question on student taxi practice

Robert M. Gary wrote:
I'm not sure if the FAA recognizes ground-only operations as a separate
type of solo.

The FAA doesn't but sometimes the question comes down to insurance.

The insurance companies are the de-facto regulatory agency these days.

Your post got me interested so I checked my AIG policy. It only limits
what pilots (and qualifications) can fly the plane. For helicpoters
they define flight as many self-propelled movement, but for fixed wing
they define it as leaving the ground. I know the airlines have training
they require of employees before they can move a plane, something
probably directed by insurance.

Heck, I don't care if the FAA *and* the insurance company allows it.
If I owned something worth the better part of $100 Million, I sure
would want anybody moving the thing to have some sort of training.
Hangar rash gets real expensive real quick when you're talking 777's.

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
[...]
Heck, I don't care if the FAA *and* the insurance company allows it.
If I owned something worth the better part of $100 Million, I sure
would want anybody moving the thing to have some sort of training.
Hangar rash gets real expensive real quick when you're talking 777's.

Well, ignoring for the moment that I don't think anyone here was "talking
777's"...

....of course some kind of training is required. Transport aircraft aren't
typically taxied under their own power in and around other airplanes; they
use tugs for that, and the operators of the tugs require training as well
(as Robert's post did point out). When they are taxied under their own
power, it's only with a properly trained person at the controls (even if
that person isn't a pilot).

Likewise, no one is suggesting student pilots just be handed the keys and
told to go play around. An instructor wouldn't have them practice taxiing
until the student had already been given some instruction.

As far as the practicality of it goes, I'm not sure I see the point of
having a student practice taxiing solo. Often, the trickiest part about
taxiing an airplane is out of and back into parking. Even if the airplane
is pulled by hand out of and back into the parking space proper, taxiing
near the space can be tight quarters. Once you get out onto the taxiway,
you usually have a lot of leeway (though at smaller airports this isn't
always the case). If you can get to the taxiway, you probably are already
plenty competent in taxiing.

Pete

As far as the practicality of it goes, I'm not sure I see the point of
having a student practice taxiing solo.

Taildragger?

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
om...
Taildragger?

As far as I'm concerned, the type of airplane is irrelevant to the question.

Taildragger?
As far as I'm concerned, the type of airplane is irrelevant to the question.

It bears on the skill required for taxiing, and the possible reasons for
solo taxi practice before solo flight.

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

An instructor can sit in an airplane and monitor student
skill, this is what instruction is, protect the student from
their errors while they gain experience. First explain,
then demonstrate, then practice. Critique, practice,
eventually skill develops. Then solo, with a logbook and
certificate endorsement. Still, no passengers and a flight
check at least every 90 days in each make and model.

For a certificated land pilot, 90% of the seaplane rating is
how to taxi, sail and dock, beaching, and the rules of water
navigation. Yet no seaplane instructor would allow a
student to practice solo in the seaplane, yet if the
instructor in a land plane or seaplane is just sitting
there, not flying or riding the controls, the student is
effectively "solo." When the student has demonstrated skill
and judgment, the instructor takes the steps to advance the
student to the next level.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Jose" wrote in message
t...
| Taildragger?
| As far as I'm concerned, the type of airplane is
irrelevant to the question.
|
| It bears on the skill required for taxiing, and the
possible reasons for
| solo taxi practice before solo flight.
|
| Jose
| --
| Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
| for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

For a certificated land pilot, 90% of the seaplane rating is
how to taxi, sail and dock, beaching, and the rules of water
navigation. Yet no seaplane instructor would allow a
student to practice solo in the seaplane

Then you'd agree that the ability to taxi a land plane (on land) has
little bearing on the ability to taxi a seaplane (on water). One
without the skills to solo a seaplane could very easily have the skills
to taxi a land plane (or even fly it).

One without the skills to fly any kind of plane could still have the
skills to taxi a nosewheel landplane safely solo (but not have the
skills to taxi a tailwheel landplane safely solo).

This gets down to instructor judgement, and the type of plane (sea,
land, nosewheel, ski) makes a difference in what would be considered
good judgement.

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
t...
It bears on the skill required for taxiing, and the possible reasons for
solo taxi practice before solo flight.

Why should a taildragger pilot be MORE in need of solo taxi practice than a
nosewheel pilot?

If anything, the taildragger pilot is in more need of supervision.