Page 36 - June 2015 Volume 19 Number 6

As a company that specializes in helping owner- pilots transition from piston to turbine power, we are often asked the shortest path to reach their next move-up aircraft. Transitioning to your first turboprop or light jet is somewhat different than moving from a Cessna 172 to a retractable single or light twin. There are multiple facets – from training and insurance to real-world experience and safety – that must be discerned before burning that first drop of Jet A.
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Our first piece of advice is to assemble your transition team. This can be a loose assemblage of experienced, trusted advisors, people who will guide you through the process. Your transition partners ought to be selected the way you pick your heart surgeon: Not only should they possess experience, skill and breadth of knowledge, they must have your best interests and well-being at the top of their priority list. If you sense they are focused on what’s in it for them, they aren’t the right people to have on your team.
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Essential to that team is your aircraft ownership advisor – someone who knows the aircraft market, knows your mission and operational needs, and understands where you are in your aviation journey. Their technical knowledge on the aircraft models along your transition path will ensure that you make educated and cost-effective purchase decisions. Also key is a trusted insurance broker who will advise you of what underwriters are looking for and who will go to bat for you when the time comes to write your policy. In addition, include your trusted training professional, someone who has spent significant time with you in the cockpit and knows your skillset and learning style, as well as what you can expect during the transition process.
Finally, your team should include your aviation mentors. These are trusted friends or colleagues who have successfully completed the transition you are contemplating. They also can be professional pilots who are willing to share their experience and knowledge. In addition, your mentors’ philosophy and professional approach to flying and operational safety set the bar for how you wish to fly.
If you are a newly-minted multi-engine pilot with the goal to be in the left seat of a light jet, get your team assembled and begin putting together your transition plan.
Meet Mr. Perfect, the Ideal Move-up Candidate
Let’s talk about the ideal move-up candidate. In fact, let’s strive for absolute perfection. Let me paint the picture for you of what this person is like, in case you haven’t met him. First of all, this man or woman isn’t simply financially successful; our future turbine pilot is very, very rich. This person doesn’t have to be bothered with the day-to-day drudgery of running a company, keeping a schedule, and balancing professional, personal
34 • TWIN & TURBINE
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by Tim White
and flying lives. With all this spare time and little or no distractions, he or she can spend as much time as needed to work on ratings and build time. Devoting two-and-a-half weeks to complete an initial type rating is no big deal for our pilot.
Our ideal pilot believes that his logbook isn’t complete without tailwheel time, a mountain-flying course, seaplane rating, upset training in an L-39, and an ATP rating. To round out his training, he attends formal recurrency training every six months, followed by a few hours flying with a mentor pilot who happens to be a former Blue Angels pilot.
Our hero keeps his pristine, state-of-the-art equipped airplane at a towered airport with a 10,000-foot runway and stores it in a climate-controlled private hangar. He has his own NOAA weather station and a private staff of meteorologists so he can stay apprised of changing weather conditions.
Our pilot is a health freak, eats only organic foods, is an elite triathlete and gets regular checkups where the doctor marvels at his low blood pressure and cholesterol. To keep himself mentally balanced, he meditates regularly and practices yoga every morning after a solid eight hours of blissful sleep.
Sound like anyone you know? Probably not. However, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. While insurance underwriters and training providers would like you to be as close to that mythical “perfect” status as possible, no one would ever start a transition program if they waited to have all the right boxes were checked.
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JUNE 2015