Pilatus PC-24 a Cross-Country Flight and Review of the Versatile Jet

FOR THE PILOTS OF OWNER-FLOWN, CABIN-CLASS AIRCRAFT MARCH 2020 $3.95 US VOLUME 24 NUMBER 3

Pilatus PC-24 A Cross-Country Flight and Review of the Versatile Jet

Utilizing GA for Garmin Rolls Out A Guide to the Conservation Efforts GTN Xi Series Citation 560XL: Part 2 EDMO EDITOR Rebecca Groom Jacobs MARCH2020 • VOL. 24, NO. 3 [email protected] Contents EDITORIAL OFFICE 2779 Aero Park Drive Traverse City, MI 49686 Editor’s Briefing Phone: (231) 946-7770 2 Confessions of an Old 8 PUBLISHER Grouchy Aviation Skeptic Dave Moore by Randy Groom PRESIDENT Dave Moore 4 Flying It Forward CFO Women in Aviation Day Rebecca Mead by Dianne White PRODUCTION MANAGER 6 Garmin Rolls Out Mike Revard GTN Xi Series: PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR Fourth Generation Jake Smith by Rich Pickett GRAPHIC DESIGNER Marci Moon TWIN & TURBINE WEBSITE 8 Flying to Protect Nature www.twinandturbine.com 14 Conservation flights focus on ADVERTISING DIRECTOR preserving lands, water and wildlife. John Shoemaker by Grant Boyd Twin & Turbine 2779 Aero Park Drive 14 A Cross-Country Flight and Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone: 1-800-773-7798 Review of the Pilatus PC-24 Fax: (231) 946-9588 by Rich Pickett [email protected] Jet Journal ADVERTISING ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR & REPRINT SALES 26 Five on the Fly Betsy Beaudoin with Pilatus Chief Pilot Phone: 1-800-773-7798 Jed Johnson [email protected] by Rebecca Groom Jacobs SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Rhonda Kelly Kelly Adamson Jessica Meek 28 A Guide to the Citation 28 Jamie Wilson 560XL Series: Part 2 P.O. Box 968 Traverse City, MI 49685 ADS-B vs. ADS-B + LPV vs. 1-800-447-7367 Garmin G5000 Upgrade To change mailing address, by Kandi Spangler email [email protected] En Route 32 Novel Introduces Aviation to Juniors Twin & Turbine (ISSN 1945-6514), USPS 24432 is pub- lished monthly by Village Press, Inc. with advertising “Stranded” by JE Timlin offices located at 2779 Aero Park Drive, Traverse City, Michigan 49686. Telephone (231) 946-3712. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Copyright 2016, Village Press, Inc. Periodical Postage Paid at Traverse City, MI. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Twin & Turbine is distributed at no 40 charge to all registered owners of cabin-class aircraft. From the Flight Deck The mailing list is updated monthly. All others may 34 Sick of It subscribe by writing to: Twin & Turbine, P.O. Box 968, Traverse City, MI 49685, or by calling 1-800-447-7367. Milestones and kidney stones: Rates for the United States and its possessions follow: one year $15.00; two years $29.00. Canadian subscrip- Flying with a medical condition. tions are one year $24.00; two years $46.00, including by Kevin Dingman GST tax. Overseas subscriptions are one year $52.00; two years $99.00, U.S. funds. Single copies $6.50. ADVERTISING: Advertising in Twin & Turbine does not On Final necessarily imply endorsement. Queries, questions, 40 Roundtrip to Wichita and requests for media kits should be directed to the Advertising Director, Twin & Turbine, P.O. Box 968, at the Speed Of… Traverse City, Michigan 49685. Telephone 1-800-773- 7798. Website: www.twinandturbine.com. by David Miller MANUSCRIPTS: Twin & Turbine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photo- graphs, or art work. While unsolicited submissions are welcome, it is best to query first and ask for our Writer’s Guidelines. All unassigned submissions must be accompanied by return postage. Address queries and requests for Writer’s Guidelines COVER PHOTO: to the editor. Pilatus PC-24 Photo Courtesy of Pilatus Aircraft POSTMASTER: Send address changes and inquiries to Twin & Turbine, Village Press, Issues of Twin & Turbine are available Inc., P.O. Box 968, Traverse City, MI 49685. for free www.twinandturbine.com March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 1 Editor’s Briefing by Rebecca Groom Jacobs

Confessions of an Old Grouchy Aviation Skeptic

The following is guest editorial by my father Randy Groom, an industry veteran and owner-pilot.

marks the 40th year since I left college performers, but by that time the negative reputation was and joined the general aviation indus- impossible to overcome. try at Beechcraft in Wichita. In those During the 1990s, the Very Light Jet (VLJ) “craze” was 202040 years, I have watched with amazement as new designs in full swing with at least a dozen different companies, and new airframe companies attempted, and in some cases, many of which were startups, were being designed, the succeeded in entering the marketplace. I thought it might most notable being the Eclipse. There was incredible hype be interesting as we enter this new decade to reflect on that the “skies would darken” with VLJ’s with Eclipse being some of those failures and successes and contrast them with the leader. I was a skeptic of Eclipse’s ability to pull this off, some of the latest developments on the board for the future. particularly at their announced initial price close to that The first design that comes to mind (probably no surprise) of a Beech Baron. One after one, most of these startup VLJ is the Starship, which was announced early in my career companies closed their doors, draining the pocketbooks of at Beech. I was incredibly proud and excited to see Beech “reach for the stars” with a futuristic design to replace the many deposit holders and investors, creating a tidal wave venerable King Air. I was convinced at the time that we had of new aviation skeptics. Eclipse certified and delivered a winner on our hands. Seven years later, I had moved to a several hundred airplanes before going bankrupt and al- Beechcraft dealer and we picked up our first Starship – serial legedly burning through a billion dollars. Again, a colossal number 10. I felt “super cool” flying the airplane, but the business failure, but I am told by one of my hangar neighbors performance and reliability fell far short of expectations that his late production Eclipse is a great airplane, quite and ended up being an enormous business failure. fast and efficient. I think it is important to point out that just because a Also, during the 1990s, a number of single-engine turbo- new product becomes a business failure doesn’t necessarily props were under development and as a King Air salesman mean that the aircraft was a bad airplane. The later serial I went into high gear of skepticism. Who in the world would number Starships proved to be more reliable and better want a turbine airplane with one engine? Oops, I really

2 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 missed the mark on that one. Particularly with the PC-12, Vertical Takeoff and Landing Drones (Ride Share which clearly inflicted some damage on our B200 sales. Use) – This arena reminds me of the VLJ days of the 1990s. And then there was the Cirrus phenomenon. Once again, There are a ton of start-ups, most of which I predict will as a Bonanza salesman, I thought, who in the world would disappear into the vapor. Again, electric powerplants will want to buy a fixed-gear “plastic” airplane from an unknown likely limit capability and the regulatory hurdles for airspace start-up company? After all, hadn’t just about all the other and passenger carrying will likely take many years to sort startups that I had ever heard about vanished into vapor? out. However, I think these machines will likely prove their Oops, missed the mark again. Cirrus tore into the market- capability in the short-haul cargo arena before passengers place with strong marketing, a very credible product and ever step into an aircraft with no pilot. continuous refinement. And now they have a jet that will Supersonic Business Jets – Maybe someday. But I will capitalize on a large, loyal installed base of SR22 owners likely be in a retirement home still not able to wrap my mind and will likely become the most popular VLJ ever. around the cost to accomplish such an ambitious project. So now we enter into a new decade with lots of new designs In short, I hope I am wrong. In my lifetime, there are on the boards and me, an almost retired grouchy aviation amazing accomplishments and advances in technology, skeptic. As I have confessed, I haven’t always been perfect at efficiency and affordability for general aviation. We need predicting success or failure in this industry, but here goes: it as an industry to excite and attract young people into Flying Cars – In my simple mind, cars and airplanes our industry. And if we do, this old skeptic will smile ear have very different structural requirements, so if we are to ear. talking about an airplane that flies in, folds up and becomes a car on our highways, I can’t see it. Randy Groom is president of his consulting business Groom Aviation. He has held Electric Airplanes – It would be great to have an air - senior leadership positions with Piedmont plane that was economical and had a low carbon footprint. Hawthorne Aviation, Piper Aircraft and Today’s battery technology is such that none of those air- Beechcraft where he served as president. planes would likely have the range to satisfy most private He has 11,000 hours of flight experience and owners. However, flight schools where the missions only is a proud owner of a Beechcraft Bonanza require an hour or so of endurance are a great application and Aviat Husky. Randy can be contacted until such time that the technology advances. at [email protected].

