Author Topic: Flight Instruction in Single-Control Airplanes (Read 2364 times)

Tom Turner · « **on:** February 21, 2011, 07:14:55 AM »

Flight Instruction in Single-Control Beechcraft

updated 12/18/2009

ABS frequently gets questions about the legality of flight instruction in airplanes with a single control yoke. Herea

James Kennedy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2011, 07:56:00 AM »

For the sake of conversation lets say I own two airplane one is a bonanza with a single control wheel yoke and the other is a cessna 150 with dual control wheels so when I take my flight review which airplane do I take my review in. The regulation doesn't seem to specify and although I fly 90% of my time in the bonanza I could elect to do the review in the cessna and I think be perfectly legal for two more years, but the question is would I have been better served to have taken the review in the plane I fly most? I suspect I am guilty, like others, of looking at review rides as "have to do's" rather than "want to do's".

John Wilson · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2011, 08:19:36 AM »

When I first got my A36 the insurance company, as typically done, wanted a logged checkout. I was able to get them to accept a couple of hours of logged instrument instruction in the aircraft as fulfilling the requirement.

Its a real shame the FAA will not (or has not) moved on this matter.

Edmund Braly · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2011, 09:06:16 AM »

With about 4k hours, multil-engine, land, instruments, I downsized from a C 340 Ram to a sweet V35G, circa 1956, with a throw-over control. Since that equipment change, all of my flight reviews have been in rented, fixed-gear Cessnas. You're right, the regs seem to encourage, (for saftey's sake)a flight review, including emergency procedures... (like cranking down the gear, emergency descents, partial panels, etc)....but discourage that training in the specific aircraft that one flies exclusively...... except of course, for that one hour every two years.

Edmund Braly · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2011, 09:08:18 AM »

Its one of the reasons why the Bonanza group, and it's "throw-over exempted instuctors" are so valuable.

Ron Gravitt · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2011, 04:03:22 AM »

What happened to this NPRM? Is it still in process?

Tom Turner · « **Reply #6 on:** February 28, 2011, 03:18:12 AM »

The NPRM comment period has long since expired, but there has been no action on rulemaking and there is no stated timetable. As best I've been able to find out the process is low priority.

Jeffrey Lyle · « **Reply #7 on:** April 15, 2011, 04:51:27 AM »

Does this also seem to include toe brakes on the co-pilot side? I see some beech aircraft with dual controls but no breaks on the co-pilot side.

Ron Gravitt · « **Reply #8 on:** April 15, 2011, 08:29:29 AM »

Nothing that I know of requires brakes on the co pilot side. Most instructors don't seem to care one way or the other. If you were taking student pilot training the instructor would probably want them for his/her own safety.

Tom Turner · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2011, 09:01:31 AM »

There was a precedent-setting case several years ago involving flight instruction in a Piper Apache with dual flight controls but no brakes on the instructor's side. Eventually the FAA ruled that brakes are not "flight controls," and consequently not required under FAR 91.109.

Relatively few Bonanzas, Debonairs, Travel Airs and Barons have brakes on the right side. It leads to some interesting pre-flight briefing items with the student (e.g., "If you hear me say BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE I want you to BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE"). But FAA agrees instructor-side brakes are not required in order to provide flight instruction.