The Columbia 350 And 400 Demand A Continuous Training Regimen

Chesapeake Aviation Training, of Baltimore, Maryland, now provides Lancair factory instruction for the Columbia 350 and Columbia 400.   

"It's Not Your Typical Four-seater"

"Many pilots are gadget freaks," says Mr. Scott Dennstaedt, owner and chief flight instructor of Chesapeake Aviation Training.  "We're seeing lots of pilots gravitating toward the glass cockpit.  Lancair and Cirrus are providing such a product at a reasonable cost."  The Columbia 350 and 400 have dual Garmin GNS 430 GPSs and S-Tec autopilot to complement the Avidyne FlightMax Entrgra primary flight display and Avidyne EX5000C multifunction display.           

In addition to being Lancair factory-certified instructor, Mr. Dennstaedt is also a Cirrus Standardized Instructor.  He has hundreds of hours of experience behind the solid state avionics found in these technically advanced aircraft.  Mr. Dennstaedt is an experienced FAA-certified instrument flight instructor (CFII) and meteorologist in the Baltimore-Washington area.  Besides nationwide flight instructing, he is a contributing editor for IFR Magazine and also teaches aviation weather.

Insurance Dictates Training Requirements

While there are some experienced pilots buying Lancairs, many are low-time pilots without any experience in high performance aircraft.  "Purchasing a Columbia 350 or 400 is really a significant step up for many new owners.  It is very easy to get behind these fast airplanes," Mr. Dennstaedt added.  Besides an instrument rating, insurance underwriters have been demanding factory training or training from a factory-certified Lancair instructor.  The number of hours of dual required depends on the owner's previous experience and current held pilot ratings; five to twenty-five hours of dual instruction are common requirements.   

In addition to factory training, Chesapeake Aviation Training offers other services to Lancair owners including nationwide domestic ferry flights and accompaniment home after the purchase of their new or used Lancair.  "Pilots typically don't feel completely comfortable flying home in an unfamiliar airplane," says Mr. Dennstaedt.   Chesapeake Aviation Training also offers a 10-day accelerated instrument flight training program for those pilots that do not currently have their instrument rating.   

FMI: http://chesavtraining.com