Ocean Reef

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 3 Position Report by Dianne White

Flying It Forward or the past 30 or so years, March 8 has been celebrated as administrative offices and gaping at “mahogany row” with International Women in Aviation day, which coincides the wood-paneled offices with male managers on one side with the day on which the first woman, Raymonde de and a row of low desks with female secretaries smartly FLaroche, earned a pilot’s license in 1910. The point is high- dressed in skirts and suits lined up across from each office light and bring awareness to the achievements of women in door. I could have sworn the year was 1955, not 1995. Except all aviation career fields over the past century-plus of pow- for the secretaries, I didn’t see a single skirt in engineering ered flight. To coincide, Women in Aviation International or flight ops. Where were they? Mostly in marketing, PR, hold its annual convention each March – this year, it’s March interior design. A few were scattered on the manufactur- 5-7 in Orlando. The event hosts world-class speakers, job ing floor as well. fairs, networking events and awards nearly $1 million in Today, that mahogany row I encountered is pretty much scholarships to women across the entire spectrum of avia- gone. In that same company, there are numerous women tion. In addition, there are hundreds of accomplished pilots in leadership positions, some running entire divisions of a and leaders walking the convention corridors – all there multi-billion-dollar corporation. Yes, a few dinosaurs still because they want to mentor the next generation. exist, but their time is about as a new generation of leaders Having been in aviation all my life, I’m thankful that I had emerge who don’t see talent, skill and hard work defined the ultimate mentor – my mom, who was a pioneering pilot along gender lines. and businesswoman in Recently, I had a conver - her own right. Beyond sation about this very topic her, I had a few great with Tammie Jo Shults, the bosses who mentored Southwest Airlines captain who me, as well as an in- was hailed for successfully landing credibly supportive her Boeing 737 after a catastroph- spouse who also has ic, uncontained engine failure at worked in aviation his entire altitude caused an explosive de- career. As parents of two daugh- compression. Looking back at her ters, we raised them to think path to the left seat, she said she nothing is impossible if they are encountered plenty of obstacles willing to work for it, and no in her pursuit of a naval aviation doors have to be closed. As my career. “I had a dad who treated oldest pursues her Navy wings me as an equal to my brothers, of gold, she has opportunities so I never geared my aspirations ahead that many past genera- based on my gender. When I got to tions could only dream of. aviation officers’ candidate school, I often get asked, was it hard I was shocked, I had never encoun- to get your start in aviation? My tered those fences before.” answer: probably, but I didn’t But while she encountered care and didn’t let the naysay- plenty of “friendly fire,” she too ers get in my way. I knew what had a great mentor. Navy Captain I wanted to accomplish and did Rosemary Mariner was in the first what it took to get it done. If that class of six women to earn their meant I had to work harder, wings in the U.S. Navy. In addition, show up earlier and leave later, Raymonde de Laroche, the ﬁrst woman she was the first female military and hold the quality of my work to earn a pilot's license (1910). pilot to fly a tactical jet and the to a higher standard, I just did it. first to achieve command of an Not that I wasn’t acutely aware of the gender dispar- operational aviation squadron. Lucky for Tammie Jo, she ity in aviation in the late 1980s and 1990s. As a young happened to be her skipper during her training. Rosemary professional woman, I clearly remember one particu- sent Tammie Jo and one other female pilot to A-7 Corsair lar visit to a major general aviation manufacturer for weapons school, which was before women were allowed to a meeting and factory tour. I recall walking into the fly combat missions. “She saw it coming in the future, and

4 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 whether it was to prepare us or to show everyone that it’s doable, she wanted us to go.” It wasn’t easy. “The first few nights, the guys took off on us, so we ate our dinner out of the vending machine at the airport. But it backfired on them because we had nothing to do but chair-fly our bombing pattern, so we ended up ranked No. 1 and No. 2.” Unhappy that they stood at the top of the leaderboard, the men in charge took away their bullets and bombs. Tammie Jo called Rosemary telling her, “I know you paid for bombs, and we’re flying the bombing pattern without bombs or bullets because they weren’t happy that we scored at the top of the board.” Rosemary was able to get the bombs reinstated but not their bullets. That was the 1980s and Tammie Jo is quick to point out AIR much has changed. “Whether it’s engineering, being a me- chanic or f lying, the doors are open now like they have never been open in history – both in civilian as well as military worlds. If you want to do it, there’s no reason not to." Then with a twinkle in her eye and a smile, she added, “Flying isn’t a gender thing – after all, it is just piloting.”

Dianne White is the executive director of MMOPA and editor of MMOPA Magazine. For a total of 14 years, she was editor of Twin & Turbine and has worked in the business aviation industry for nearly 30 years. She also serves on the board of directors for Angel Flight Central. An active multi-engine, instrument-rated pilot, Dianne lives in the Kansas City area and can be reached at [email protected].

Metarmaps

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 5 Garmin Rolls Out GTN Xi Series: Fourth Generation by Rich Pickett

GARMIN GTN 650Xi AND GTN 750Xi. PHOTOS COURTESY OF GARMIN

armin International recently components, as well as slight changes options. The updated hardware also announced an updated version in bezel design to complement their supports Garmin’s Telligence voice of its popular GTN series of TXi flight display units. control when coupled with its GMATM GGPS/NAV/COMs. Building upon the 35C audio panel. These are just some When you boot up the GTN Xi, the capabilities of the previous GTNs, they faster startup time is easily discern- of the new features that will enhance situational awareness and safety. are releasing the new units – named ible. After startup, the high-resolu- SMR (B/E) GTN Xi – with higher resolution dis- tion display (which was impressive To ensure the largest number of plays and faster processors. The GTN with the original GTNs), renders aircraft can utilize the equipment from 650Xi and GTN 750Xi represent the the map considerably faster and the the release date, Garmin has received fourth generation of GPS/NAV/COM new processors improve the panning Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) systems since they released the GNS speed. As with their original GTN approval and immediate availability series. The Xi series is a slide-in re- units, they also support Garmin’s for single-engine and multi-engine placement for existing GTN instal- Connext technology through their piston and turbine airplanes, as well as lations for those owners that wish to Flight Stream 210 and 510 – allowing experimental aircraft. They anticipate upgrade to the latest technology. wireless sharing of traffic, weather approval for helicopter and business I’ve flown all of Garmin’s avionics and GPS position, as well as transfer of aircraft to follow in the near future. systems, and they continue to amaze flight plans with Foreflight and The GTN 650Xi has a retail price of me with their innovation. When the Garmin Pilot. If you have Garmin Pilot, $12,495, and the GTN 750Xi is $17,995. original GTNs were released, I was one you can also update the GTNs data- They are immediately available of the first to install the units in my bases through Connext. through their dealer network. Cirrus SR22. They have continually The new dual-core processors also With 11,000+ hours upgraded the software, which now enable the overlay of geo-referenced of piloting more incorporates features such as user- instrument approach charts on the than 100 aircraft defined holds, visual approaches and map page. These features are coupled models Rich Pickett radius-to-fix approaches. Some of these with terrain and obstacle alerting us- still has a passion for features were previously only avail- ing their internal database. Addition- flying. Rich holds an ATP, CFII SME, SES, able on avionics suites in much larger ally, the GTN Xi units provide audi- glider licenses, and type ratings in turbine aircraft. ble alerts, in addition to the visual the L29, L39, Citation 500/510s/525s, Prior to the official release of the alerts, including “terrain ahead, pull Eclipse 500S and DA10. His company, GTN Xi, I was able to see and work up” and “obstacle ahead, pull up.” For Personal Wings, provides training, with the units in person and was im- helicopter operators, Garmin offers mentoring and aircraft services. He is also mediately impressed. The new series a Helicopter Terrain Awareness and a proud owner of an Eclipse and Cirrus incorporates dual-core microproces- Warning Systems (HTAWS), as well as SR22. You can contact Rich at rich@ personalwings.com. sors and other updated electronic TAWS-A and TAWS-B capabilities as

6 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 SMR (B/E)

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 7 Flying to Protect Nature Conservation flights focus on preserving lands, water and wildlife. by Grant Boyd

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIGHTHAWK

eneral aviation has become an are often tasked with monitoring out of Fort Collins, Colorado, with staff irrefutable asset to businesses or traversing a large geographic and volunteers dispersed across the and organizations of all sizes, area in a short amount of time on country. It has assisted in hundreds Gneeds and profits. Whether it be limited budgets. of projects supporting the protection manufacturing firms, consulting Conservation Flying of wildlands, water and wildlife since agencies or law offices, aircraft Conservation groups utilize aircraft its founding in 1979. provide value not obtainable by in several ways when supporting na- What started as a “one-man opera- using other transportation methods ture-related causes, and LightHawk is tion” with a single plane has now be- – especially when operating in areas of the largest of the few volunteer-pilot come a national conservation group little infrastructure. Aviation’s impact based conservation organizations in that utilizes 300-plus volunteer pilots. is also felt by conservationists, who the United States. The group is based These aviators f ly almost 50 twins and

8 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 turbines alongside hundreds of single- engines and helicopters in support of a growing mission. The non-profit’s conservation efforts are diverse, with projects falling into three types of self-classifications: Flagship Projects, Strategic Projects and Flights of Opportunity. Flagship Projects are large-scale, multi-year initiatives in which the organization works with many partners toward achieving long-term goals. These projects result in hundreds of flights over several years and address the biggest conservation issues of our age. Examples range from “Restor- ing the Everglades” to “Conserving the C olo r a d o R i ve r ” t o “ Mo n i t o r i n g C a l i f o r n i a Marine Protected Areas” and others. Flagship Projects Lee Pagni, LightHawk’s foundation relations manager and pilot, speaks about one of the group’s key flagship projects and the irreplaceable impact that aviation has had: “Over the last five years, LightHawk has worked with many of the partners involved in California condor recovery. The very successful captive breeding program often involves moving birds and even eggs from one facility to another for re-pairing to increase genetic diversity or moving juveniles to the field sites to be released to the wild. LightHawk flights have made these transfers much smoother and David Clark safer for condors, reducing the likeli- hood of ‘capture myopathy,’ a condition caused by excessive stress during transport. In just the last two years, we have transported six adult birds and one egg between breeding centers, and 13 juvenile condors for release to the wild flocks in California. And with radio telemetry antennas mounted on airplanes, these f lights also enable bi- ologists from Pinnacles National Park and the Santa Barbara Zoo to locate missing wild birds when they go out of range of the hard-working field crews tracking from the ground. Keeping close tabs on these birds is important for their recovery, as sources of lead in the environment still pose a threat to the species. When scavenging birds, like condors, eat the remains of car- casses shot with lead ammunition,

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 9 THE KING AIR 200 IS A GREAT AIRPLANE...

