What a rush! My training in the Piper Cheyenne is complete and I’m back home preparing to fly passengers. The company is very safety minded, as am I, and is graciously allowing me to fly the airplane as much as I’d like before I take passengers with me. This will allow me to get comfortable flying and doing instrument approaches with these radios, and then refine my techniques for quiet and passenger comfort.
Saturday, Dec 14, 2024: Using my own airplane, I flew over to Hammonton, NJ to pick up the Instructor (Bob). I am the only PIC at this point, so we were not able to reposition the airplane over to him. When I arrived, Bob asked if we could take a local instrument student with us for the experience. I briefed both Bob and Jacob on the escape procedures for the cargo door and main cabin. Then I started up and realized I’d left the chocks on the nosewheel!
No smooth recovery was possible, but Bob volunteered to remove them with the engines running. He is a professional guy, familiar with every aspect of aviation. I shut my radios down, then the right engine down and put my hand on the mixture control for the left engine in case he looked like he might go beyond the nose toward that prop. I wasn’t off to a good start, but didn’t focus on that. Bob was very cool about the entire thing and didn’t make me feel like the idiot I was. Movin’ on!
Approaching the runway, I performed a takeoff briefing, and also informed Bob on Vmc speeds. I explained that the Twin Comanche would be airborne below Vmc, and I’d allow that in ground effect to avoid wheel barrowing down the runway while trying to hold it on. I would accelerate in ground effect to 105; then pitch up and declare that We are going! while I brought the gear up. Bob acknowledged and we departed.
We flew back to Wilmington to pick up the Cheyenne, while Bob and I talked about the history of the airplane. My autopilot flew a nice GPSS track, and he was surprised it all worked so well. he was very complimentary of the airplane that I’m proud of, so that made me feel pretty good. While I’ve spent a bunch of money on this machine to get it where it is today, it has led me to several flying opportunities in return.
Outside at the Cheyenne: We stowed my airplane in my hangar; covered and installed the heaters. Then the three of us drove my car the 1/4 mile to the Cheyenne hangar and did a walk-around there. Jeff, the mechanic for the machine, had already done a pre-flight. We did the cursory checks and a walk-around before Bob stopped to train me on how to close the Nose Baggage Door (a killer item), and then on how to open and close the main cabin door.
Inside the cockpit: The previous PIC had flown with me on two previous flights, and reminded me on how to start a turbine engine. I have 1300 hours of turbine time, but I respect the fact that this review is essential. I did not have routine turbine starting skills in recent history, so lets’ do it.
- There may be a time when you forget to turn on the ignitors and then bring the condition levers to run. Likewise, you may have neglected to ensure those condition levers were in the OFF position. In that case – DO NOT try to catch up by turning on the ignitors late. You’ll fry the engine with all that unburned fuel sitting in there.
Instead, move the condition levers to off and leave the starter ON for 15 more seconds. Wait a bit to allow everything to settle (and you to get your wits about you), then run the engine clearing procedure before trying to continue. - Should the ignitors fail when you move the Condition Levers to RUN, or the engine doesn’t light off, do the same as above. Move the condition levers to off and leave the starter ON for 15 more seconds. Wait a bit to allow everything to settle (and you to get your wits about you), then run the engine clearing procedure before trying to continue.
Next it was Bob’s turn to show me how NOT TO FRY AN ENGINE. Some of his advice follows here, and it is all worth paying attention to. He is basically laying out common mistakes, and how to avoid turning them into a large maintenance bill.
I managed to get both engines started without drama, and we taxiied out for departure on runway 1. The other runways were closed today. I had loaded a simple flight plan that would keep me out of Philly’s Class Bravo, and flew to VCN and then N81. This flight would be flown by hand – no autopilot – which would be a common theme for all of the flights except one.
Props full up for takeoff puts them at 2200 RPM. Counter to my previous two flights, rolling takeoffs were acceptable and stable by setting torque to 400 initially, then all the way up to 1200 ft-lbs on the roll. It is not the end of the world if you over-torque, and I was given some slack as I learned the hand movements. I was jerky on the power, but again, that will get better. Props to 1800 in cruise.
My sight picture is still coming online with practice. I took off right of centerline, and have been landing the same way. I’m safe for now, and will be working on improving that trend with each flight. Once clear of the obstacles, climb at 500 fpm to keep the speed up and build yourself a margin should an engine fail. On downwind to land; reduce power as necessary (600 ft-lbs~); Pitch up to drop airspeed if needed and get under the gear speed for extension.
