There are two ways to transition to WSC Trike.
You can go for the “adding a category” at the srort pilot level which is being trained by one CFI and than taking a proficiency check with another CFI per 61.321. Here there are no minimum hours required and it is a logbook endorsement for an additional category. Even if you are a private pilot or ATP airplane, you must fly with the sport pilot limitations of 61.315 except you do not need any of the airspeed of airspace endorsements as specified in 61.303.
You can also go for the Private Pilot WSC Trike.This is almost like starting from scratch. It is like adding a new private pilot category such as helicopter. You need all the 20 hours dual training in WSC plus 10 hours of solo plus all of the cross country requirementas per 61.109 (j). You get a break with no knowledge test required. This gives you the privlages of a private pilot for the trike withount the limitations of the sport pilot.
We have the capability to do either here at Sport Aviation Center. We have two trike CFI’s for the sport pilot proficiency check option, and two private pilot CFI’s and a private pilot examiner (Paul Hamilton).
How long does it take for an airplane pilot to transition to a WSC trike?
The trike controls are different than the three axis airplane. New skills/habits must be learned by the airplane pilot. It is very different at first for an airplane pilot because you take away the thin walls that provide a false sense of security of being inside something, you take away the horizon reference the pilot usually uses to control the aircraft, than you reverse all the controls so nothing is familiar. It is like leqarning to ride a motorcycle after just driving a car. We can all do it it is simply different.
Typically, airplane pilots feel disoriented for the first 20 minutes, and must “think” about the movements for the first hours of flight. But it is very interesting how some pilots pich it up really quick and others it takes a while. This large variance in how quick an airplane pilot feels comfortable flying a trike is not easily explained. The “danger zone” for an airplane pilot is the time between when they feel comfortable flying the trike and when the correct body motion habits are developed for flying in bumps close the the ground. Some pilots can feel comfortable flying a trike in as little at 5 hours, but it takes at least 20 to 50 hours for the proper habits to be developed. The main danger is flying close to the ground in bumps where pushing out to slow up and pulling in to speed up is critical. Some pilots pick it up quickly, others take longer. It is a matter of learning to “fly the wing” rather than move and coordinate the controls.
I have found that 150 to 500 hour airplane pilots take the longest to learn. ATP, helicopter and jet pilots appear to pick it up quicker. Perhaps the low to medium time airplane pilots are still trying to think about the movements and the body language habits are highly ingrained. The high time pilots fly more by feel of the aircraft.
A number of analygies used that wotk on most airplane pilots are:
- It is like the stick is on the top of the wing and you are controlling it from the bottom
- it is like driving the car with your hands on the bottom of the wheel rather than the top.
- It is like a motorcycle, pull in/lower your self to resist drag and speed up, push out to go slow, sit up and cruise
- Move your self in the direction you want to go
- The wing is in your hand, there are no controls
Usually one of the above assists in airplane pilots transitioning to trikes.
Overall, the best way to transition is to get the DVD’s and watch them and start to visualize that to do before you start doing it. This visualization usually is a big help in reducing the time it takes to transition.
After you transition, you can go back and forth all the time with no trouble.