Transporting a captive endangered Mexican wolf in a TBM. This wolf was introduced to a new mate at a different facility with the goal of releasing their offspring back into the wild.

tracking woodpeckers after fires and dozens of others. Flights of Opportunity Finally, there are Flights of Oppor- tunity, which consist of only a few flights, but still produce significant results for the organization. The im- portance of these missions is especially clear during the operations where the organization showcases its conservation efforts to the general public and special guests. Whether it be photographers and journalists who Centex 1 document environmental issues or politicians and decision-makers who help swing environmental reform, the f lights over impacted areas highlight A group of decision-makers gets a big picture view of protected area continuity in the need for continued and proposed Northern Nevada. The volunteer pilot’s Kodiak provided and excellent platform for viewing the landscape while discussing strategies for future land protection. conservation efforts. The Flying tiny fragments of the heavy metal attention to the Colorado River than Twin and turbine aircraft find a can be ingested and then absorbed through standard media channels. special place across all of LightHawk’s into their bloodstream, often causing Policymakers and donors routinely projects, Pagni says, “because of their long-term side effects and sometimes share that the perspective and educa- range and speed profile, they are able even death.” tion they receive during a flight pro- to assist with f lights that other aircraft These flagship projects and other vides observations and understanding cannot.” For example, these pilots can missions that the group supports all they can get nowhere else. assist in over-water whale surveying utilize aircraft in a different way. Strategic Partnerships flights, extended-length transports Further highlighting aviation’s in- of larger animals and providing the valuable impact is safeguarding the The organization also classi- aerial perspective to a larger number Colorado River. fies some of their projects into of decision-makers. LightHawk’s involvement in a “Strategic Partnerships,” which are In general, the special-mission project makes conservation work on meant to be short term engagements profile (low, winding tracks often the ground far more effective. They that reach conservation outcomes over undeveloped landscapes) of educate donors and policymakers at sooner and involve fewer partners conservation flights may be unique an integrated landscape level in just but still require expert planning and to many pilots, but Pagni notes the a few hours. The aerial perspective a series of flights. Some past and on- organization’s heavy involvement in provides a platform for media that going Strategic Partnerships include making sure all details are ironed is compelling and unique and allows Mexican wolf transports, monitoring out for the pilots. “Our job [Light- the group’s partners to bring more the Elwha River post-dam removal, Hawk and its partners] is to do the

10 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 THE KING AIR 200 IS A GREAT AIRPLANE...

Centex 1

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 11 conservation-related tasks and make as they wish. Flight opportunities are Whether it be transporting person- sure the pilots are in the loop and emailed to volunteers based upon geo- nel or animals, overflying deserts or set up to succeed. We ensure that the graphic proximity, but pilots are also mountains, LightHawk coordinates pilot is able to fly their part and make able to tell their local program coordi- ample opportunities for conservation- ...MAKE YOURS BETTER a positive impact on conservation nator if they are interested in flights minded pilots to donate their time efforts,” he expresses. such as long-range animal transports, and aircraft in pursuit of ensuring Aside from the f lying portion that is supporting local land trusts or fly- nature’s survival. Without aviation, largely planned by LightHawk, pilots ing into Mexico with announcements the organization would not be able to can get as heavily or as minimally for these missions being sent a select provide the impact that they currently involved in the actual conversation group of parties with capable aircraft. have on wildlife, oceans, landscapes activities as they like. Alongside the For those curious about the immedi- and rivers. prerequisite of interest in supporting ate impact that they can provide upon joining the organization, the following these efforts (no experience neces- are several current missions in need For more information: sary), the qualifications needed for of assistance: https://www.lighthawk.org/ pilots are explained further on the • Two spring flights into New organization’s website. Prospective Brunswick, Canada, to look at pilots must have logged 1,000 hours land for consideration of future of PIC time with an excellent flying protection. Grant Boyd is a recent MBA gradu- record, provide two or more refer- ate of Wichita State University. A • Video flight in Ohio to capture oil ences, complete an orientation call private pilot, Boyd is currently work- and gas infrastructure. with the group’s staff, provide a copy ing toward his instrument rating, of their medical or BasicMed-related • Surveys for migrating eared grebes with the ultimate goal of combining his love of business and aviation information, as well as several others. (a tiny water bird) in the Salton Sea with Oasis Bird Observatory. with a career at a general aviation How to Volunteer • Surveys to monitor restoration ef- manufacturer. You can contact Grant at [email protected] Once accepted as a volunteer pilot, forts in the Colorado River Delta individuals can fly as much or as little in Mexico with Sonoran Institute.

Centex 2

Turbines

HALO 250 KING AIR 200 & 250 13,420 POUNDS MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT 254-752-4290 • www.centex.aero

12 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 ...MAKE YOURS BETTER

Centex 2

HALO 250 KING AIR 200 & 250 13,420 POUNDS MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT 254-752-4290 • www.centex.aero PHOTOS COURTESY OF JERRY WYSZATYCKI, AVATAR PRODUCTIONS

14 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 A Cross-Country Flight and Review of the Pilatus PC-24

by Rich Pickett

have been f lying the various models of the IPilatus PC-12 since 2006. Whether f lying shorter hops or transporting people and supplies for disaster relief, the airplane has shown me amazing versatility. So, when Pilatus announced its PC-24 program and subsequently named it the Super Versatile Jet, I knew it would be a game changer.

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 15 Many people wondered if Pilatus could deliver a business jet capable of taking off on some of the same unimproved strips that their PC-12 utilized. My feeling was if any manufacturer could accomplish this ambitious goal, Custom Plastics it would be Pilatus. The company has a proven record of producing a wide range of turboprops, both civilian and military. And in 2018, the PC-24 received certification for dry sand and gravel. That certification recently ex- panded to grass, wet earth and snow- covered unpaved runways. With an 18,300 maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), a wingspan of nearly 56 feet, length of 55 feet and a tail height of over 17 feet, the PC- 24 is impressive on the ramp. In this weight range, the single-pilot certified Pilatus PC-24 joins the Embraer 300E CIES and Cessna Citation CJ4. Overall, the PC-24 is dimensionally larger than both of the others and has an MTOW slightly lower than the 300E and approximately 1,200 pounds higher than the CJ4. With a large cabin of 500 cubic feet, it also fills the market niche between the Embraer 300E and the Cessna Citation Latitude. The mission specifications for the PC-24 are also impressive. The PC-24 has a service ceiling of 45,000 feet and can carry up to eight passengers and two crew at 0.74M. With four passengers, the PC-24 has an NBAA range of 2,000 nm. If you load the plane with the maximum payload of 2,500 pounds, you can still fly 1,163 nm between fuel stops. Cross-Country Flight Earlier this year, a friend and PC- Rosen 24 owner offered me the opportunity to fly his airplane on a cross- country trip. We were to depart Centennial Colorado airport (KAPA) early in the morning. It would be two passengers, pilots Gilbert Delaud and Kyle Saboda, and myself. With 4,500 pounds of fuel, the plane was at a ramp weight of 17,414 lbs. After connecting the two ship batteries, we opened the cabin door, an air-stair design with the optional Entry Lighting Upgrade. Directly in front of the wide cabin door opening is a galley that contains

16 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 a sink as well as a lower cabinet that utilizes the Honeywell Primus Epic This configuration allows the PC-24 houses the externally-serviceable avionics suite. Pilatus’ latest PC-12 to operate on unimproved airstrips. toilet. To the right is a large cabin NGX (highlighted in our December Two Williams International FJ44- with a flat floor and six passenger 2019 issue), and the PC-24 have imple- 4A-QPM turbofans power the PC-24, seats. The PC-24, like its cousin the mented the latest Epic version 2.0. each with 3,420 pounds of takeoff PC-12, offers a variety of interior con- Information is presented to the pilots thrust. Based upon the FJ44-4A, figurations, from six-seat executive on four 12-inch displays. which also powers the CJ4, there to a 10-passenger commuter option There is ample elbow room for the are some noteworthy differentiators. to medevac. Each configuration is pilots, excellent side and forward vis- The engine features Williams’ new not mutually exclusive, offering the ibility, and highly efficient design in Automatic Thrust Reserve (ATR). In operator to convert the plane into everything from the parking brake to the rare situation that thrust from several different forms depending the masks to the included power ports one engine is compromised while at upon the need of the mission. and pockets for EFBs. In a similar de- takeoff power, the thrust on the other Of course, my primary interest sign to the PC-12, the jet features some engine is increased by 5 percent. was the flight deck. I had previously of the controls, including the engine During the preflight, you notice spent time studying the cockpit with start controls, on an overhead panel. the external differences, starting Pilatus’ Chief Pilot, Jed Johnson, on Preflight and Power with the inlet designed by Williams, another PC-24. Pilatus brands their which incorporates additional noise entire cockpit, the Advanced Cockpit The exterior preflight is typical of attenuation features. Continuing Environment (ACE). The cockpit is most turbofans, with verification of the inspection, the typical pylon- well designed and the most comfort- control surfaces, clear vents, tires, mounted bleed air cooling inlets are able I’ve experienced in this class brakes, and in the case of the PC-24, gone, in favor of an integrated bleed of aircraft. The seats are even more the single-point refueling system – air pre-cooler. This design also re- comfortable than the PC-12, and with powered by the two-battery hot bat- duces drag. The PC-24 incorporates my 6 feet and 3 inches in height, I tery bus. The PC-24 incorporates William’s own FADEC and the inno- had no issues with leg or headroom. dual wheels on each landing gear, vative ground power capability of the The PC-24, as with the PC-12 NG, equipped with low-pressure tires. FJ44-4A-QPM. Williams’ Quiet Power

