I'm starting this thread with some reservation. I know a lot of people (me included) were frustrated by KG and I would have waited for some healing to take place but some things happened to maybe move up my timeline.

I just paid for the engines overhauls on the KA and expect them to get hung in the next few weeks. Who knows how long it will be for sale but its a very nice plane and we think it is priced right. N200FR, you can see it on controller - Rick Swick is my broker.

I'm hoping most guys/girls on here know me or at least know my name and take this seriously - I'm not a troll looking to stir things up - I really am serious about moving up to a jet.

Put a lot of hours on the KA over the past few days. 7.6 flying out to Richmond, VA. Then spent 7.5 hours in a sales meeting with me on one side and 17 on the other - takes lots of energy to go that long with that many people. The meeting went well but I was tired, heck I'm still tired. My IT partner in the business came along as well and rode in the back of the KA. He is a part of the decision to buy a jet and the combination of the sales call going very well and the long ride has moved him a long way toward something faster. I own 2/3 of the company so I guess I could do what I want (assuming it make sense for the biz) but I do't make decisions like that - its all or nothing on something like this. I hired a friend of mine to come along and help me fly because I knew I'd be too tired to do it alone - he's a retired CA pilot and I like flying with him.

We talked at length about our business buying an Ultra after the KA sells. It seems I'm going to be traveling a lot more and our business is growing to the point where it could actually make financial sense. I often say that owning the KA isn't financially responsible but it has enabled our business to grow and because of it, we have grown to the point where owning it is not as nuts as it was when we bought it. Funny - most people wait till they can afford a KA or a jet but in this case I did it backwards and it seems to have worked out.

I've tried to keep up with all the recent threads about moving up and I'm friends with Mark Hangen and he has learned a ton over the past months as he has moved up.

One thing I have struggled with is flying single pilot in a jet sounds hard to me. Not just the workload but the certifications. I feel extremely comfortable in the KA and I'll shoot a tight approach in icing without a second thought or work my way through a broken line of TS if it is reasonable. But I have a lot of hours in a KA - maybe close to 1000 and it feels like home.

This recent trip reminded me that having another pilot along is nice. I'll still get SP certified but it doesn't need to be right away and is no longer key to my decision. I think I'll get typed with Steven S and build time until I'm comfortable.

Just beginning the looking/learning process. My broker is a good guy and seems to know this market pretty well. I can't own two airplanes at once and I'm not gonna trade the KA in at a wholesale value so it might take awhile.

Any comments would sure be appreciated - I'm all ears!

Et tu Brute?

Unfamiliar is not the same as hard.

Jets are simpler than a KA.

Anybody who can properly fly a twin turboprop can fly a jet.

Mike C.

My first corporate gig was with a clothing company and their first jet, a Falcon 10.

At the time it was a privately held company and the owner bought the airplane under his name and not the company's. He bought it primarily for his convenience.

He found, however, that his business grew rapidly as a result of him owning a jet and the things it allowed him to do in a compressed time-frame.

I don't think your situation is unique.

It is probably not common simply because there are few cases where someone is able to sell the pitch; "Buy me a jet and our business will GROW!"

I don't think it's as unusual, as you might think, that the addition of an airplane drives growth.

I agree.

However, if you find yourself too drained (tired) after working all day you probably shouldn't fly ANYTHING single pilot afterward.

Once you are up to speed (and you take maintaining proficiency seriously) on a jet, it is a simpler, better solution than anything with propellers.

John I have some time in the V. It is a really nice airplane and I enjoyed every hour I had in the 2 I flew. It a versitle practical and efficient aircraft and in my opinion a solid design. There are a lot more well informed people on here about the economics but the owners of both airplanes were always satisfied with the costs.

I agree what Mike said if you can fly a turboprop single pilot the jet will be a piece of cake. Just a different mindset. Again differing to others with more knowledge the insurance costs for single pilot were very high hence the contract pilots in the right seat.

The only problem is once you start flying a jet, you won't ever be able to go back to a King Air (or any other TP).

John - as you know, I am going through that transition right now. I looked long and hard for a KA200, and really wanted to make one work. It probably would have but the aha/YOLO moment came when a friend told me, after going through the various reasons a Citation made more sense (in his view) than a KA:

"Buy a turboprop, and you'll always be looking forward to a jet. Buy a jet, and you'll never look back."

I'm at the start of this journey, so time will tell.

As for flying SP, it should come when you feel comfortable and ready. If you have someone nice to fly with, flying crewed flights is fun and can help you standardize and develop good flows and routines.

Good luck in your search. If there is anything I can help with, PM me.

By the way - join CJP - lots of good stuff there to learn and good folks willing to help.

The citation V would be my choice for a SP jet. Save enough money so you can make the panel look and act like your king air. Something I don't think you can do in an ultra.

It will help in the transition. Sounds fun.

So Steve, are you saying I can put Garmin stuff in the a V but not the ultra? Wow, I'm pretty comfortable with the Gtn's - avionics and AP take a long time to master.

My experience with jets is learjets, 727 and the L1011 (as a flight engineer) - none of these are nearly as easy as the KA but I'm willing to believe that a citation might be. It's not just the airplane, jets are given tougher clearances, speed restrictions and lots more climb via's and descend via's that Pistons or turbo props. I don't envision that flying a citation will be all that tough but it's gonna take me probably a year to get comfortable. I'm an ok KA pilot when I fly once a week but my skill atrophy after that, it's not a big problem because a KA is easy enough to slow down if I get busy and it doesn't have any nasty habits that will bite you.

I'm ok with admitting that I'm not as good as I once was. I have a day-job that I put a lot into and I haven't been a pro-pilot for 20 years (quit the airlines to be an entrepreneur when I was in my early 30s). I'm trying to go into this with a healthy respect for jets.

That is my understanding the V panel can be fitted with G600 and garmin navigators.

SP in anything is no joke. My 421 surely gets my attention. A jet will get you above more weather but has more gotchas than a king air.

I would commit to twice a year training with a certified ball buster who knows his stuff.

It's the only way I would feel,comfortable. It's every guys dream to fly a jet SP until they do it during a difficult situation.

If you are trained up you will be ready to handle the scenario. Without the training you will sell the jet or make excuse why you can't fly.

Training is the cheapest thing you can do at that level, don't skimp. Besides its beats working!

Steven is correct. STC for the full g600/gtn750/gdl88 package in the V. With the Ultra the STC (pending) is for a dual 750 or a 750/650 package. You have to retain the Primus 1000 legacy stuff.

I am dry leasing a V now. Let's set up some joint sales calls and you can be my right seat "meat".

Alex's advice about joining CJP is a good one. Been a stalker there for six months. Can you believe I have not made a single post?

Just think you could be type rated alre...

Steven is correct. STC for the full g600/gtn750/gdl88 package in the V. With the Ultra the STC (pending) is for a dual 750 or a 750/650 package. You have to retain the Primus 1000 legacy stuff.

I am dry leasing a V now. Let's set up some joint sales calls and you can be my right seat "meat".

Alex's advice about joining CJP is a good one. Been a stalker there for six months. Can you believe I have not made a single post?

Just think you could be type rated alre...

Hey Mark, what's the cost on the G600/GTN/GDL88 package for the V? Is it normal cost like you'd see in a Mits or an A*, or is it "oh, you have a jet, BOHICA" cost?

Come to the CJP Annual Meeting in September at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and you should be able to meet folks who fly the V. I know a few folks who should be there. Around 100 Citations should be on the ramp at KCOS.