TP currency

[slippedthebonds]

Hi folks,

What's an average annual amount of flying for a TP in fast jets? Is there a mimimum for currency and maximum I guess for sheer fatigue? What's the most any TP has logged?

STB

[John Farley]

I started on the P1127 prototype in 1964 and worked my way through to the Harrier II and retired in 1983. It was not until 1982 that I logged 50 hours in any one year.

The value of hours flown as a measure of currency is dubious. To me what matters is what the pilot did when airborne.

[CirrusF]

John, was that 50 hours just on one type? Or 50 hours total?

[John Farley]

From 1967 onwards it was effectively total although there were one or two a year in the Hunter (to do a ministry jet IRT) and probably 5-10 in a Dove ferrying VIPs when the comms guys needed a day off.

I completely accept that specialising in VSTOL handling issues was unusual and high value per minute stuff but my point is that what you do when airborne (and the number of sorties) is a better criteria for currency than hours in the last three months or whatever.

[MarkMcC]

Our requirements at the Canadian Flight Test Centre are 25hrs/quarter. This is total, not dedicated test. I always counted anything over 100/yr as a good year.