St HANGAR HOMES N. Dallas @ KSWI Silver Falcon Estates: Designed by pilots for pilots and their families – Silver Falcon Estates is a one of a kind gated community offering luxury living homes with attached hangars. Sherman Airport is approximately 30 Miles north of McKinney, TX. The airport has a 4000’ paved and lighted runway with RNAV and VOR DME Approaches. Our presale reservation process is simple and easy. Reserve your spot today and take adavantage of pre development pricing. THE HARRIER Starting at $468,000 • You own the lot – No Lease • 1740 SF living space •Owens 50' x 50' hangar Waterford • 3 bedroom First Floor Plan • 2 ½ bath • 2 car garage • Direct runway taxi Contact Barrett Owens • Gated community (214) 801-9193 or email: • Customize your finishes & layout! [email protected]

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MarchTHE 2020HARRIER / TWIN & TURBINE • 17 The "Harrier" is designed for the aviation family that has a light jet or possibly multiple aircraft. The home is 1740+- Sq. Ft and the hanger portion is 50'x 50'. The interior design can be customized to fit the needs and lifestyle of the family. Call today to take advantage of pre-development pricing. The reservation process is simple and easy. Sherman Airport - KSWI has a 4000' 16-34 asphalt runway this is well maintained. The airport has 3 approaches RNAV 16, RNAV 34 and VOR/DME.

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Living Space: 1740 Sq Ft HVAC Under Roof: 4240+- Sq. Ft

• Hanger Size 60’ X 60’ • Vaulted Ceilings • Tankless Water • Hanger Door: Up to • Outdoor Living Heaters 22’ High Space • Smart Home • Bedrooms: 4 • Epoxy Floors Features • Bathrooms: 3.5 • Modern Design • Solid Core Doors • Garage Cars: 2 to 3 • HOA • Foam Encapsulated • Granite- Quartz- • Gated Community • Variable Speed Marble • Fee Simple HVAC • Hardwoods Ownership

• Custom Cabinets

Owens Warford Custom Homes KSWI- Sherman Municipal Airport

Contact Barrett Owens 214-801-9193 email: [email protected] www.owcustom.com Mode, or QPM, allows the operator to to load a donated X-ray machine with run one engine at a lower RPM and a forklift at Fort Lauderdale Executive fuel flow with the associated noise (KFXE), and three hours later, unload reduction to serve as an APU. This is it in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. With the especially important at smaller air- additional speed of the PC-24, you ports or even dirt strips. Williams can easily understand why it could be has calculated the average usage very useful in carrying cargo. Opera- time of QPM in their calculations tors can quickly turn the aircraft into for inspections, and it does not af- a variety of configurations (includ- fect the inspection intervals of 2,500 ing medevac), supporting medical for a hot section inspection or 5,000 and relief services in remote areas for an overhaul. One of our flights, of the world. with the right engine in QPM mode Once loaded and secured, it was (only the right engine is enabled for time for our first leg. The PC-24 has this feature), the N2 percentage was a range up to 2,106 nm, however, we reduced from 53.4 to 45.4, fuel flow were stopping in Texas on our way decreased from 168PPH to 120PPH, to Florida. The flight plan distance along with a noticeable reduction in was 750 nm and we planned on us- noise. In QPM mode, the generator ing 2,700 pounds of fuel on the two- has a lower maximum electrical load hour flight. The weight and balance of 250 amps, more than ample for loading graph showed us well within ground needs. the envelope. The PC-24 has a broad During the pref light you also notice loading envelope, which is extremely the upper trailing edge of the nacelle useful when operating with a variety extends past the lower edge. Williams of configurations. has implemented their patented EX- Front Office ACT exhaust nozzle technology on the The avionics are extremely pow- PC-24. This patented technology takes erful, featuring a sophisticated in- Concorde advantage of the Coanda effect. At Battery tegrated checklist system, complete Genesys relatively low speeds, such as takeoff, with context-sensitive graphics. These the exhaust stays attached on the up- system graphics appear as you proper surface of the rear nacelle, which ceed through the various checklists. bends it upwards, resulting in three Kyle and Gilbert were flying our first degrees of passive nose-up thrust. leg, allowing me the opportunity to At high speeds, such as cruise, the observe the process. With the pre- exhaust exits straight and is aligned start checklist complete, it was time with the flight path. Ingenious! to start our engines. Cargo Versatility Battery voltages are checked. The With a turn of the handle on the thrust levers are confirmed at idle large 4-foot by 1-inch (1.25 m) wide position, then the engine control was cargo door, it opened to reveal an turned to “Run.” After verifying the enormous 90 cubic feet baggage area, fuel pump is operating, you simply easily accessible from the ground push the “Start” button. or the cabin. This particular PC-24 We didn’t need QPM mode this has the adjustable cargo frame op- morning, so after waiting for the bat- tion with a secure curtain, which is tery charge to drop below 150 amps, required for commercial operations the left engine was started. The to preclude direct access by passen- checklists are designed to minimize gers in flight. It can be removed for pilot workload, especially when fly- alternative loading options. While ing single-pilot. The checklist items this PC-24 is only flown under Part are grouped to ensure that only a 91, it was useful as a way to organize few items need to be checked during the luggage while providing access Taxi, Before Departure and upon line- in flight. up. Even the ice protection check is The capabilities of Pilatus’ cargo simple. If anticipating icing conditions flexibility were a key factor on my past PC-12 relief f lights, enabling me Pilatus PC-24 continued on page 22.

18 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Genesys

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 19 The Worldwide General Aviation & Business Aviation Markets owner/operators and chief pilots of these aircraft ALL RECEIVE Twin & Turbine every month Do you want your marketing message to reach these key decision makers? It will when you advertise TOTAL MARKET COVERAGE in Twin & Turbine

