My first "Semi-Complex" Endorsement
I got a signoff today for my first real new-aircraft challenge as a pilot: flying a single-engine aircraft with a "constant speed propeller" and advanced avionics, in this case the slim and speedy Diamond Star DA40 pictured below:
Why do I describe this as "semi-complex?" Well, your local FAA-approved haberdasher and CFI will tell you that a "Complex" aircraft features retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable-pitch propeller. The DA40 doesn't feature retractable gear, but it most certainly has the flaps and controllable-pitch prop, so it's a close-but-not-quite scenario. The real "complexity" is the prop, though — managing a controllable or "constant speed" propeller adds an incremental layer of complexity to pilot workload. The rough (and technically inaccurate) drivers' ed analogy is that it's like moving from an automatic to a manual transmission. By controlling the pitch of the propeller at climb, cruise, and descent, you can take more efficient advantage of engine power in all of those scenarios. You now have a "gear" for those situations that you didn't have before in a fixed-pitch aircraft, and a "transmission" gearshift of sorts exists in the cockpit to control the propeller's pitch. Previously, all I had were throttle and mixture controls, which were pretty simple to manage. Push in to go, pull back to slow down or stop.
So, I spent a good four-plus hours of transition time on this aircraft over the past several weeks: first to master the prop, and then to get my head around this:
Yep — a completely digital cockpit. Dual 10" LCD monitors display primary flight instrumentation and just about the most feature-packed GPS moving map you're likely to see, Lexus and BMW owners included. The world-beating feature of the whole setup is live traffic plotting on that moving map; it displays other aircraft in your area that are participating in the air traffic control system, so you now have more than just your eyes to rely on in finding someone who might pose a hazard in your flight path.
Four seats and 145 knots of cruise speed means I can finally get somewhere fast with a few passengers along for the ride. At nearly four bucks a gallon and eight gallons per hour, you'd better get there quickly.