The Non-Type-Rating-Rating Alternative

Consider what it takes for the FAA to deem one aircraft type so, well, finicky, for lack of a better word, that it warrants its own special federal aviation regulation setting out specific training requirements for its pilots. Part of the answer is reflected in the image above, of an MU-2s upper wing surface. Note the multiple-slotted Fowler flap. One can just make out the spoiler used for roll control.

Editorial Staff

Friday, March 20, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Special Federal Aviation Regulations (SFARs) are issued for certain aircraft, such as the Robinson R-22/R-44 and Mitsubishi MU-2, to mandate specific pilot training due to their unique handling characteristics or incident history.
Despite meeting FAA certification standards, the MU-2 gained a reputation for being unforgiving of mistakes, especially in single-engine and low-speed handling.
An FAA review concluded that problems with the MU-2 stemmed from inconsistent pilot training, not aircraft design issues, leading to the creation of SFAR 108 as a compromise to standardize pilot proficiency.

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Consider what it takes for the FAA to deem one aircraft type so, well, finicky, for lack of a better word, that it warrants its own special federal aviation regulation setting out specific training requirements for its pilots. Part of the answer is reflected in the image above, of an MU-2’s upper wing surface. Note the multiple-slotted Fowler flap. One can just make out the spoiler used for roll control.