Jets – 15,414 234 CITATION ULTRA 8 GULFSTREAM G-500 30 LEARJET 35 176 CONQUEST I 156 KING AIR F90 Twin Piston – 6,320 8 ROCKWELL 560E 232 CITATION V 500 GULFSTREAM G-550 350 LEARJET 35A 253 CONQUEST II 25 KING AIR F90-1 COMMANDER Owners Chief Pilots & Owners 27 CITATION VI 54 GULFSTREAM G-II 13 LEARJET 36 42 JETSTREAM 31 61 MITSUBISHI MARQUISE 7 ROCKWELL 560F Count Aircraft COMMANDER Count Aircraft 97 CITATION VII 21 GULFSTREAM G-IIB 32 LEARJET 36A 57 JETSTREAM 32 1 MITSUBISHI MU-2D 13 ROCKWELL 680 SUPER 60 JETSTREAM 41 34 BARON 56 TC 249 CITATION X 120 GULFSTREAM G-III 29 LEARJET 40 22 MITSUBISHI MU-2F 55 AIRBUS ACJ319 3 ROCKWELL 680E 29 CITATION X+ 165 GULFSTREAM G-IV 186 LEARJET 45 25 KING AIR 100 16 MITSUBISHI MU-2J 1412 BARON 58 26 ASTRA 1125 15 ROCKWELL 680F 208 CITATION XLS 283 GULFSTREAM G-IVSP 166 LEARJET 45XR 484 KING AIR 200 33 MITSUBISHI MU-2K 2 BARON 58 PA 30 ASTRA 1125SP COMMANDER 229 CITATION XLS+ 170 GULFSTREAM G-V 92 LEARJET 55 21 KING AIR 200C 10 MITSUBISHI MU-2L 339 BARON 58P 49 ASTRA 1125SPX 12 ROCKWELL 680FL GRAND 1 DIAMOND I 33 HAWKER 1000A 4 LEARJET 55B 17 KING AIR 200T 18 MITSUBISHI MU-2M 108 BARON 58TC 33 BEECHJET 400 House Spread COMMANDER 38 DIAMOND IA 5 HAWKER 125-1A 12 LEARJET 55C 197 KING AIR 250 17 MITSUBISHI MU-2N 3 BARON A56TC 226 BEECHJET 400A 5 ROCKWELL 680FLP 5 DORNIER ENVOY 3 6 HAWKER 125-1AS 253 LEARJET 60 173 KING AIR 300 24 MITSUBISHI MU-2P 332 BARON G58 117 BOEING BBJ GRAND LINER 227 ECLIPSE EA500 4 HAWKER 125-3A/RA 462 PILATUS PC-12/45 9 KING AIR 300LW 36 MITSUBISHI SOLITAIRE 186 BEECH DUKE B60 371 CHALLENGER 300 59 EMBRAER LEGACY 500 11 HAWKER 125-400A 108 PREMIER I 554 KING AIR 350 616 PILATUS PC-12 NG 163 CESSNA 340 53 CHALLENGER 600 141 EMBRAER LEGACY 600 13 HAWKER 125-400AS 6 SABRELINER 40 64 KING AIR 350C 146 PILATUS PC-12/47 507 CESSNA 340A High Performance 31 CHALLENGER 601-1A 354 KING AIR 350I 58 CESSNA 402B 67 EMBRAER LEGACY 650 12 HAWKER 125-400B 17 SABRELINER 40A 215 PIPER JETPROP 108 CHALLENGER 601-3A 16 KING AIR 90 BUSINESS LINER Move-Up Singles – 221 EMBRAER PHENOM 100 9 HAWKER 125-600A 3 SABRELINER 40EL 68 PIPER M500 49 CHALLENGER 601-3R 10 KING AIR A/B90 130 CESSNA 402C 264 EMBRAER PHENOM 300 3 HAWKER 125-600AS 1 SABRELINER 40R 79 PIPER M600 5,807 286 CHALLENGER 604 63 KING AIR A100 24 CESSNA 404 TITAN 73 FALCON 10 95 HAWKER 125-700A 21 SABRELINER 60 794 PIPER MERIDIAN 9 CHALLENGER 800 209 KING AIR A200 244 CESSNA 414 Owners 20 FALCON 100 59 HAWKER 4000 17 SABRELINER 60ELXM 201 QUEST KODIAK 100 163 CITATION 500 352 CESSNA 414A 19 FALCON 200 184 HAWKER 400XP 48 KING AIR A90 Count Aircraft 2 SABRELINER 60EX 2 ROCKWELL 680T TURBO CHANCELLOR 279 CITATION 525 196 FALCON 2000 34 HAWKER 750 104 KING AIR A90-1 58 SABRELINER 65 5 ROCKWELL 680V TURBO II 39 CESSNA 421 219 BEECH BONANZA 261 CITATION BRAVO 22 FALCON 2000EX 170 HAWKER 800A 93 KING AIR B100 13 SABRELINER 80 5 ROCKWELL 680W TURBO II 34 CESSNA 421A 438 CESSNA 182 150 CITATION CJ1 56 FALCON 20C 33 HAWKER 800B 854 KING AIR B200 6 SABRELINER 80SC 4 ROCKWELL 681 HAWK 319 CESSNA 421B 56 CESSNA 206 82 CITATION CJ1+ 14 FALCON 20C-5 336 HAWKER 800XP 99 KING AIR B200C 66 WESTWIND 1 96 SOCATA TBM-700A 596 CESSNA 421C 389 CESSNA P210N 188 CITATION CJ2 21 FALCON 20D 39 HAWKER 800XPI 8 KING AIR B200CT 4 WESTWIND 1123 68 SOCATA TBM-700B 50 CESSNA T303 21 CESSNA P210R 170 CITATION CJ2+ 2 FALCON 20D-5 83 HAWKER 850XP 91 KING AIR B200GT 27 WESTWIND 1124 283 SOCATA TBM-850 110 DIAMOND D42 364 CITATION CJ3 31 FALCON 20E 158 HAWKER 900XP 4 KING AIR B200SE 54 CESSNA T182 63 WESTWIND 2 100 SOCATA TBM-900 108 PIPER 601P AEROSTAR 123 CITATION CJ3+ 9 FALCON 20E-5 6 JET COMMANDER 1121 21 KING AIR B200T 818 CIRRUS SR20 33 SOCATA TBM910 24 PIPER 602P AEROSTAR 273 CITATION CJ4 65 FALCON 20F 3 JET COMMANDER 1121B 77 KING AIR B90 2991 CIRRUS SR22 Turboprops – 11,605 111 SOCATA TBM930 515 PIPER CHIEFTAIN 151 CITATION ENCORE 58 FALCON 20F-5 8 LEARJET 23 329 KING AIR C90 28 MOONEY ACCLAIM ULTRA 5 STARSHIP 2000A 25 PIPER MOJAVE 55 CITATION ENCORE+ 178 FALCON 50 15 LEARJET 24 34 KING AIR C90-1 10 MOONEY OVATION ULTRA Chief Pilots & Owners 68 TURBO COMMANDER 1000 308 PIPER NAVAJO 305 CITATION EXCEL 7 FALCON 50-40 1 LEARJET 24A 191 KING AIR C90A 238 PIPER MALIBU 30 TURBO COMMANDER 690 208 PIPER SENECA 18 CITATION I Count Aircraft 351 KING AIR C90B 93 FALCON 50EX 11 LEARJET 24B 12 ROCKWELL 520 104 PIPER MATRIX 80 KING AIR C90GT 132 TURBO COMMANDER 690A 248 CITATION I/SP 152 FALCON 900 28 LEARJET 24D 369 CARAVAN 208 COMMANDER 441 PIPER MIRAGE 89 KING AIR C90GTI 136 TURBO COMMANDER 690B 437 CITATION II 24 FALCON 900C 11 LEARJET 24E 1208 CARAVAN 208B 4 ROCKWELL 560 81 TURBO COMMANDER 840 57 CITATION II/SP 104 FALCON 900EX 7 LEARJET 24F 32 CHEYENNE 400 150 KING AIR C90GTX COMMANDER 39,146 12 KING AIR C90SE 24 TURBO COMMANDER 900 154 CITATION III 176 GLOBAL 5000 10 LEARJET 25 131 CHEYENNE I 11 ROCKWELL 560A TOTAL AIRCRAFT 86 CITATION LATITUDE 128 GLOBAL EXPRESS 35 LEARJET 25B 13 CHEYENNE IA 242 KING AIR E90 52 TURBO COMMANDER 980 COMMANDER 191 CITATION M2 251 CHEYENNE II 19 GULFSTREAM G-100 8 LEARJET 25C John Shoemaker, Advertising Director 377 CITATION MUSTANG 202 GULFSTREAM G-200 85 LEARJET 25D 56 CHEYENNE III 123 CITATION S/II 9 GULFSTREAM G-300 4 LEARJET 28 37 CHEYENNE IIIA 2779 Aero Park Drive • P.O. Box 968 • Traverse City, MI 49685-0968 256 CITATION SOVEREIGN 22 GULFSTREAM G-400 26 LEARJET 31 51 CHEYENNE IIXL (800) 773-7798 • (231) 946-3712 • Fax: (231) 946-9588 76 CITATION SOVEREIGN+ 288 GULFSTREAM G-450 161 LEARJET 31A 23 CHEYENNE IV E-mail: [email protected] • www.twinandturbine.com

20 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 The Worldwide General Aviation & Business Aviation Markets owner/operators and chief pilots of these aircraft ALL RECEIVE Twin & Turbine every month Do you want your marketing message to reach these key decision makers? It will when you advertise TOTAL MARKET COVERAGE in Twin & Turbine

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 21 Cockpit

Pilatus brands its entire cockpit the Advanced Cockpit Environment (ACE), which includes an Inertial Reference System (IRS), Synthetic Vision System, Autothrottle, Graphical Flight Planning, Trafﬁc Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II) and Localiser Performance with Vertical (LPV) guidance capability.

Cargo

A wide cargo door reveals 90 cubic feet of baggage area, easily accessible from the ground or the cabin.

PHOTO BY AUTHOR

Cabin

The flat floor in the cabin can be advantageous over drop-aisle designs, especially when changing seating and cargo configurations. Each passenger seat features quick-change capability enabling its quick addition or removal.

22 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 on departure, the checklist advises a 15-second delay at 60 percent N1 while in position. The IPS can be either operated in AUTO mode (with ice Pilatus PC-24 – detectors), NAI or MAN (manual) Pilatus PC-24 – modes. In AUTO, the PC-24 utilizes By the Numbers a number of sensors to determine By the Numbers when to activate the various systems, including the bleed-air heating on Max Speed* the engine inlet and wings, as well 440 KTAS / 427 KTAS / 392 KTAS as the pneumatic de-ice boots on the stabilizer. FL280 / FL350 / FL450 Climbing out of Centennial, our V 1 Fuel Flow Max Speed* was 93 KIAS and Vr 93 KIAS. At our elevation of 5,885 ft MSL, our takeoff 1938 PPH / 1445 PPH / 940 PPH distance was 3,219 feet at -3 degrees FL280 / FL350 / FL450 Celcius. The PC-24 was designed to have a very high pitch angle of 20 Maximum Range to 30 degrees on takeoff for obstacle (LRC, NBAA IFR Reserves) clearance and noise reduction. Kyle 2,106 NM and Gilbert elected to reduce it to a more manageable 10 to 15 degrees for Max Ramp Wgt better visibility over the nose and pas- 18,400 lbs senger comfort. The climb profile is 250 KIAS transitioning to 0.70 Mach. We were quickly at a cruise altitude MTOW (SL, ISA) of FL430 (below the maximum op- 18,300 lbs erating altitude of 45,000 feet). The cockpit is very quiet, with a noise Basic Operating Wgt*** level of 76-78 dB in cruise. 11,720 lbs Cabin Comfort The flat floor in the cabin is a Useful Load distinct advantage over drop-aisle 6,880 lbs designs, especially when changing seating and cargo configurations. Fuel Capacity The seats are highly adjustable and 5,964 lbs offer the ability to rotate and fa- cilitate cross-aisle communication. Max Fuel Payload** Cabin lighting is fully adjustable, 715 lbs with beautiful overhead upwash as well as downwash side panel LED lights. This PC-24 is also equipped Base Price with the optional Integrated Cabin $10,700,000 Management System (iCMS). In addition to an 800 GB media server for pas- As Flown senger entertainment, it also features $11,800,000 control of the cabin environment, including lighting and temperature using a smart device. This control is Typically Equipped (2020 Deliveries) provided through a cabin Wi-Fi router. $11,13 4,9 6 0 When coupled with various communi- cations options, passengers can truly be connected anywhere in the world. *Weight 17,000 lbs In the PC-24, as with their PC-12, **Based on Max Ramp Wgt, one pilot the standard toilet is placed forward ***Standard Exec. Configuration, one pilot between the cockpit and cabin. To use the flushing toilet, doors on either

