Multi engine time building programs involve a multi
engine rated pilot flying the airplane under the hood from the left seat and
another multi engine rated pilot occupying the right seat as a safety pilot.
Under FAA regulations this arrangement permits both pilots to log pilot in
command time on the same flight, with some restrictions: The safety pilot can
log as pilot in command time only that time during which the left seat pilot is
wearing a view limiting device, provided that the pilots have agreed prior to
take-off that the safety pilot will be responsible for the safety of flight
during that time. The safety pilot can not log any take-offs and landings, or
any time during which the left seat pilot is not wearing a hood, such as taxi,
run-up, take-off and landing. This usually amounts to about .3 hours per flight.
Prerequisites: Shared cost time building requires two multi engine
rated private or commercial pilots who fly as a team. It is easiest if two pilots arrive together as training
partners, since shared cost time building flights are not possible without a
second pilot. If you are unable to find a training partner, we will try to pair
you with one. An instrument rating is desirable, but not necessary. If a pilot
is not instrument rated, he or she should have about 15 to 20 hours of
instrument dual received. Some of the time building flights can be designed to
integrate with our multi engine instrument training program.
Initial Check-Out Procedures: The safety pilot is acting as pilot in command, and is responsible for the safety of flight while the left seat pilot is wearing a view limiting device. For this reason we require that the safety pilot be proficient at take-offs and landings and some airwork from the right seat.
(a) Prairie Air Service trained multi engine pilots: You will already be familiar with the airplane and its equipment. You will receive about 1.5 hours of dual instruction covering traffic patterns and some airwork from the right seat, and receive 1 hour of ground instruction covering crew coordination.
(b) Multi engine rated pilots trained at other schools:
(1) Ground training: The initial check-out procedures will consist of the same cockpit briefing and ground school which is part of our multi engine rating program. You will receive additional ground instruction covering crew coordination.
(2)
Flight training: The initial check out will consist of traffic patterns,
engine out emergency procedures, steep turns and stalls. The amount of flight
training required will depend on the type of airplane in which your initial
multi engine training was received, and on the recency of your multi engine
experience. A pilot with a recently completed multi engine rating in an Apache
or Aztec will require about 2 hours of dual in the left seat and 1.5 hours of
dual in the right seat. A pilot who received his multi engine rating in a
counter rotating twin, and who is not current may require about 3 – 4 hours of
dual in the left seat and 1.5 hours of dual in the right seat. The flight
training will be billed at the regular hourly rate.
Cost: To simplify billing procedures, only the left seat pilot will
be billed on time building flights. The safety pilot will not be billed for any
flight time in the right seat during time building flights. On a typical 5 hour
flight, a pilot will pay the regular hourly rate for his 2.5 hours of left seat
time, and log an additional 2.2 hours of right seat (safety pilot) PIC time free
of charge. This results in an average shared net cost of about 53% of the
regular hourly price per logged flight hour per pilot.
Time Building Operating Procedures: Our insurance requires an
instructor to be on board our Apache at all times. The instructor will occupy a
passenger seat in back and act as coach during the flight, which will insure
that these flights also provide enhanced instrument training to both pilots.
This is especially helpful if one of the pilots is not yet instrument rated. The
instructor shall occupy the right (co-pilot) seat for all take offs and landings
at runways shorter than 4000 feet, at airport elevations above 7000 feet, or if
strong wind, turbulence or other safety concerns exist. The safety pilot will
occupy a rear seat during this time. Upon departing the traffic pattern, or
approaching the pattern of such an airport, the instructor and safety pilot will
trade places. All landings with the instructor in the back seat shall be to a
full stop. No engine out emergency procedures shall be practiced with the
instructor in the back seat. Should an actual emergency occur, the instructor
will move to the left (pilot’s) seat after the situation has been stabilized.
The exact profile of each time building flight is left to
the 2 pilots’ discretion. The instructor will make suggestions for flight
profiles which will provide the pilots with maximum training benefits. The
different training scenarios can best be described by the following types:
Crew Coordination
and Enhanced Instrument Approach Training: On this type of flight the pilots
will learn crew coordination procedures and the different responsibilities of
the flying and non flying pilot. We will also focus on increasing instrument
approach skills by familiarizing the pilots with the various configurations of
different approach procedures at a large number of different airports. A typical
flight lasts about 2.5 hours per pilot and consist of a short instrument cross
country, followed by instrument approaches at several outlying airports which we
do not typically use during initial instrument training due to their distance
from our home base at Benton. We will land at an outlying field and the pilots
will change seats. The second pilot will then fly some more approaches at
different outlying fields and finally fly another short instrument cross country
back to Benton. Filing of instrument flight plans is optional.
Enhanced IFR Cross Country Training and High Density ATC Environment: This
type of training flight involves IFR cross country flights to busy destinations.
These cross country flights will be conducted on IFR flight plans to different
metropolitan areas with Class B or Class C airspace.
The pilots will become familiar with enroute and terminal ATC procedures
to busy airports. Crew coordination will be practiced, and if the pilots
encounter difficulties (such as a “slam dunk” approach), the instructor is
on board to assist as necessary. Most of these flights will terminate with a
radar vectored ILS approach at a major airport. The pilots will switch seats at
the destination airport. The typical flight lasts between 1.5 and 3 hours per
pilot, which provides us with a choice of 3 Class B and a large number of Class
C destinations.
IFR Cross Country Training and Mountain Flying Checkout: A typical
flight would be an IFR cross country to Colorado Springs, Denver or Cheyenne,
followed by some mountain flying and high elevation airport instrument and VFR
training. One of our favorite airports is Leadville, Colorado, located at 9,927
ft. elevation. There are many other high elevation airports in Colorado, Wyoming
and New Mexico where our students will learn high altitude approach procedures
and also will gain additional familiarity with IFR Obstacle DPs. This type
flight can be a long one day trip or involve an overnight stay.
Long IFR Cross Country Training to a Tourism Destination: This is a
multi day trip to a popular tourist
destination such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Niagara Falls, or the Air
Force museum in Dayton. We can fly to any destination of your choice in the
Contiguous United States and Canada. We fly 6 – 8 hours to our destination on
the first day, spend the second day sightseeing at the destination, and fly back
home on the third day. A flight to any destination in the mountainous Western US
will typically also include mountain flying training.
Additional Costs (on extended cross country flights): On extended
flights all out of town expenses (such as hotels, restaurants, rental cars,
entry fees, tie down and landing fees), including the instructor’s expenses,
are the responsibility of the pilots flying the trip. A cross country fuel
surcharge will apply to fuel purchases away from home base. Our hourly rates are
based on our bulk fuel costs at Benton. Retail fuel costs are about $1.25 per
gallon higher than our bulk cost, which will increase the hourly operating cost
by about $20.00. Our Apache has extended range tanks, which enable us to fly
about 7.5 hours without refueling. Therefore only extended cross country flights
beyond about a 500 nm radius will require retail fuel purchases.
