Page 15 - TTFebruary2018

Jet Journal
Becoming a Jet Pilot
Getting your first jet type rating
takes work, but with the right training, it’s more than attainable.
With more than 1,000 hours behind the controls of King Airs, I’ve come to know and love “the King” over the past few years. It was the first turbine-powered airplane I got my hands on – achieving my ATP in a King Air 90 simulator, my first type rating in the King Air 350
and even crossing oceans in the beloved turboprop. The King Air is like an old friend. There is a level of comfort and respect that I share with no other airplane.
With that said, imagine my inner turmoil as I walk through the door of the TRU Simulation + Training facility in Carlsbad, California to begin my initial type training in the Cessna 525 Citation Jet series.
On one hand, in a mere two weeks I will be type rated in a jet! On the other hand, I feel as though I am betraying my Beechcraft brethren by moving into a Citation. Will I forget where my roots are planted when I am flying along at FL450 cruising at well over 400 KTAS? Only time will tell. But as I step foot into the ground school classroom, I push these thoughts out as I prepare to “take a drink from the fire hose,” as they say.
The Model 525
The model 525 Citation Jet (more often known as the CJ) assuredly needs no introduction to the readers of Twin & Turbine. The many iterations of the CJ have been a favorite of owner pilots and corporate flight departments alike for decades. Known for its reliability, performance and single-pilot simplicity, the CJ is a first stop for many aviators looking to make the jump to jets. And for good reason with its performance, pedigree and shared type rating.
While I will be flying a newer 525 model for my employer, my initial type training will be conducted in the “legacy” CJ3 (legacy referring to the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite versus the latest current-production G3000). This aircraft features standard seating for 2 crew plus 8 passengers, a maximum takeoff weight of 13,870 pounds, and two FADEC controlled FJ44-3A engines each producing 2,780 pounds of thrust at takeoff.
Ground School
Being scheduled for class just a couple of weeks before the start date, I immediately receive pre- course study material from TRU. While I am accustomed to receiving pre-course study material from other training providers, I am amazed to see that TRU actually sends a link and log-in to their learning
by Jacob Tyler
F
3
F
8
e
e
b
b
r
r
u
u
a
a
r
y
2
r
y
2
0
0
1
1
8
•
T
T
3
W
W
I
I
N
&
T
N
&
T
U
U
R
R
B
B
I
I
N
N
E
1
E
1
•
TRU SIMULATION & TRAINING PHOTO