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 23 end are extended for privacy, and despite its size. After receiving the a button is pressed to slide the seat clearance limit times for departure

forward. With the standard sink, it is at the uncontrolled airport, I lined up BY AUTHOR a very useful design. One advantage the PC-24 on the runway and moved of a forward toilet is it doesn’t impact the throttles to full power. At takeoff PHOTO the cargo area or the use of multiple power, the plane accelerated quickly, configurations. with the callouts and rotation occur- We are cruising at 0.730 Mach to ring in short order. The specifications Texas. After takeoff, Kyle activated state the maximum rate of climb is the autothrottles, which can man- 4,000 FPM at MTOW, however, that age the power through either FMS is definitely a conservative number. or manual modes. In FMS mode, the Immediately after takeoff, I reduced speed control is based upon the phase power, lowered the nose for better of flight. In manual mode, the pilot visibility and watched the ground go sets the desired speed. In some situa- by fast. With a relatively low initial tions, such as mountain wave activity, altitude restriction, further reduc- it is preferred to set a specific speed tion of power was necessary to keep slightly below Vmo/Mmo using the below 250 KIAS. manual speed control to avoid oc- I hand flew the airplane for a casional speed exceedances. while and found it a dream to fly. Flying the PC-24 The cockpit visibility is great with no limitations. After stabilizing the On our second leg, I took the con- The center console with the trols under the guidance of Gilbert. power and climb profile, I activated MFD and aircraft system After completing the checklists and the autothrottles in FMS mode for the synoptic on the lower display. starting the engines, it was time to initial phase of our trip. In cruise, I taxi. It is very easy to maneuver selected the manual mode to set a

Luma Hillaero

24 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 BY AUTHOR PHOTO

Single-point refueling access.

particular airspeed just below Mmo. descend. With the autothrottles and We were doing slightly better than FMS automation, it was easy for us the performance charts. At FL410, to prepare for landing. Our approach burning 1080 PPH, our true airspeed speeds were set, with Vapp at 105 KIAS was 420 knots/0.735M. and Vref at 95 KIAS. The dual-wheel I’ve flown and taught a wide variety trailing link gear design makes for of avionics, and the Honeywell EPIC very smooth landings. may not be the easiest to learn, but Airﬂeet once you have mastered it, you realize Summary the capabilities of the robust system. The Pilatus PC-24 is a great aircraft, The Honeywell SmartView Synthetic capable of flying the widest variety Vision System (standard) is one of the of missions of any business jet to an best I’ve seen with a very intuitive array of landing spots with comfort set of flight path markers. The PC- and speed. The airplane can cruise 24 ACE cockpit also features AHRS up to 440 KTAS and land at less than and one Inertial Reference System 100 KTAS. The PC-24 comes standard as standard, which is a unique offer- with a 7-year/5,000-hour airframe ing in this class of aircraft. Addition- ally, this PC-24 was equipped with a warranty, two years on the avionics, number of avionics options including and five years/2,000 hours on the en- ADS-B In as well as TCAS-II, Pila- gines. Pilatus offers a broad selection tus’ Wireless Connected Flight Deck, of options, from avionics to interi- and others. ors, to fit virtually any transportation After a very smooth flight, eval- need. If you ordered a PC-24 now, the uating all of the systems in a very base price is $10.7 million with typical comfortable cockpit, it was time to aircraft priced around $11.2 million.

With 11,000+ hours of piloting more than 100 aircraft model Rich Pickett still has a passion for flying. Rich holds an ATP, CFII SME, SES, glider licenses, and type rat - ings in the L29, L39, Citation 500/510s/525s, Eclipse 500S and DA10. His company, Personal Wings, provides training, mentoring and aircraft services. He is also a proud owner of an Eclipse and Cirrus SR22. You can contact Rich at rich@personalwings.com.

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 25 Jet Journal

Five on the Fly by Rebecca Groom Jacobs

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PILATUS AIRCRAFT

1. Can you summarize your aviation background? My father got me exposed to aviation. He worked with VanDusen, WHO: AAR and Duncan Aviation, so we traveled in GA aircraft a lot when I was growing up. I followed a non-military path through flight Jed Johnson instruction, corporate and 135 freight before joining Pilatus at the COMPANY: end of 1996. I was with Pilatus until 2000 when I went to one of our Pilatus Aircraft dealers as a salesman for 12 years, flying my own demos, mentoring new owners, doing maintenance flights, etc. After 12 years in that POSITION: role, and well over 100 turbine transactions, I rejoined Pilatus in 2012. Chief Pilot Being a part of entry into service for two new aircraft models and growing the presence of Pilatus in North and South America has been HOME BASE: a unique and rewarding challenge. KBJC 2. Describe your role at Pilatus Aircraft and what a RATINGS: typical day looks like. FATP, CFII, MEI In Pilatus Flight Operations, we touch almost every part of the HOURS: business. Much of our day revolves around the cadence of production 11,300 flight test, although we can find ourselves waking up anywhere in North or South America or even Europe. Once an aircraft is completed, we then work through test cards to check every system and function of the aircraft on the ground and in the air. The goal is

26 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Jet Journal always ZERO mechanical and cosmetic squawks to get their crew dialed in. The feedback was at delivery. We also do some experimental flight great; the aircraft performance is not much test related to STCs the company is developing, different than operation of paved runways and and occasionally ferry flights between the customer is thrilled! We have been into Switzerland and the U.S. In addition, we are some very challenging “private/ranch” customer involved in marketing, bringing aircraft to trade runways as well as short runways all over the shows, attending industry meetings, flying air to Americas. The PC-24 demands accurate planning air photo missions and speaking at user groups as and precision in flying it to utilize these types a subject matter experts introducing updates and of challenging runways, but our engineers have new products. provided fantastic tools to make sure we operate safely with appropriate margins. The PC-24, We are also demo pilots, whether it be to our however, does what we say it can do! direct fleet and military customers or potentially to prospects our dealer network is exposing to the 5. What upgrades can owner-pilots most aircraft. We interface with the end customers on a regular basis during the specification process to appreciate in the recently unveiled help them tailor the aircraft equipment to their PC-12 NGX? specific needs. At the delivery, we then conduct The NGX is a comprehensive upgrade to a proven an acceptance flight and help get them up to design. The FADEC controlled PT6E-67XP is a big speed on all the details related to operating their part of the story. Engine management is greatly new aircraft. On the technical side, we interface simplified and it provides 100 more horsepower with our customer service group to help answer at altitude, improving climb and cruise speed. operational questions, and we are involved in With this engine management change, it future programs on aircraft and aircraft systems allows for an autothrottle option, automated as well as training/simulation development and emergency descent mode and the ability to drop audit. Our business is a relationship business, and the propeller RPM from 1700 rpm to 1550 rpm, our pilots are often the face of our company when which makes for a quieter cabin. Maintenance we travel, so we take our role as ambassadors for intervals and costs are also reduced on NGX. the Pilatus family very seriously. The normal interval is now 600 hours/12 months for inspections and the engine TBO increases 3. From a piloting perspective, what are from 3,500 hours with an HSI at 2,000 to 5,000 your favorite features about the PC-12? hours with HSI on condition. The engine sends The PC-24? out around 100 monitored parameters wirelessly Both aircraft share the same DNA to fit a sweet after each flight and Pratt & Whitney has put a spot in the marketplace. The value proposition new program in place to cover virtually every is cabin size/range/payload for the money to contingency of the engine for a cost that is around purchase/operate. The short and unpaved runway 30 percent less than what they currently offer. capabilities along with the standard cargo door Also, the fuel system update no longer requires are the icing on the cake. The best feature us to add Prist. The avionics have been upgraded is versatility – both machines can do a lot of to include a larger Modular Avionics Unit and things very well. Couple that with the quality of more powerful Advanced Graphic Modules. This construction and customer support, and that is upgrade allows many features on the -24 to be our formula for success. Showing up at airports brought to the -12 such as datalink AFIS/ACARS/ with short and or austere runways with a turbine worldwide weather, PM-CPCLC, ADS-B In to aircraft is all part of the fun. include surface traffic on a 2D airport moving map, built-in electronic checklists to that have 4. How does it feel at the controls of a jet abnormal checklists actively cued to the CAS (PC-24) “off-road?” Can you describe messages, emergency descent mode, RAAS one of the most challenging airports you and TCAS II with resolution advisories, pilot modifiable visual approaches, just to name a few. have landed? The cabin has also been redesigned with larger We just recently had a PC-24 customer delivery windows, new quick-release executive seats that from Denver put their aircraft in service in fully berth, redesigned VCCS that moves more air Alaska as an air ambulance. This machine will more quietly, with more adjustability and more have a steady diet of gravel runway operations. modern indirect lighting. The NGX is a host of One of our teams was on site with their pilots for individual updates to the aircraft that together entry into service and familiarization training make it a substantial upgrade.