One of the techniques I was taught each day was to slow with power to 160 kts; drop the flaps; lower the gear; and then immediately increase power (900 ft-lbs or so) to maintain your airspeed with all that new drag. I really liked this technique, as it replaced my GUMPS procedure for this airplane. At the time of this first lesson, GUMPS didn’t seem to make sense in this airplane. More on that later.
I was doing this technique each day, and liked it for ensuring I was properly configured. What I didn’t do was do the speed check before gear extension, and that would later give a copilot a stroke on the way home when I extended the gear at 161 kts; 5 kts over the gear speed! My bad – I’ll have to clean that up and re-introduced the Speed Checks callout.
So it’s 160 kts to dirty it up; 140 kts on base; and 120 kts on final. Bob says ‘there is no reason to fly slower than 120kts at anytime other than just prior to touchdown‘. He does make an exception for short fields and calm winds. Also – ‘if you think you are too high, then you aren’t high enough’. This airplane is incredibly capable and the ability to do a high approach is eye opening. It took several tries to feel comfortable doing this, but now that I am, I love it!
Training versus Real World: There is always a difference between flight training and practical flying, in my experience. In this case, I’ve been taught in training to do certain procedures that maximize safety, but might be impractical or uncomfortable for passengers. Talking with the previous pilots, bringing the props to full RPM a few miles out from touchdown seems to be one, and using aggressive reversers after touchdown might be another. I’ve listened to the instructor, and now I’m adding corporate knowledge to determine how I want to fly. Safety is paramount, so please don’t misconstrue my comments to think that I’ll try to impress anyone. Not gonna happen. They’ve been flying safely before me, and I’ll continue in that tradition.
Flaps: Flap asymmetry was an issue raised the first time I flew this airplane with the previous pilot. His technique was to lower the flaps to approach first, then milk them in a little at a time. There are no detents in this flap system, so you have that much control. I was first taught that this was a killer item, which it is if the flaps asymmetry happens and you or the safety system doesn’t stop it. Bob was less worried about it, and applies the flaps to full if that is desired. Yes – the airplane balloons when you add flaps, but you can learn to counter that. I’ll figure out what my procedure will be as we go.
Flaps 15 landings are no problem, so I can fly an approach with approach flaps, and leave them that way for landing or the missed approach. Nice.
Landing: As soon as you exit the runway, and only after you exit the runway, set ALL THREE TRIMS for the next takeoff. Trims can KILL YOU. Verify that your finger is on the Flap Control and then raise them. Flaps up and taxi lights on, etc.
Bob demonstrated the Alex McMahon approach with the runway disappearing under the nose at 1000′, then dirty up and point it down. I mentioned this before, and we practiced it several times in this training. More on this later.
GUMPS alternative: instead of having GUMPS to ensure the gear is down, the procedure here it PROPS FWD; SLOW TO 160kts (Pitch up helps); FLAPS 15 (APPR); GEAR DOWN IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER; POWER TO 800-1000 IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER; 140 DOWNWIND; 130 BASE; 120 FINAL; 110 OVER THE FENCE
Squawks: There are a few issues out there being actively worked, but the airplane appears to be in great shape. The issue currently being addressed is the torque meter for the left engine. The procedure has been to tap on the display when it sticks, and that does work to get a proper reading as you power up for takeoff. I don’t want the distraction of doing that during a takeoff, however. Were the engine to actually not be producing enough power, I’d lose critical seconds having to diagnose the issue by checking the fuel flow to make sure power is set correctly. I asked that this be addressed as a high priority, so we swapped the left and right meters yesterday. If the problem follows the meter or not, we’ll determine what the next steps are.
Overall: Bob appreciated the care I put into my personal airplane, and complimented my flying in the Twin Comanche as we flew. That solid first impression laid the groundwork for my Cheyenne training, and I was ready to get to work. Previously I had said on this blog that we only did the one short repositioning flight today, plus one additional pattern to a landing.
We actually did two flights the first day, which entailed a flight down to Millville; a takeoff and landing there; and then a return flight to N81; and a takeoff and landing there to end the day. The flying portion of the training is enough to motivate me. Pure gold.
Prepare: I showed up having read the POH and a SIMCOM manual ahead of time. If you train with Bob, do that. My time in the airplane with Bob was gold. He rebuilds these things and understands not only how to fly them, but how to fix them and what the killer items are. With Bob – you need to fly without the autopilot, and be ready to absorb a flood of techniques, critiques, and procedures along the way. The training inside the airplane is truly non-stop.
The first day was intense, but I’m very glad to be here and doing this. All that was left was to drive an hour and 40 minutes to home. The hotels in the Hammonton area were dismal.
More to come on the subsequent training experience. Thanks for reading this, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Frank