Amateur-built and experimental aircraft - Australian Transport Safety ...

3.9.5 When transition training was not undertaken
These data tell us about who has undertaken transition training, but not about the
need to undertake transition. The need for transition training must be considered in
parallel with the relevant experience of the pilot. Clearly, some sectors of aviation
have broader and much more transferrable experience and may not need transition
training. From this survey, we know the sector of aviation where the majority of
their hours have accumulated, but not what type of aircraft people have flown.
Drilling down to characterise people by type of flying, without specific details of
the aircraft flown and type of operation, can lead to a range of answers.
For example, in a recent ATSB paper, Immediately Reportable Matters involving
Charter Operations, 2001 to 2006, it was reported that the five most common
aircraft models used for charter operations were Fairchild SA227, Piper PA-31
Navajo, Aero Commander 500, Cessna 210 and Cessna 206. These are single and
twin-engine aircraft, with fixed and retractable undercarriages. Aerial work covers
an even broader range of activities. It seems possible that charter and aerial work
pilots might be better prepared to fly higher performance ABE aircraft than most
private pilots. They must fly into unusual or different aerodromes, fly at different
times of the day and night, and fly complex aircraft, but the ABE aircraft they fly
are not necessarily high performance.
It is instructive to examine the comments of respondents who accrued the majority
of hours outside of private flying, but did not perform transition training. Only some
people who did not perform transition training provided comments in relation to
transition training. One respondent with over 6,000 hours experience in charter
operations stated:
With my experience I get to test a few (I did not conduct transition training), but
did an hour with the previous owner. (I) had about 500 hours on other tail
wheel (aircraft). Present licence endorsed for any singles up to 5,000 kg – you
still want some dual if possible.
A further respondent who did not perform transition training with over 9,000 hours
said:
I would consider transition training for anyone not current or competent on high
performance agile aircraft to be essential!
Finally, an air transport pilot with over 3,500 hours said:
From what I have seen ABE builders have a healthy respect for the aircraft
they have build and that is due mostly to seeing what goes into the airframe,
engine, etc. I feel that subsequent owners (and some builders) may need
some education on the limitations on these aircraft, i.e.: just because the
aircraft isn’t under as much scrutiny as a certified machine, it doesn’t make
flying it through VNE safer. Limits are limits, whether regulated or not.
A few private pilots who did not perform transition training commented on either
transition training or currency on type.
One private pilot who built a Lancair and has over 900 hours in total on all aircraft
wrote:
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