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Transition Training

JDA_BTR

Well Known Member
Is it available anywhere.....? I'm building a 14A here, never flew a conventional gear plane so 14 transition can't help.
(post edited because the original made some people think I was looking for 14 time; 14A is the goal).
 
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I think iamtheri is just saying that since he's building a traildragger, getting transition training in the 14A isn't really going to be fully complete. I'd agree with that.

Regarding my status for transition training, it's a very mixed bag. I would currently encourage anyone who needs training to get on the list with Mike in Oregon, because I really am not planning to offer it, at least for the time being. Yes, I've flown with a couple of people so far despite this, and have 2 more guys coming up soon. But, Here's the rub:

1) I am not insured this year (for dual training). It's expensive. Like a couple thousand dollar add-on. In year 1 of offering training, I had exactly 2 people want it. And both insurance companies required minimal time. 1 hour and 2 hours respectively. I like RV guys, but not enough to fork over tons of cash that gets completely wasted, while I give up my time. Apparently the insurance companies see a huge risk in me offering training, but see very little risk in you flying your airplane as long as you have 1 point ZERO hours. Admittedly, if you are a medium or high time pilot, 1 hour may be all you care for, and that's fine. It's nice to just get the feel for the RV14 before you go fly your own. It's even better for me, because if all you need is 1.0, it doesn't take as much of my time. 1.0 though, is not really transition training as much as it is a quick experience.

2) It seems hard sometimes to know that builders will be good and current when they come for a flight. By current, I don't just mean that they are within 2 years of their last BFR...I want actual currency if you're going to fly my plane. It's tough, when you're building and focused, to keep current sometimes. But especially given the above that I'm not currently insured for dual, I really am not at all interested in someone coming to fly unless they've put on 5-10 hours in the last 90 days or so. And the lower time you are, the more I'd hope you're current. If you're an under 100 hour pilot, I really don't even want you to fly with me...not unless I'm insured and it's going to be for more than just a quick 1.0.

3) A big one for me is Time, in 2 respects. First, starting this weekend when the clocks set back for the winter, it's going to be nearly dark every day by the time I'm home from work. I'm a normal family guy, with a day job, and one kid left at home for the next 11 months. So for 11 more months, I'm not too interested in giving up weekend time that could be quality time. Even yet this fall I have a lot on my personal to-do-before-winter list. So when I'm hoping for weekday flying yet it's going to be dark until March on most
week days when I have time, it isn't the easiest to accomplish any significant training. It's much easier from Spring to Fall when you get more hours of daylight. Add in the weather up here this time of year and it's not very predictable. From YOUR standpoint, if you bought a plane ticket to come here, you're going to want to get it done. From my standpoint, if it's gusting strong and cold and wet, I'm not really going to want to go. When I did my CFI training, I went to Florida to do it for this very reason. I wanted a better guarantee that if I were going to pay for the time and travel, that I'd have good weather. Up here there are beautiful days all winter but they aren't in the majority. (I say this as today is a beautiful day and I'm stuck at work) Once we get to next fall, my time won't be as tight. I'll have an empty nest, and maybe be more loose with my time.

So that's my current reasoning as to why I would encourage people to sign up for training with Mike in Oregon. It's really best if you plan in advance and get on his schedule. I've had 3 people fly with me so far. All 3 I think were happy they did it, and were more comfortable in their own plane. So I don't want to give a firm "no" to anyone if they are willing to be very current when they show up. But for the masses, I currently am not wanting to offer training. I'd prefer to do it fully insured, and with the understanding that there would be enough time spent doing it that I'm not just throwing away money on insurance unnecessarily.

One tip for those who do have insurance requirements to meet. I really think that the RV-14 is maybe one of the easier RVs you could fly. Keep in mind that I am speaking of the A models. I don't have much tailwheel time and no signoff yet at this point either. If you can talk your insurance company into allowing time in an RV-10 or RV7, I would think that would be reasonable, and open the doors to an easier time finding an instructor near you that you could finish this with. The RV-10 and RV-14 fly almost identically. The RV7 has a higher roll rate, but if you can fly that and fly it well, the -14 really isn't going to be a problem for you. So get some RV time in a similar model and see what they'll allow you.
Insurance companies like to see time in make and model, or similar make and model...and the more time in general you have, the better.

I don't know if all the above will make sense to you or not, but at least you can see where I'm coming from. I was warned by people who had offered transition training in the past that it was going to be expensive and not always a rewarding experience from a logistic standpoint. I understand that better now. That said, for those 3 who have come to see me so far, you've all been great to fly with and I had fun.
 
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