Jet Journal March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 27 Jet Journal A Guide to the Citation 560XL Series: Part 2 ADS-B vs. ADS-B + LPV vs. Garmin G5000 Upgrade by Kandi Spangler

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARMIN

et’s face it – it’s not an easy question, let’s first look at each (ADS-B). The cost to equip your air- decision. Do you spend $130,000 option in greater detail. craft with ADS-B can vary widely to simply keep your airplane Option 1: depending upon the equipment you Lin the air? Spend $300,000 to make currently have installed, but can it legal and give yourself greater ADS-B Compliance range anywhere from $80,000 to access? Or spend $500,000 and give At a minimum, as of Janu - $300,000. Now that ADS-B is man- your airplane a complete avionics ary 1, 2020, all jet aircraft need datory, what you’ll find is the invest- facelift, extending its useful life to be equipped with Automatic ment doesn’t necessarily translate for many years? To answer that Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast into increased value; it simply means

28 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Jet Journal The cost of upgrades like ADS-B and LPV depend on a number of variables speciﬁc to your aircraft, but two of the most often considered are the type of Flight Management System (FMS) installed and the model of Radio Management Units (RMUs). you have a legally equipped airplane. f lying. It’s an upgrade worth explor- Now, I know that’s a big price range. ing, but not available to everyone. “Why the big variation in cost?” you For instance, if you are operating a ask? Well, it depends on a number Primus 1000 avionics system, which of variables specific to your aircraft, is standard on the Citation Excel but two most often considered are and XLS, and equipped with a Honeywell FMS, the option to in- the type of Flight Management AOPA System (FMS) installed (Honey- corporate LPV capabilities may be well or Universal), and the model cost-prohibitive. For those equipped of Radio Management Units (RMUs) with the Universal FMS, this option installed. Generally speaking, the should cost roughly $300,000, which upgrade is more expensive with a includes ADS-B compliance depend- Honeywell FMS-equipped airplane. ing on the status/version of other installed equipment. In the end, this Option 2: option not only makes the airplane ADS-B Compliance legal, but it gives you greater access with LPV Capabilities to your desired destinations, and as a real bonus, increases the value of So, you’re in the shop for the your airplane. ADS-B work; why not take it a little further and get something more Option 3: than just basic legality during the Garmin G5000 Upgrade upgrade, like LPV approach-capa- As they say, “go big or go home” bility? Localized Performance with – and this is big. Garmin’s state- Vertical Guidance approaches, or of-the-art G5000 integrated flight “LPV,” allows aircraft to descend to deck upgrade, available on the en- lower minimums at airports with tire XL series, received FAA STC precision GPS approaches. In bad approval in mid-2019. Not only does weather, this can mean getting you this upgrade accomplish all your to your intended destination more ADS-B requirements, it replaces often than diverting to an alternate nearly your entire Primus 1000 airport and waiting the weather avionics system with a new panel. out, or worse, driving to your final Garmin claims the upgrade will not destination. This can have a ma - only deliver a “truly modernized jor impact depending on how the integrated cockpit,” but will give aircraft is being used and to what customers a “zero-time avionics airports the aircraft is typically suite that will substantially lower

Jet Journal March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 29 cost of operation, while also solving What Should You Do a broad range of global airspace mod- Well, I’m actually really good at ernization initiatives and on-going spending other people’s money. In maintenance challenges.” I tend to fact, it’s what I do for a living, and agree with them. In my opinion, that’s why my longtime clients keep this upgrade is going to revitalize coming back. I treat their money the fleet, extending the life of this like it’s my money, and I’m always reliable and versatile mid-size cabin looking for what’s going to maximize workhorse for many years their return. So, here’s my opinion, While different maintenance fa- but keep in mind, it’s just an opinion. cilities offering the STC upgrade are ALL Excels and XLSs have a lot quoting installation costs anywhere of life left in them, even those with in the high $400,000 to mid-$500,000 range, be sure to read the fine print high time. Consider for a moment and get a quote for your specific air- the average person doesn’t ask (or Garmin’s G5000 integrated ﬂight deck plane. There are also many addition- care) how much time is on an air- upgrade, available on the entire XL series, al options you can include as part of frame when they climb aboard for received FAA STC approval in mid-2019. the upgrade, including Flight Stream a flight. What they DO care about 510, SurfaceWatch, synthetic vision, is the aesthetics, creature comforts underspeed protection, FANS com- (like WiFi) and age of the airplane. pliance and ChartView. Want to save This is especially true for airplanes a few extra dollars? Find an aircraft used for charter. Furthermore, you that already has ADS-B installed can typically buy a higher-time air- using the Garmin GTX 3000 smart frame for much less than a normal transponder STC and the shop will or low-time aircraft. likely give you a credit towards your So, then the question becomes one G5000 installation. of resale value. How much value

30 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Jet Journal are you going to gain by spending and several installations have al- the G5000. With this avionics suite, the money on Options 1, 2 or 3? ready been completed with rave you’ll realize tremendous benefits For Option 1, the answer is virtu- reviews. Through reduced avion- through the latest technology and ally nothing, especially as a large ics maintenance costs, extensively added capabilities, charter users majority of the fleet has been ADS- increased capabilities and a weight will love it (if you go that route), B upgraded. In other words, this is reduction of nearly 200 lbs (adding and when you decide to sell it, the more the norm than the exception. to your useful load), you can see why airplane will sell more quickly and Option 2 is great for just about any this package is so popular. for more money. As a second option, XL/XLS owner because you’re not Opinions are like… if you plan to use the airplane for only gaining the required ADS-B well, you know the joke. charter and don’t care about total compliance, you are gaining better time, then buy a high-time airplane access to more destinations. Many So, where does a G5000 installa- at a discount, outfit it aesthetically owners greatly value (and even re- tion make sense? This is where I’m for you and your charter passen- quire) LPV capabilities. And, while bound to get hate mail, but here’s gers, and install ADS-B with LPV it’s hard to say what dollar value we what I tell my clients: I believe you’ll capabilities. If you’re going to spend can place on those additional capa- get more out of your investment at the money on an upgrade, at least bilities, the truth is that you appeal the time of resale by spending the get some added value out of it – to a much larger pool of buyers by money to do this upgrade on a mid- both operationally and at the time having LPV when you go to sell it. or low-time aircraft vs. a high-time of resale. Then there’s Option 3. Hands- aircraft. Mainly because total time down, this avionics package will on an airframe means a lot more to turn your airplane into a state-of- buyers (i.e., those to whom the plane Kandi Spangler is a sales director the-art machine with technology may be resold one day) than it does at jetAVIVA. She has more than 20 that manufacturers are delivering on to the passengers. years of aviation experience. You can new aircraft today. Existing owners So, if it were my money, my first contact Kandi at kandi.spangler@ and buyers of the Excel and XLS are choice would be to start with a mid- jetaviva.com or 512-410-0295. lining up to have the G5000 installed, or low-time Excel or XLS and install

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Jet Journal March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 31 En Route Novel Introduces Aviation to Juniors “Stranded” by JE Timlin Richard is a training captain with they do teachers, doctors, dentists and an international airline. His wife, policemen. Julie, is a writer. Their ten-year-old Julie and Richard decided to see if daughter, Talitha, dreams of following they could make a small contribution in her father’s footsteps and becoming towards inspiring the next generation spy novel and wonders what it would a pilot one day. Talitha’s interest is of pilots. So, drawing heavily on her not surprising as she has an aviator in be like to work for the CIA, they hope husband’s expert knowledge, Julie has a young person may read “Stranded” her family. She sees her dad head off written a “Flight of the Phoenix” style and contemplate becoming a pilot. to exotic locations every week, hears adventure novel for children, aged That it may encourage children to take stories of different cultures, sees pho- 7-14, about a young aviation enthusiast the next step of visiting an air show tos of fascinating historical sights. She who finds himself stranded in the or an aviation museum or joining an experiences his passion for his career Canadian wilderness with a crashed aviation program or camp where they and she never hears him complain plane which he needs to repair and will get to experience aviation. about having to leave for the office. pilot out. Julie’s novel, “Stranded,” is avail- Talitha’s interest got her parents A book is an easily accessible pro- able from Amazon and major book- wondering about how children with- motional vehicle, and Julie and Rich- stores. A percentage of the proceeds out the same exposure to aviation ard hope that the novel may start the of each sale will be donated to chari- become interested in the industry. wheels of interest turning and offer ties that help to make aviation ac- After all, they don’t come across pi- early exposure to the fascinating cessible to all juniors. Learn more at lots in their everyday life the way world of flight. Just as a child reads a www.jetimlin.com.

Heaven’s Landing

Covington

32 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Heaven’s Landing

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 33 From the Flight Deck by Kevin R. Dingman

Sick of It Milestones and kidney stones: Flying with a medical condition.

hat major milestones mark the month of March? The 70th anniversary of Silly Putty and the 75th anniversary of the rubber band, of course. After Wall, what would childhood be without Silly Putty, and would we have pursued aviation if our balsa airplane had no rubber band? The annual celebration of Women’s Day was on March 8 as was the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. St. Patrick’s Day the 17 and the first day of Spring the 19. And certainly, we’re planning on attending the Sun ‘n Fun fly-in on the 31. These events all reside in the final third of cold- and-flu season and since words like contagion, pandemic, coronavirus and quarantine have been in our vocabulary as of late, let’s talk about flying airplanes while sick. There are a plethora of ailments that disqualify us from acting as a required crewmember, including the kidney stone reference in the subtitle above. We’ll get to that, and other painful tales, in a bit.

34 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Cootie /ˈkoodē/ Noun.

A derogatory term for an imaginary germ or repellent quality transmitted by obnoxious or slovenly people:

“The boys at camp knew Preferred the girls had cooties.”

