Title: Moving Up to a Jet | Flying
Headings: Moving Up to a Jet
Moving Up to a Jet
Content: The requirements for flying precision and performance are the same for the single pilot as for a crew, and examiners take a very hard look at how the pilot handles emergencies as well as how he flies under normal conditions. Most pilots new to jets are encouraged to earn the crew type rating first and gain experience in the airplane flying with a qualified pilot in the right seat. In reality, insurance companies are going to demand that a new jet pilot log some hours with a mentor, so the type rating isn't that big of an issue. Once a pilot is comfortable flying as a crew member, he can return to the training center and, after some practice handling the airplane by himself, take a check-ride solo and have the (S) added to his certificate, signifying he's qualified for single-pilot flying. Flying without a copilot is very convenient on the ground, where there are no issues of what to do with the other guy while you spend time in meetings, with the family or whatever. But in the air, you need to be aware that you are sacrificing at least some amount of potential safety. Jets have backup systems for every conceivable failure, but if the only human in the cockpit has no backup, those redundant systems won't be of any use if the human fails to perform properly. As you accelerate down the runway, the jet engine is feeding itself more air and thus increasing power output. This is called "ram recovery" because the slipstream air being rammed into the front of the engine is helping the compressor do its job. This phenomenon was even more noticeable in old straight turbojet engines that really got to work when the airspeed hit 200 knots or more, but it is still noticeable in modern turbofan engines in which the fan produces the big majority of thrust at low airspeeds and low altitudes.