Scudrunners

I was tidying up my logbook last night and decided that it was finally time to fill in the record of aircraft flown in the front of it.  To date, it turns out I have logged PIC time in 16 different types, from ordinary mundane GA machines to some rare birds of which there may be only one or two left airworthy.  I hope to add some more to the list soon and get ahead of my current one-a-year average.


How many types have you flown?

I'm too dumb to know what a "type" is.

For example, I have logged PIC in all of the Cessna SELs including

120/140/150/152/170/172/175/177/180/182/206/210

but let's take a look at the lowly 172.  For the [b]same year 172[/b], you
might have a fixed-pitch Lyc O-320 with 150hp, and also an "XP"
model with a constant-speed prop TCM 195hp IO-360, and also
an "RG" version with a constant-speed prop 180hp Lyc O-360.  Is
that one type, or three?  Both seem like the wrong answer.

The same exists with the incredible matrix of Maules - models range
from M4 to M9, engines range from 145hp TCM O-300 / 150hp Lyc
O-320 to 260 hp Lyc IO-540 to 450hp Allison turbine.  Some are
nosewheel, most are tailwheel, some are on skis, some are on wheel
skis, some are on straight floats, some are on amphibs and I have no
idea how many different types that works out to be. One?  Sixty?

Maybe he meant different airplanes?


Like Piper Cub and Piper Comanche?


I have no idea how many different airplanes I have flown because I did not keep written record.

PA-22 and PA-20 could come with 125, 135, 150, 160 or even 180hp.

Is that one, two, or ten different types?  I have no idea.  Same airframe,
just different stuff (landing gear, engine) bolted on, so really one type?

[quote author=Colonel Sanders link=topic=8585.msg23606#msg23606 date=1529040855]
...Is that one, two, or ten different types?  I have no idea.  Same airframe,
just different stuff (landing gear, engine) bolted on, so really one type?
[/quote]
Count ‘em however you like.  When I made my list a whole alphabet soup of 172s got condensed into one entry regardless of the different engines and even airfoils across the bunch.  A couple of the more special antiques on my list may share a type certificate but I have no idea and for interests sake I included them separately.  All considered, the actual number isn't terribly important and I’m not trying to cheat in a dick measuring contest (“it’s sixteen inches if you measure from the wall behind me!”).


The real point is that diversity of experiences is a good thing.

2 but back when I used to fly more I did a few nice cross counties in each.

I have gone coast to coast in a Warrior II. Feels like a life time ago now. I guess it was in a way.

21.  Not all that impressive given the august company around here, but I do what I can.

Single:
Cessna 150,172,180,182,206
Piper: J3, PA18,PA28,PA32
Stinson 108
DHC2
Aeronca Champ




Twins
PA30, PA31,PA44
Beech: 76,99, 200


Jets:
E170
Airbus A320's


Helicopters
Bell Jetranger (TH67/B206/OH58)
Sikorsky Blackhawk




I think that's about it.

78 planes, 31 types:
[quote]
7ECA
AC11
B95A
BE20
C150
C152
C172
C206
C208
D112
DR40
G120A
HR20
HR2112
LNC4
NORSEMAN V
P28A
P68B
PA22
PA30
PA31
PA44
PTS1
PTS2
R200
R300
RALL
SA100
SA227
Stinson 108-3[/quote]

[quote]The real point is that diversity of experiences is a good thing[/quote]

Absolutely!  I tell young pilots that they need to do two things:

1) if you have less than 1000TT, fly twice every day
2) fly many different types of aircraft

Flying different types of aircraft teaches you
a) different control response
b) different systems

both of which are incredibly important to an accomplished pilot.

Everyone is envious of a pilot who can jump into a new type and
almost magically fly it precisely and smoothly, and they wonder
how he does it.

At a very very expensive test pilot school, this is exactly what
you will do - you will learn to be a closed-loop pilot that is very
knowledgeable about systems and fundamentals.

IMHO the very best pilots in the world can jump into a new type,
and fly solo surface aerobatics - with ease.  You know, Bob Hoover,
or Rob Holland or Steve Hinton.  You can generally count them on
the fingers of one hand.  And, it is a quickly vanishing skill as
challenging types of aircraft steadily disappear, and pilots fly very
few types of aircraft, that are all so incredibly docile.