beautiful Falcon 20, and I just returned from 2 weeks at SimuFlite in Dallas with Bill for our initial training. It was the most intense thing I've ever done, aviation or otherwise. Firehose learning is not a strong enough analogy. This was the 6th type rating for Bill, yet he and I worked equally hard. Ground school was 6 consecutive days and when we got back to the hotel we studied together until going to bed. I felt overwhelmed that first week, but the constant studying started to pay off and all the systems started making sense.
After one off day we started the 7 simulator days. We had worked hard on the "flows", and the check lists properly started to become check lists not to do lists. In the first 3 sim sessions I flew 6 hours pilot flying (left seat)with 8 ILSs, 6 non precision (3 circle to land), 3 GPS and 1 visual. Many were single engine and most were misses. During the same days I flew pilot not flying (right seat) for Bill while he did the same things I did. We also did a lot of airwork such as steep turns and stall series.
On the evening after our 3rd sim day while studying with Bill I got a call that my mother had just had a stroke. She lives only a half hour from where we were staying, so I was able to get to the hospital almost immediately. My brother from Seattle happened to be visiting her when this happened, so he was able to be with her during the day. (She is now in a rehab hospital and working hard on her recovery.)
Because of this we made the wise decision that I would only do the SIC training for the plane this time. However, I continued to do the right seat for Bill, so I got more sim time and continued my learning. Actually since we were the only ones doing Falcon 20 training, I was also able to get more left seat time, but it did not go on my training record. After the sessions I drove down to visit with my mother.
Sunday, Bill flew a practice checkride. Since time permitted after this, I got in the left seat and also flew a practice checkride. I didn't do too bad, and may have been able to pull off the real thing. Hopefully next time.
On Monday, Bill flew his check ride with me as SIC (actually a fairly big responsibility, since his ATP was on the line). He did great, of course, and got his type rating for the DA20. I have the paperwork to take to the FSDO after I get 1 landing in the real plane, and they will issue me a new certificate with SIC DA20 on the back.
I got home this afternoon mentally and physically exhausted. I am a much better pilot for this experience and am very happy about the whole thing. We're looking forward to our first trip.
The picture is of Bill (r) and me (l) in the Falcon 20 sim.
A few weeks ago the owner bought a beautiful Falcon 20, and I just returned from 2 weeks at SimuFlite in Dallas with Bill for our initial training. It was the most intense thing I've ever done, aviation or otherwise. Firehose learning is not a strong enough analogy. This was the 6th type rating for Bill, yet he and I worked equally hard. Ground school was 6 consecutive days and when we got back to the hotel we studied together until going to bed. I felt overwhelmed that first week, but the constant studying started to pay off and all the systems started making sense.
After one off day we started the 7 simulator days. We had worked hard on the "flows", and the check lists properly started to become check lists not to do lists. In the first 3 sim sessions I flew 6 hours pilot flying (left seat)with 8 ILSs, 6 non precision (3 circle to land), 3 GPS and 1 visual. Many were single engine and most were misses. During the same days I flew pilot not flying (right seat) for Bill while he did the same things I did. We also did a lot of airwork such as steep turns and stall series.
On the evening after our 3rd sim day while studying with Bill I got a call that my mother had just had a stroke. She lives only a half hour from where we were staying, so I was able to get to the hospital almost immediately. My brother from Seattle happened to be visiting her when this happened, so he was able to be with her during the day. (She is now in a rehab hospital and working hard on her recovery.)
Because of this we made the wise decision that I would only do the SIC training for the plane this time. However, I continued to do the right seat for Bill, so I got more sim time and continued my learning. Actually since we were the only ones doing Falcon 20 training, I was also able to get more left seat time, but it did not go on my training record. After the sessions I drove down to visit with my mother.
Sunday, Bill flew a practice checkride. Since time permitted after this, I got in the left seat and also flew a practice checkride. I didn't do too bad, and may have been able to pull off the real thing. Hopefully next time.
On Monday, Bill flew his check ride with me as SIC (actually a fairly big responsibility, since his ATP was on the line). He did great, of course, and got his type rating for the DA20. I have the paperwork to take to the FSDO after I get 1 landing in the real plane, and they will issue me a new certificate with SIC DA20 on the back.
I got home this afternoon mentally and physically exhausted. I am a much better pilot for this experience and am very happy about the whole thing. We're looking forward to our first trip.
The picture is of Bill (r) and me (l) in the Falcon 20 sim.
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