Title: Single Pilot Jets | Flying
Headings: Single Pilot Jets
Single Pilot Jets
Content: To earn that rating the pilot must be trained and checked under an approved program. These airplanes are eligible to be flown by a single pilot, but not just any single pilot. The FAA still begins with the assumption that a jet or airplane weighing more than 12,500 pounds will require a crew of two and it's up to the manufacturer to demonstrate otherwise. Approval for single-pilot operation is one of the final steps in certification of a new business jet, or an airplane in the commuter category. Many of the requirements for single-pilot operation are obvious. For example, the landing gear handle needs to be easily reachable from the left seat, which is not always the case in jets. The design of the basic controls is also crucial. For example, it would be almost impossible to get single-pilot approval for a jet with tiller steering for the nosewheel because at crucial times during takeoff or landing the left seat pilot needs one hand for the tiller and the other for the throttles, with nothing left for the flight controls. All other controls, switches and essential items must also be located so a single pilot can easily see and reach them. And the autopilot must be fully and seamlessly integrated into the airplane and its navigation systems, and the complete autopilot system must be functional for every flight with only one pilot.