quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
An unanswered question: Most jet airplanes are certified for two pilots. Some, not all, Citation models may be flown single pilot, but only if the pilot is certified for single pilot operation in that model. Was this flight conducted in compliance with regulations? Not enough information to answer that question.

N730GY is a Cessna 525 Citation M2
Quick look shows crew of 1 or 2, so sounds like it is certified for single pilot operation
flightradar24 shows it making lots of round trips from DAL (Dallas) to GGG (Longview)

Alright I'll say it, as a former CG jet pilot and current airline pilot (albeit out on disability at the moment) that I'm not in favor of some of what I see in the video.

She is too young to be doing much of what he is having her do. It would be one thing if she actually understood the radio calls (and she no doubt understands some) and could respond independently, but him having to dictate the responses while she clobbers the freq with the inherent delay interferes with other transmissions that need to occur.

There is also the issue of a sterile cockpit under 10000 feet and his instructing her while she is sort of at the controls. While she may be able to manipulate the yoke there is no way she can reach the rudder pedals. Thus, she is not totally flying the jet. There is too much conversation going on below 10,000 that is not directly related to safety of the flight.

I think its cool she can ride up front and she is learning a ton and will hopefully be a hell of a pilot some day, but the attention he is having to spend on her while actually flying, navigating and communicating is going to come back to bite them at some point.

I love that he's teaching her early about setting up the navigation, talking on the radio and even "flying" the jet during cruise, but I worry that she is still a bit too young to actually understand what she is doing, she is just parroting him and only knows enough to help him make inputs and program the Flight Management System (FMS). They should stick to her doing it on the ground or up at cruise and not while climbing and descending through congested airspace.

I watched a couple other videos he has posted and I'm just a bit surprised that the FAA is good with what he's doing below 10,000 feet.

It is a single pilot jet so he's ok in that regard, but instructing and discussing other non flight related things isn't going to help his case with the FAA if something goes south.

All that said I wish I had the means to cruise around in my own Citation. It would be cool to be a pax on one of her flights as an airline Captain some day.

^^^^^^
Very well stated, Sigfan Roy. Yes…it is admirable what this young lady is doing and accomplishing at such a young age, but it’s a looooong road from Rote Learning to Understanding. This activity might better be conducted at uncontrolled airports in uncontrolled airspace. JMHO…

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
So, when horses don’t seem like an expensive enough hobby for Daddy’s Girl…

Ha! My son got his private pilot’s license in a Bellanca Super Decathlon a couple summers ago. When I asked my daughter when she wanted me to teach her, her response was, “I already have one expensive hobby, I don’t need another.” She rides jumpers. She’s always up to go do some aerobatics (she’s our rollercoaster girl), but has no interest in being PIC.

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
^^^^^^
Very well stated, Sigfan Roy. Yes…it is admirable what this young lady is doing and accomplishing at such a young age, but it’s a looooong road from Rote Learning to Understanding. This activity might better be conducted at uncontrolled airports in uncontrolled airspace. JMHO…

Some people would shit on anything.