The official cold-and-flu season started in late fall (Octo- ber-ish) and runs about 13 weeks, typically ending by April. This year I was blessed with having no flu, but during a January layover in PVR (Puerto Vallarta), I was infected by a rare international ailment: the painful, virulent and often deadly, Acute Mexican Rhinovirus (AMR). Actually, there’s no such thing; it’s not rare and it’s certainly not deadly. It was just a normal cold, but you know how us guys think we’re dying anytime our nose stuffs up or pain reaches level six. But thanks to oversized eustachian tubes and a slow-to-develop fever, it advanced slowly enough for me to finish the trip and return to the good old U.S.A. If you travel enough, you too will encounter sickness while away from home. For those yet to endure being sick-in-a-hotel with the flu, a cold or food poisoning, here is a list of some travel-related cooties we pilots may encounter: • African Tick-Bite Fever (not related to a fellow Michi- gander’s, Cat Scratch Fever) • African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness) • Avian Flu (Bird Flu) • Chagas Disease (American Trypanosomiasis) • Chikungunya (from the bite of an infected mosquito) • Cholera (from food or water contaminated with bac- terium Vibrio cholerae) • Dengue (a mosquito-borne viral infection) • Diphtheria (a thick covering in the back of the throat) Lighthawk • Food Poisoning (enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli: “Montezuma’s revenge” or “Delhi belly”) Dangerous, Often Disqualifying Diagnosis I’m not a physician, and I don’t play one on TV, but here is another list – this one of the well-known, and typically disqualifying, medical conditions for intrepid aviators: Angina pectoris – severe pain in the chest Bipolar disease – extreme mood swings Cardiac valve replacement – transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) Coronary heart disease – that has been symptomatic or clinically significant

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 35 Diabetes mellitus – diseases that affect how your body nor for my returning to flying duties quickly. Instead, the uses blood sugar chief pilot chastised me for waiting until so late to call in Disturbance of consciousness – i.e., blackout or faint- sick. This corporate mentality was demonstrated again ing without explanation after my aforementioned Puerto Vallarta, Acute Mexican Epilepsy – chronic recurrent, unprovoked seizures Rhinovirus event. When talking to crew scheduling after the trip with ears blocked and a fever over 100, I was told Heart replacement to “enjoy my time off.” If you have a supervisor to whom Myocardial infarction – a heart attack you report when medically disqualifying yourself for f lying Permanent cardiac pacemaker duties, there may be friction. Make the right decision as PIC Personality disorder – that repeatedly manifested itself about your condition regardless of external pressures from by overt acts employers, passengers and perceived time commitments. Psychosis – thoughts and emotions so impaired that Here are some guidelines to help make that tough call. reality is lost IMSAFE Substance abuse – typically drugs or alcohol • Illness Substance dependence – compulsive drug-seeking o Illness can produce fever impairing judgment, (why isn’t nicotine included?) memory, alertness and the ability to make Mega-Corporation Mentality calculations. The safest rule is not to fly while suffering from any illness. Other medical conditions may be temporarily disqualify- • Medication ing, such as acute infections, anemia (lack of healthy red o Performance can be degraded by both pre- blood cells), kidney stones and peptic ulcer (sores in the scribed and over-the-counter medications. Any lining of the stomach, lower esophagus or small intestine). medication that depresses the nervous system, If you’ve ever wondered if you could fly with a kidney such as a sedative, tranquilizer, or antihista- stone, wonder no further. Once in the ureter, the pain will mine, can make us more susceptible to hypoxia. decide for you (see “Kidney Punch,” T &T, November 2012). The safest rule is not to fly as a crewmember As a DC-10 Flight Engineer, I awoke on the floor of the while taking any medication unless approved pilot restroom in L.A. operations having passed out from by the Feds. the pain of what turned out to be a traveling kidney stone. • Stress Imagine if the passengers had seen an in-uniform airline o Stress and fatigue are a hazardous combination. pilot being wheeled-out under critical care. Instead of fol- When more than usual issues are encountered, lowing the EMT protocol of sporting an O2 ensemble and we should consider delaying our flight until an IV bag while riding in a wheelchair, I walked through these difficulties are resolved. the passenger filled terminal to an ambulance. The stone • Alcohol soon completed its trek, and after the requisite tests the o As little as one ounce of liquor, one bottle of next day to confirm the event was over and there would be beer, or four ounces of wine can impair flying none to follow, I flew my next trip the day after the tests. skills. Alcohol also renders us more susceptible Management never thanked me for avoiding national to disorientation and hypoxia. We may still be news by avoiding the wheelchair while writhing in agony, under the influence eight hours after drinking a moderate amount of alcohol. A guideline is to allow at least 12 hours between “bottle and throttle.” • Fatigue o Acute fatigue is the tiredness felt after long periods of physical and mental strain, including strenuous muscular effort, immobility, heavy mental workload, strong emotional pressure, monotony and lack of sleep. Acute fatigue is prevented by adequate rest and sleep, as well as regular exercise and proper nutrition. o Obstructive Sleep Apnea. OSA interrupts normal sleep and is associated with chronic illnesses such as hypertension, heart attack, stroke, obe- sity and diabetes. If you have a neck size over 17 inches in men or 16 inches in women, or a body mass index greater than 30, you should be evaluated for sleep apnea. A rough estimate of

36 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 BMI is weight divided by height in inches – then or whatever is ailing you, would you pass the physical? move the decimal point one to the right. Other- This is the question that we’re supposed to ask ourselves wise, a precise calculator can be found online before each flight. If the answer is maybe or no, then until (www.cdc.gov). we believe that we would pass a physical, we are required • Emotion to “ground” ourselves by temporarily self-invalidating our o The emotions of anger, depression and anxiety medical certificate. My AMR was nothing like a corona- not only decrease alertness but also may lead virus (SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV), bird flu, hantavirus, or to taking risks. Any pilot who experiences an adenovirus and a kidney stone or broken bone are an easy emotionally upsetting event should not fly until go-no-go decision. A partially blocked ear, low-grade fever, recovered. grumpy tummy, anger, frustration or a sleep deficit are more • Personal Checklist subjective. Remember the adage that it’s better to be on the o We should be conducting preflight checklists ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing on ourselves as well as the airplane. A personal you were on the ground. It’s not only mechanical issues and checklist that can be committed to memory, the weather that can bring this adage into focus – so can which includes all of the categories of impair- exposure to cooties like the Acute Mexican Rhinovirus. ment discussed above, is available on the FAA Listen to an infectious disease podcast at: website, www.faa.gov (search "Single-Pilot Crew https://threatjournal.com/podcast/DrSteveHatfillInterview.mp3 Resource Management"). 14CFR 61.53 Kevin Dingman has been flying for more than 40 years. He’s Federal Aviation Regulations prohibit a pilot who possesses a an ATP typed in the B737 and DC9 with 24,000 hours in his current medical certificate from performing crewmember duties logbook. A retired Air Force major, he flew the F-16 and later while the pilot has a known medical condition or increase of a performed as an USAF Civil Air Patrol Liaison Officer. He known medical condition that would make the pilot unable to flies volunteer missions for the Christian organiz tion Wings meet the standards for the medical certificate. of Mercy, is employed by a major airline, and owns and operates a Beechcraft Duke.Contact Kevin at dinger10d@ If you were to have your f light physical today, with a cold, gmail.com. the flu, a broken bone, blurry vision, fatigue, fever, anger

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38 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Vac Vets

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 39 On Final by David Miller Roundtrip to Wichita at the Speed Of…

Descending into Wichita at more than 3,000 fpm to meet a crossing restriction, our ground speed increased to 475 knots. We arrived at the Textron service center after 54 minutes, aided by the tailwind, and burned 120 gallons of jet fuel. That’s some performance. Awaiting us on the ramp was Andrew Pahlke, demo pilot for Cessna’s single-engine line. For about 4 million less than the M2, we were headed back to Mesquite in a single-engine Cessna. Only this time, at 5,000 feet. Andrew conducted the safety briefing and noted that the 206 Turbo Stationair HD could carry more than need to drop my M2 off at the service center in 1,000 pounds of stuff with full fuel. That’s better than the Wichita. Want to fly right seat?” came the voicemail M2. And the plane features the latest Garmin G1000 NXi question from friend Larry King. “Oh, and I might avionics, including Electronic Stability and Protection “Ibuy a 206, so Cessna will take us home on a demo flight (ESP) and coupled autopilot go-arounds – features not yet back to Dallas,” he added. available in the jet. Now, that might be an interesting trip, I mused. Up to On takeoff, Larry commented, “Wow, we used so little KICT on a 400-knot jet and right back on a single-engine runway!” We departed to the north and climbed at 900 Cessna. What could be more fun? fpm all the way to 5,000 feet, where our cabin altitude was…5,000 feet. And there we remained in the soup with So, we met shortly after sunrise at Larry’s Mesquite, an outside temperature of 4 degrees Celsius for the entire Texas (KHQZ) hangar in low overcast skies and light mist. flight. Our cruise numbers: The 300 nm trip to KICT was going to be quick with a TAS 142 knots 75-knot tailwind. ATIS “Victor” was advertising winds at GS 135 knots 300 degrees at 18 knots gusting to 25 with a 1.5-mile visibility and 900 overcast. As we taxied to Runway 36, Larry FF 19 gph asked, “What’s our takeoff alternate?” I was pleased. My Two hours and sixteen minutes to be exact, even with mentoring was working. “Well, Dallas Love (KDAL) has virtually no headwind. We had lots of time to talk about lower landing minimums and better approach lighting, so airplanes and life while never seeing the ground. Finally, that’s probably a better idea than trying to get back in here.” we shot the RNAV GPS 36 to Mesquite, where the weather had not changed since we left. We agreed. Two very different airplanes flying the same mission. In the 8 degree Celsius temps, we departed with wind- Both were a blast. shield bleed air and engine heat on. Climbing at 220 knots IAS and 2,500 fpm, we quickly cleared the tops at 10,000 Fly safe. feet. Larry had filed for FL 400 even for this short flight. We David Miller has owned and f lown a variety of aircraft were only there for a few minutes at a comfortable cabin from light twins to midsize jets for more than 50 years. altitude of 7,600 feet, and our numbers were impressive. With 6,000 plus hours in his logbook, David is the Direc- TAS 394 knots tor of Programs and Safety Education for the Citation GS 446 knots Jet Pilot’s Safety Foundation. You can contact David at [email protected]. FF 360 lbs per side

40 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Malibu

March 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 3 AVidyne

4 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020