Let me preface this by saying I've been procrastinating getting this rating. I got my commercial multi over 3 years ago and I've been instructing almost 4 years. I've been "working" on it since May 2017 but just never had the time between full time job and owning a flight school which makes me almost a full time CFI too. In my week of studying I couldn't find more than one or two good add-on write ups so hopefully this helps someone. Please keep in mind this was an add-on and I am a very current/proficient/active CFI so as far how the ride was conducted YMMV.
So last week I asked a family friend to come to me for a week and get the thing done. The gentleman who did my MEI did my mom's almost 38 years ago, I believe also in a Cessna 310.
Anyway, onto the good stuff. I used an FAA inspector because it was significantly more convenient than flying 2+ hours to a DPE. I had to wait about a month for an appointment. We started and he opened the PTS and read off line-by-line what we needed to do and looked at my 8710 and endorsement for the ride. We started with runway incursion avoidance "What are common errors and how do you avoid them?", then moved onto logbook certificates and endorsements "can you endorse a student to fly solo in that airplane? Can you instruct in a 414?". Pretty basic stuff. He gave me a lesson to plan ahead of time and it was Vmc, so I taught him that and he was satisfied. He asked me a few questions like "How do you deal with an engine fire on start?" "Let's say you're coming in one engine out, full flaps (even thought you said you wouldn't use them) and gear down and a fire truck is on the runway.. what now?". I told him initially I would land anyway and just try to avoid the fire truck even if it meant going into the grass. Then he asked if the airplane would go around "Maybe" so we had a loooooong discussion about that. A loaded 310 on a hot day on one engine won't go around, but a light 310 on a cool day will (I did it, simulated) if you get the flaps and gear up ASAP. I think we had a little miscommunication on that because he thought I meant I would go around but he said nothing was wrong it's just "what the lawyers would say".
Next we went over systems. Per the PTS we picked 5 systems to discuss (briefly). Engines/props, anti/de-ice, electrical, fuel/oil/hydraulic, and gear. Discussed the props in the most detail and although I missed one small thing (spring in the prop) he was good with everything. Then he said it was my choice if we flew or not because the wind was sort of high (not really, 19 knots). I said I wanted to fly so we looked at W&B and performance charts (which I had done ahead of time) for about 30 seconds and talked about accelerate-go for another 30 seconds.
Oral done after 1.5 hours.
Go to preflight it, show him the required documents and he probably wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't had them. He follows me on the preflight and doesn't ask any questions except about the fuel pumps and how the fuel system works. Get in the airplane and due to the location of all the switches/knobs on the 310 he started the engines and after that he didn't touch the airplane again.
We had briefed the flight before hand and he said there would be no surprises and if it was a surprise it was real and it was my airplane but he would assist with radios/cowl flaps. First takeoff was a short-field but upon applying power I'd have an issue, which was "fire!". Pulled the power and he then said to continue the takeoff. Easy peasy. About 1500 above the ground he said he was going to pull one so he covered the throttles and did. I continued climb and went through the feather procedures (simulated) and got zero thrust back. About 300 feet later I got the engine back.
Once we got to altitude we did a power off stall, a drag demonstration and then a steep turn. Then I taught him the Vmc demo which went really well. After the steep turn we shut down the left engine completely and made a couple turns. It started right up. He let me get the engine back to temp out in the practice area before we headed back. On the way back about 5 miles out he again didn't surprise me and said he was pulling an engine. Not sure if he was nice about this part or a jerk. I had to turn into the dead engine in the traffic pattern but it made crosswind correction much easier. Normal landing that was actually pretty good. Taxied back and did a normal takeoff. Short field landing was not good. I mean it was short but it was the most firm one I've made in the 310. Taxied off the runway for the second time and he said congrats. 1.1 on the hobbs.
He gave a few pointers during the debrief more about resources to teach with (FAA books) but overall didn't have too much to say except I should use more pictures. I can live with that. And the ride was free! Can't beat free!
Hopefully this write up helps someone, I know I could have used a couple more this last week.
So last week I asked a family friend to come to me for a week and get the thing done. The gentleman who did my MEI did my mom's almost 38 years ago, I believe also in a Cessna 310.
Anyway, onto the good stuff. I used an FAA inspector because it was significantly more convenient than flying 2+ hours to a DPE. I had to wait about a month for an appointment. We started and he opened the PTS and read off line-by-line what we needed to do and looked at my 8710 and endorsement for the ride. We started with runway incursion avoidance "What are common errors and how do you avoid them?", then moved onto logbook certificates and endorsements "can you endorse a student to fly solo in that airplane? Can you instruct in a 414?". Pretty basic stuff. He gave me a lesson to plan ahead of time and it was Vmc, so I taught him that and he was satisfied. He asked me a few questions like "How do you deal with an engine fire on start?" "Let's say you're coming in one engine out, full flaps (even thought you said you wouldn't use them) and gear down and a fire truck is on the runway.. what now?". I told him initially I would land anyway and just try to avoid the fire truck even if it meant going into the grass. Then he asked if the airplane would go around "Maybe" so we had a loooooong discussion about that. A loaded 310 on a hot day on one engine won't go around, but a light 310 on a cool day will (I did it, simulated) if you get the flaps and gear up ASAP. I think we had a little miscommunication on that because he thought I meant I would go around but he said nothing was wrong it's just "what the lawyers would say".
Next we went over systems. Per the PTS we picked 5 systems to discuss (briefly). Engines/props, anti/de-ice, electrical, fuel/oil/hydraulic, and gear. Discussed the props in the most detail and although I missed one small thing (spring in the prop) he was good with everything. Then he said it was my choice if we flew or not because the wind was sort of high (not really, 19 knots). I said I wanted to fly so we looked at W&B and performance charts (which I had done ahead of time) for about 30 seconds and talked about accelerate-go for another 30 seconds.
Oral done after 1.5 hours.
Go to preflight it, show him the required documents and he probably wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't had them. He follows me on the preflight and doesn't ask any questions except about the fuel pumps and how the fuel system works. Get in the airplane and due to the location of all the switches/knobs on the 310 he started the engines and after that he didn't touch the airplane again.
We had briefed the flight before hand and he said there would be no surprises and if it was a surprise it was real and it was my airplane but he would assist with radios/cowl flaps. First takeoff was a short-field but upon applying power I'd have an issue, which was "fire!". Pulled the power and he then said to continue the takeoff. Easy peasy. About 1500 above the ground he said he was going to pull one so he covered the throttles and did. I continued climb and went through the feather procedures (simulated) and got zero thrust back. About 300 feet later I got the engine back.
Once we got to altitude we did a power off stall, a drag demonstration and then a steep turn. Then I taught him the Vmc demo which went really well. After the steep turn we shut down the left engine completely and made a couple turns. It started right up. He let me get the engine back to temp out in the practice area before we headed back. On the way back about 5 miles out he again didn't surprise me and said he was pulling an engine. Not sure if he was nice about this part or a jerk. I had to turn into the dead engine in the traffic pattern but it made crosswind correction much easier. Normal landing that was actually pretty good. Taxied back and did a normal takeoff. Short field landing was not good. I mean it was short but it was the most firm one I've made in the 310. Taxied off the runway for the second time and he said congrats. 1.1 on the hobbs.
He gave a few pointers during the debrief more about resources to teach with (FAA books) but overall didn't have too much to say except I should use more pictures. I can live with that. And the ride was free! Can't beat free!
Hopefully this write up helps someone, I know I could have used a couple more this last week.
