Single Seat Checkout

Have you ever transitioned to a single seat?

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Robert Lobdell

Filing Flight Plan
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May 12, 2018
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Display name:
Robert
Okay this is my first time here. This looks like a great place for pilots to get answered to many questions. I’m seriously thinking of getting rid of my Face Book account. I have a Group that is all about pilots and Pilot interests. But, It’s not what I really like it to be. You can check it out. On FB it’s called Fellow Pilots it’s probably under my name: Robert Lobdell.
So here is my question. This is just a general interest question. Regarding buying a single seat airplane or ultralight or anything that only allows one seat. So, lets say your a fixed wing pilot and you are interested in buying a single seat gyro copter or maybe a challenger ultralight. The guy selling it, hasn’t flown it in several years. So, how do you get some serious instruction on any quirks or problems? Is it just a few crow hops and some taxi time. Seems like that is all there really is. Unless the seller is a great flight instructor who really knows the plane.
Thanks just curious. . .
 
Read the POH

Don't F up

The biggest issue is mostly in your head.
 
It’s up to you. Read and study the make and model the best you can if a single seat is the only option. Some types of single seat aircraft also have a tandem variant, so you can train in those before moving over to the single seat model.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Yeah, that's been an issue with single seat fighters for many decades.
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Except that there is an industry accepted practice for stepping up to single seat warbirds (which typically involves at least 100 hours in a T6) and plenty of experienced pilots to give you proper ground checkout.

Finding an experience gyrocopter guy (while not impossible)can be a little more challenging.
 
For the OP, first step is to ask your insurance guy what they want/require to insure you in that aircraft. All the Internet advice in the world won’t help you if your insurance doesn’t concur.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Except that there is an industry accepted practice for stepping up to single seat warbirds (which typically involves at least 100 hours in a T6) and plenty of experienced pilots to give you proper ground checkout.

Finding an experience gyrocopter guy (while not impossible)can be a little more challenging.
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Yes, I was just thinking of those WWII training videos I watched where it all appeared to be ground training and then they dumped them in to P47's. Hell, the Soviets put North Korean pilots in Migs with no prior flight experience.
 
You read the POH and talk to other pilots that have flown it. You fly a similar plane. A pilot that has flown it stands on the wing next to the cockpit and says, "this is the throttle", "this is the mixture", "watch out for this", etc. Go do a runup and maybe a fast taxi. Then take off.
 
My first flight in a hang glider was solo. You get about 90 minutes of ground instruction, then you head off to a training hill. On my third attempt, I got airborne. Granted, I was maybe four feet off the ground, and all I had to do to land was to stay straight and level, but lots of people fly solo on their first day.
 
As others have said, get experience in something similar, then get a ground checkout from someone familiar. While lots of novices have soloed ultralights with no instruction and no checkout, it's not recommended. Frankly, I wouldn't want to step into a single seat anything if I wasn't proficient in category and class. Most gliders are single seat, so after instruction, you're on your own. But it's still a good ideato work your way up to higher performance.
 
Get time in a dual ultralight that is similar. Almost every part 103 has a dual twin, or close enough. Don’t buy without an experienced helper.
 
A civilian ATC liason I knew flew B17s in WW2. Later during the war he transitioned to a P51, said they gave him a manual and go fly it.
 
Being tailwheel competent, I got a call to ferry a Cessna Ag plane. AgTruck or AgHusky or such.

11739550305_e52d6d4a4f.jpg


I think that was in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, but not really sure.

In any case, single seat, no way to get checked out. First takeoff I nearly veered off the runway when I lifted the tail too quickly - gyroscopic precession is actually a thing with bigger engines and props! I think I pulled the plane into the air right before I would have taken out some runway lights at Opa Locka!

