Originally Posted by
FGD135
Don't agree, Stallie. For starters, the jet won't be landing in the outback with flares. As machtuk has said, it is a big step up from the slower and more forgiving turboprop.
Such training of the PC12 pilots would have consisted of at least 12 months ICUS, but they needed pilots much more quickly than that. And they will be single pilots. If it had been a two pilot ship, then it could have been a PC12 pilot in the RH seat virtually from day one.
I expect the RFDS will have their eye on a scheme where certain qualifying PC12 pilots (ATPL'd with sufficient multi-engine time) will, via 18-24 months ICUS, attain the standard for single pilot of the jet. It will take that long because these pilots will still be needed to fly the PC12 in the interim.
18-24 months of ICUS, are you f***king kidding me?!
https://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/dat...-Printable.pdf
Have a read. Pilatus have made the aircraft as simple to fly as possible going by what I read in that. The PC-12 was much the same, very simple operation and the NG's became even easier again.
I disagree with your statement about training any jet pilot to become an RFDS pilot, as opposed to an RFDS pilot becoming a jet pilot. I did several years of aeromedical and it's a very specific skill set to become a GOOD aeromedical pilot. Learning to fly a simple to operate jet, not going to take very long at all. It's not a very highly swept wing, so the 'jet specifics' will hardly be noticeable.
At the end of the day, if the RFDS are going to move with the times and keep advancing like they have in their 90 years of operations, jets is the natural next step, and the PC-24 appears to be a very good choice of aircraft. Well done to Western Ops and Central Section on making the move and getting them.
Do you work for Careflight at all FGD?