It's best to get a lesson plan organized and not try consume all of it all in one go. I decided to focus on a couple of things - the Introductory Power Point and a few chapters of the Sharper Edge Multi Engine book.
1. Start off with the pros and cons of twins
Cons:
- Engines twice as likely to fail (as you have two)
- Flies like a pig with an engine out (50% horse power reduction but 80% reduction in performance - yup, you might not even be able to climb with an engine out)
- Longer runway to land
- 2x more fuel burn (for typically only 25% increase in speed; so you get only 15 min. time savings going on a two hour trip)
- 2x more maintenance (you have two engines, two starters, two alternators, retractable gear)
Pros:
- Smoother ride due to higher wing loading
- Faster climbs
- Greater safety during night flying
- Instrument flying greater safety
- Inhospitable terrain greater safety
- Nicer visibility
- Quieter cabin
- Commercial flying - you can go Night and IMC (not allowed in piston single)
In a nutshell, despite the cons(mostly related to costs), a full blown emergency in a single becomes a non-event (if proficient in emergencies) and it's good PR (your friends and family have a better peace of mind) I've also been told that a high performance single won't have the range as you'd get in a twin when you add in FIKI capabilities (so check your typical mission) I heard that Air Canada and WestJet are canceling their flights if you are canceling when you fly a Cessna 340 (pressurized and known ice)
2. Next, you'll learn about "critical engine" (unless you are flying engines that both rotate clockwise, there isn't a critical engine) You might have one side driving electricals though.
3. Aerodynamics
- You are getting more lift on the wing where engine is (so expect sink when you pull back power - you'll have to carry power right up until touchdown) - otherwise high sink, hard landings
- Speaking of aerodynamics - this is a bulk of the training on the twin - what happens in the event of a dead engine in various scenarios:
- on take-off run
- on take-off and climb
- on cruise
- on approach to land
I won't repeat the engine out details here - but reaction to a dead engine has to be committed to muscle memory by repeating 1000 times.
I found it useful to sit in the plane and go over it over and over again so that it's automatic - something that should be done between lessons 1 and 2. What's also useful between lessons 1 and 2 go through all the checklist items (from start-up to shut-down) so you are not searching for buttons while in the air when you should be looking out and concentrating on heading, altitude and the workload.
You'll learn about the importance of Vmc (commit that to memory along with lots of other speeds) and the priority (#1 Priority is to maintain control, #2 Priority is to get performance from good engine)
4. Flight Test Standards
You'll go through what's required for Transport Canada flight test standards - all the oral aspects (what's Vsse, what is zero fuel weight and why is that important, what is commit point, how do you calculate accelerate stop/go distances), air exercises you'll be doing (reduced speed flight, stalls - clean and dirty, steep turns - with the importance of lookouts and HASEL), emergencies, flight planning details.
5. Now it's time to fly!
Starting with the walk around and going through every vent, antenna, gear hydraulics, oil/fuel levels. Next, the startup procedures and taxing (which is a whole other challenge with two engines - don't ride the breaks!). You'll then take off (nuances during take-off is to do a lookout every 1000 ft), cruise and get into air exercises, engine failures before you come in for a landing. Don't expect landing to be easy - as it requires full trim as you approach and land - faster speeds than what you are used to in a single.
Phew. Day 1 is quite exhausting as you are introduced to a whole bunch of new concepts, then you are thrown into the air with no familiarity of where everything is.
Before my 2nd lesson I decided to remember on where everything is by sketching it out.
It got much easier by Day 3 due to a lot of reading (terminology isn't as new anymore after the Day 1 intro) and "hanger flying". Unpacking everything (from the practical/oral to the flying) one at a time helped a lot.
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