Title: Single Pilot Jets | Flying
Headings: Single Pilot Jets
Single Pilot Jets
Content: ADVERTISEMENT
After the FAA determines that a pilot can physically manage the cockpit from the left seat, actual flight testing determines if the airplane will be approved for single-pilot flight. What typically happens is that FAA certification pilots fly the new type from the left seat through various maneuvers, but most importantly, the pilots fly typical flights to determine the workload. The FAA pilots fly the airplane into busy airspace on standard IFR clearances with no special ATC handling and with no help from a copilot. And the FAA pilots do not have a great deal of time in the airplane because it is, of course, new, so they are taking a fresh look at the tasks a pilot must perform. Airspeeds are, of course, important because a jet that can fly slower in the terminal area gives the single pilot more time to manage the cockpit. But even more critical is the level of automation in the systems and avionics. The autopilot will be used for virtually all phases of flight except takeoff and landing, so it must be uncomplicated to operate and perform crucial functions such as automatic altitude capture. The flight management system (FMS) that handles the navigation chores must have comprehensive capability, but not demand too much head-down time to operate. These are all subjective decisions by the FAA pilots, but in nearly 30 years of single-pilot jet operation the base of experience is broad. The FAA's single-pilot certification practices make sense to me because the agency's test pilots determine that they can handle the workload, and then examiners certify that each pilot applying for a single-pilot type rating can also handle the load.