Navajo

[Tverhie]

Hi everyone,
Just wondering for anyone that flies (or has flown, or just knows for that matter) Navajos [PA31] (or Chieftains) as a First Officer - when you were the pilot flying, did you fly the aircraft from the left seat or right seat? If it was from the left seat, was there a minimum hour requirement, or did the pilot flying always fly from the left seat? Thanks a bunch for any info!

[Nightrider]

IFR commercial operation...two pilots...First officer operates from the right hand seat...this is standard until the F/O has reached the hours to be upgraded to Captain.
It is unsafe and not recommended to operate an aeroplane from either seat, unless you are trained and checked-out for this.

It is very important that also in small aeroplanes the basic principles of managing a flying machine are valid.

I hear now a lot of hammering coming in...no reason for that. It actually doesn't matter where you sit, flying the machine is important, and that within the trained and known circumstances. Sitting with 4 stripes on the right hand seat means that you are at least a Line Trainer...so where is the problem.

[STOL]

Tverhie: I flew about 700hrs right hand seat on PA31's in the UK whilst having a PPL and started with about 200hrs total time. Crew capacity: PA (Pilots assistant) Unfortunately it was all unlogable (apart from dead legs) but gave me invaluable experience and helped me secure a first time pass on my I/R. In the UK the Navajo is cleared for single pilot ops providing the autopilot is serviceable. Some of our VIP customers required a seconds pilot or P.A. for safety reasons. Company policy was to carry a PA when possible especially on night flights and into busy airfields with complexed SIDs + STARs. This was over 20 years ago but I recall the Ops manual requirement for command was CPL/IR perf "C" and 1000hrs TT. In practice the company never hired Captains with under 1500hrs total time.

The L/H seat is the skipper’s seat. Our aircraft had a good avionics fit with an HSI and RMI on the left. The co-pilots panel was satisfactory but basic with an unslaved DI and a CDI. Nightrider, I wouldn't like to fly the Navajo from the right single pilot. Too much stretching!! That reminds me of the incident up north a long time ago when the Bandit (EMB110) was single pilot and some poor sod was shooting an ILS down to minimums and the control column came off in his hands. Carried out a missed approach using the Co Jo's column. Climbed across and carried out a successful approach & landing! BIK_116.80: Why not fly the PA31two crew. On a few occasions, mainly in the northern European winter, single pilot ops I would gladly had a competent assistant or co-pilot to reduce the workload. I appreciate the payload issues of light piston twins but having a good P.A. / Co Jo reduces workload especially on short notice flights, quick turnarounds or busy at airports, tends to keep your cockpit disciplines to a higher standard & provides experience for low time, newly qualified pilots.

Back to the original post I see that you are in Canada Tverhie & have no idea how the Navajo is operated under Canadian regulation but if you have any questions regarding the Ops of the PA31 feel free to mail me.

Best regards,

STOL