Anyway, in the big picture all planes fly fairly similarly - one just needs to study up on, or be advised of, individual quirks.
 
coloradobluesky said:
You read the POH and talk to other pilots that have flown it. You fly a similar plane. A pilot that has flown it stands on the wing next to the cockpit and says, "this is the throttle", "this is the mixture", "watch out for this", etc. Go do a runup and maybe a fast taxi. Then take off.
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^^^This^^^
I talked with a couple of guys that had flown one. They told me, "This single seater flies just like, or very close, to a [XXXXX] two seater..." I then found a guy with a [XXXXX] and talked him into taking me up. At least I was then familiar with a two seater that flew close to the single seater I was buying.
 
I imagine,I would be extremely nervous.
 
Well,,, a lot of good advice, I feel. Better about thinking of such things. Advance planning is always a good idea.
Thanks
 
paflyer said:
Actually, it was "no seat"
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SoCal RV Flyer said:
IIRC, it was a cradle that moved side to side to actuate the wing warping.
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I guess I should have said “single occupant”.

:rolleyes:

But to the OP, as others have said, there are usually two seat aircraft that are very comparable in basic nature and handling to the one seaters. Talk to other pilots who fly the aircraft that you want to fly and ask about their transition to it. Just don’t go hop into Strega or Rare Bear just because you just got your tailwheel and high power endorsements.
 
It depends on the plane and your experience level.

When I bought my Kolb Ultrastar (ultralight) I had recent time in a 2 seat Quicksilver and lots of time (but years prior) in a Taylorcraft. Did a few fast taxi runs to get used to a tailwheel again and then flew it, no problems.

When I sold the Kolb and bought a Fisher FP404 biplane, same thing. Same thing, though it was rather faster than the Kolb and a lot touchier on the ground. I had had a recent flight review in a J-3 Cub. Again no problems.

When I sold the Fisher and bought a Starduster I got a half hour in a two seat Starduster, then went to pick up my new plane. It was a lot faster and touchier than the Fisher and I was lucky to get it home in one piece (but I did). A large part of the touchiness was a cracked/bent landing gear that was only discovered later.
 
There are no 2-seat A-10s, F-22s, or F-35s.
 
I wouldn't advise anyone to do it the way I did. But, I survived. Others have too.

When I bough the Sonerai, I found out it is a "2-seater" in name only. Its just not pratical to put 2 full grown men in that airplane and safely conduct dual instruction.

I had very little recent tailwheel time. So, I got a couple of hours of practice flying and landing from the back seat in a Champ. Then, when I went to go buy the airplane, I pestered the seller for a full day before we loaded it up in a rental truck, and I drove it home.

I started out with slow taxi. Then, some fast taxi on the runway, just to get a feel keeping it straight iwth the tail up. Everyone said, "oh no, you can't do high-speed taxi! Its too dangerous!" But, I did. And, I think it helped a lot.

My first landing, I was all over the place. I was a little fast. And, I found out later that a worn and sloppy tailwheel was the cause for my "fish-tailing" on the roll out. I got that replaced. And, and I've got more than 60 hours in it now.

My advice to the OP is to get in touch with other owners of the model aircraft he's planning on buying and see how much he can learn from them.
 
wilkersk said:
I wouldn't advise anyone to do it the way I did. But, I survived. Others have too.

When I bough the Sonerai, I found out it is a "2-seater" in name only. Its just not pratical to put 2 full grown men in that airplane and safely conduct dual instruction.

I had very little recent tailwheel time. So, I got a couple of hours of practice flying and landing from the back seat in a Champ. Then, when I went to go buy the airplane, I pestered the seller for a full day before we loaded it up in a rental truck, and I drove it home.

I started out with slow taxi. Then, some fast taxi on the runway, just to get a feel keeping it straight iwth the tail up. Everyone said, "oh no, you can't do high-speed taxi! Its too dangerous!" But, I did. And, I think it helped a lot.

My first landing, I was all over the place. I was a little fast. And, I found out later that a worn and sloppy tailwheel was the cause for my "fish-tailing" on the roll out. I got that replaced. And, and I've got more than 60 hours in it now.

My advice to the OP is to get in touch with other owners of the model aircraft he's planning on buying and see how much he can learn from them.
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Thanks some very good advice.
 
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