Should we really use that term around Theodore; he might be a bit sensitive

I need to invent something. I feel I could get used to an Eclipse.

Theodore, cool video. Thanks! Any particular reason you classified it under "comedy"?

Glenn

Or a little slower, but 4 seats and certified, KSEZ-CNZ-KAQO (726 NM/ 835 NM 5:12 ) on 39 gallons. 18.75 NM/gal.

You're having a great time Theodore! We would all like to be doing that. Looks like a great time.

Barons sure don't float!! [/quote]



Glad to see you can joke about it

Ryan

Today- training flight #3 was a bit more challenging.

We did a flight with a little more airwork including steep turns, an emergency descent, engine shutdown, then more approaches.

These approaches were ILS single engine, a couple single engine missed, then a flaps up to a full stop landing.

With flaps up (this is technically an emergency procedure), the landing distance is doubled. On top of that the airplane floats a lot with the flaps up. Landing attitude is so nosehigh that your really can't see over the nose, and you use a lot of runway (calculated about 6k feet rollout).

When we briefed the flight on the ground, we went over the approaches for RWY28, but the airport had switched around and started using RWY10. I had my hands full staying ahead of the airplane while briefing and setting up the approach, dealing with ATC and hand flying on one engine.

The training sounds intense, but it is FUN!

Did you do a missed approach single engine? What's the single engine climb performance like?

Yes, a couple of them. One engine inoperative enroute rate of climb at Vyse today was initially about 1200 FPM. At 10,000 feet it is down to around 800 FPM.

Pretty slow compared to initial ROC on two engines of 3500 FPM, 3000 FPM at 10k, and 2500 FPM through 20k, 1800 FPM through 30k.

It is no Lear, but still pretty impressive coming from a piston ..

That looks like a lot of fun.

It's fun to sweat once in a while, as long as it's not every day!

Checkride starts with oral tomorrow and flight on Thursday!

Good luck!

forgive me... i know its poor etiquette... but i didnt read all 9 pages...
But a fancy new jet like this doesnt have a coupled autopilot? Or is it just that the plane you're flying has it INOP at the moment?

Not a fancy new jet, this airplane was one of the early deliveries from Eclipse back in 2007. It's going on 6 years old now. The first batch of planes were delivered with no radar, no moving map, no FIKI cert, no FMS, and no coupled autopilot. Many of these original birds have been upgraded to their current standard, which includes everything mentioned above. An upgraded Eclipse (called 'Total Eclipse') costs $1.6-$1.7m. Ours is ~$600k. (and it would cost almost $1m to upgrade)

It is a pretty awesome step up for a Bonanza or Baron driver as-is. I think it is an amazing value if you don't mind staying out of the ice and hand flying approaches. Especially considering I could not afford the cover charge of a Total Eclipse.

With the Garmin 400W and 796, the airplane will do everything I need it to.