The FAA defines a “complex aircraft” as “one which has manually or automatically controllable pitch propeller, flaps, and retractable landing gear”. An aircraft with more than 200 horsepower is defined as “high performance”. A “technically advanced aircraft” is generally defined as “one with an IFR approach-approved GPS with a moving map and a coupled autopilot”. The Saratoga whose cockpit is shown on this picture corresponds to all three definitions.

As for all transitions to new aircraft type, switching to a complex aircraft requires decidated training. I don’t have a lot to says about flaps, mostly because I never flew a flapless aircraft. The extra power, propeller and gear management are not big issues, but require some extra attention.

More than 200 horsepower means better climb performance, and higher en-route and approach speeds. Sataogas, Bonanzas, or Cessna 210 all have cruising speeds in the 150 knots range, and normal speed on shirt final in the 85 knots range. This is 25 percent faster than a C172 or PA28, requiring faster thinking. This is usually not a problem in cruise, but being up to the speed on approach is something else, and the extra actions required by the variable pitch propeller and retractable landing gear makes it even more challenging.

An important limiting factor that pilots shall not forget is the engine cooling principle. Powerful engines, and particularly turbo equipped ones, really don’t like abrupt power reductions. This is because the fuel itself plays an important role in engine cooling and lubrication. As an example, on the 300 hp normally aspirated Saratoga, it is not recommended to reduce manifold pressure below 13 inches on approach. Power reduction and speed management require more attention and planning that a weaker engine.

The variable pitch propeller allows for better performance, both during climb and cruise, than a fixed pitch propeller, which is always a bad compromise. If you fly a single-lever, FADEC controlled engine, you’ll simply have to set a percentage of power. Easy. If you’re flying a classical plane, having a variable pitch prop will require you to take care of an extra lever – the blue one – and an extra gauge – the manifold pressure. Setting power will then mean adjusting the manifold pressure with the throttle, and then the RPMs number using the propeller lever. Not really complex, but as most operators recommend to reduce power during the initial climb, this induces additional pilot workload at this rather critical phase of flight. The propeller is also reset to high RPM (low pitch) on short final, as preparation for a possible go-around – one more check on short final.

Handling the landing gear is not exactly complex. Retract it after take-off, extend it before landing, and that’s it. It’s however important to reduce speed to the maximal allowed value before extending it, and then to compensate for the extra drag once it’s down. An additional check on short final should normally protect you from the shame of a belly landing. Some say that there are two kind of pilots flying aircraft with retractable landing gears: those who already had a belly landing, and those who will have their soon… I keep my fingers crossed to remain in the second group.

The other thing to know about the landing gear is how to extend it if the normal procedure is not working. Depending how the system is designed, this can be as simple as pulling a lever, or terribly long, like turning a crank… 50 times !

There is a simple mnemonic that I use when flying complex aircraft. While on short final, I call for Red – Blue – Green. Red is for the mixture to full rich, Blue for the propeller to high RPM, and Green for the landing gear indicator. Red – Blue – Green: simple and efficient.

All in all, upgrading to a complex aircraft requires to manage two more systems (propeller and gear), a bit more anticipation, and requires to actually manage the power reduction. Because of their higher mass, flying complex and high-performance aircraft make use of pitch-trim a must, even when small adjustments are needed. Depending on your previous experience, the transition to your first complex type will last between 4 and 8 hours.

Because of the higher fuel consumption, and more expensive insurance premiums induced by the retractable landing gear, the hourly cost of complex aircraft are well above those of more simple one. The extra speed partly compensate for the higher cost, particularly if you fly long legs, but don’t expect it to be cheaper in the end.

Read more:

Comparison between the Saratoga and Bonanza emergency landing gear extension systems

Photo gallery showing the details of a PA32 Saratoga cockpit

Operation of a single-lever FADEC controlled engine

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