High-Performance Aircraft Endorsement §61.31

As your pilot experience continues to grow, you may start flying faster and more capable airplanes. To make it simple, the faster or higher you go, the more engine power is required. A high performance plane is defined as an airplane with an engine of more than 200 horsepower. In order to act as a pilot in command of a high performance airplane, you need to have a high performance endorsement.

Just for clarity, although the combined engine power of a twin where each engine is 180 horsepower is 360 horsepower, this is not a high performance airplane because each individual engine is not more than 200 horsepower.

The applicable federal aviation regulation is 14 C.F.R §61.31 (f)

§61.31 Type rating requirements, additional training, and authorization requirements.

(f) Additional training required for operating high-performance airplanes.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (f)(2) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of a high-performance airplane (an airplane with an engine of more than 200 horsepower), unless the person has—

(i) Received and logged ground and flight training from an authorized instructor in a high-performance airplane, or in a flight simulator or flight training device that is representative of a high-performance airplane, and has been found proficient in the operation and systems of the airplane; and

(ii) Received a one-time endorsement in the pilot's logbook from an authorized instructor who certifies the person is proficient to operate a high-performance airplane.

(2) The training and endorsement required by paragraph (f)(1) of this section is not required if the person has logged flight time as pilot in command of a high-performance airplane, or in a flight simulator or flight training device that is representative of a high-performance airplane prior to August 4, 1997.

High Performance Aircraft Endorsement Example

To act as PIC in a high-performance airplane: section 61.31(f)
I certify that (First name, MI, Last name), (pilot certificate), (certificate number), has received the required training of section 61.31(f) in a (make and model of high performance airplane). I have determined that he/she is proficient in the operation and systems of a high performance airplane.
 
/s/ [date] J. J. Jones 987654321CFI Exp. 12-31-05

What does a high performance airplane mean?

A high performance airplane is usually a faster airplane that requires a higher skill level of the pilot.

This means additional planning. If you are used to a normal Cessna 172, the airplane is not cruising much faster than pattern speed. If you are flying in a high performance Mooney at 160 knots, it will take some additional planning and airplane management to get slowed down to pattern airspeed and to begin your descent at an appropriate distance away. It is important to stay ahead of the airplane.

This means more judgment and piloting skills. With a faster airplane, you may have less time to react to an emergency. You will also have more instruments and systems that require monitoring and interpreting.

It is extremely important to be well aware of your airplanes limitations and performance. You should consult your AFM/POH for proper procedures and limitations for your airplane.

Other things to consider are aerodynamic effects. More engine power will mean more engine torque to overcome. This means the application of a lot more right rudder pressure is required during high workload phases of flight, such as during take off and climb. This is a common complaint among flight instructors giving a high performance checkout; not using enough rudder pressure.

As a general rule, all engine operations should be made in a gentle and smooth manner. Don’t suddenly jam in the throttle. Gently add or remove throttle. Engines are manufactured to very tight tolerances, down to the 1/10,000 of an inch. Engines are designed for a certain % power with a certain temperature. Engines have a few different types of metal in its construction (aluminum, steel, nickel), meaning, some parts will expand and contract at a different rate. To reiterate, always consult your airplanes POH on proper power settings and operating procedures.

Engine Heat Management

Heat management is a very critical aspect of operating a high performance airplane. Higher engine power directly results in more heat to dissipate. Heat is an enemy of airplane engines and is detrimental to their operation. Excessive heat can lead to piston, ring, and cylinder head failures. Excessive cylinder head temperature can also lead to detonation and possibly catastrophic engine failure.

There are two main different types of engine cooling. An air-cooled engine usually results in an uneven heat distribution among the cylinders but is often much simpler and lighter in weight than its liquid-cooled counterpart. A liquid-cooled engine results in a more uniform heat distribution but requires more complexity and more weight. With extra equipment weight also being a natural enemy of airplanes, the air-cooled engines usually win out. This is why most airplane engines are air-cooled.

In an air-cooled engine, the airflow usually enters in the front of the engine cowling above the engine and behind the propeller, flows across and through the cylinders from top to bottom, and through an opening at the bottom of the engine cowling as illustrated below.

As a private pilot, you were initially taught a few basics of how to keep the heat low.

Methods to reduce engine heat:

1. Increase airspeed by either leveling out in a climb momentarily or lowering the nose. Increased airspeed means more airflow across the engine
2. Enrich the mixture. A richer fuel mixture will aid in cooling the engine.
3. Reduce the power by retarding the throttle. Reducing the amount of power being generated will reduce the amount of heat generated.

It is extremely important to monitor engine temperatures when in a high performance airplane. Oil temperature, cylinder head temperature and exhaust gas temperatures are a few temperatures that are often monitored. Always operate with these temperatures in the green range. Excessive cylinder head temperatures may result in excess wearing of the exhaust valve guides, and makes the cylinder heads vulnerable to cracking

Cowl Flaps

Another tool to help aid in cooling the engine is the use of cowl flaps; which are often a part of high performance airplanes. The cowl flap is an adjustable opening on the lower part of the engine cowling. In the above image, it is the section labeled “Engine Cowling (open during taxiing, takeoff, and climbs)”. On airplanes that are not high performance, it is usually a lip opened a fixed amount. On high performance airplanes, the pilot can control the position of the cowl flaps. By opening the cowl flaps, it exposes the high-pressure ram air entering the engine cowling in the front, to a low-pressure area under the engine cowling, accelerating airflow through the engine. Always operate cowl flaps according to your airplane POH. They are usually open for taxiing, takeoff, and climbs. They are usually closed during cruise and landing. Open cowl flaps usually mean higher drag and can rob you of a few knots of airspeed.

An article on avweb.com, "Leading Edge 21: Remember your Cowl flaps" gives a great overview on cowl flaps. The article presents an easy to remember acronym for cowl flap usage.

[C]hecklists: Follow the appropriate ones -- before, during and after flight.

[O]pen your cowl flaps for start-up, taxi, run-up, and for taxi-in after your clear the runway.

[W]atch cylinder and oil temperatures and close the cowl flaps as you level the aircraft into cruise flight. But if the engine is getting abnormally hot, or you're in a configuration where it's likely to get hotter (taxi, takeoff or climb), open the cowl flaps.

[L]eave the cowl flaps closed for descent and landing, open them again as you tax to parking, and close (and plug) them if possible when you hangar or tie down.

The High Performance Checkout

When transitioning to a high performance airplane, a structured syllabus and a qualified flight instructor who is competent in the airplane should be used.

The ground instruction at a minimum should cover the performance, and operating procedures and limitations as found in the flight manual, a general cockpit familiarization, an overview of new airplane systems, and proper preflight inspection procedures of a high performance plane.

Flight instruction at a minimum should include all the usual pilot tasks. Takeoffs, landings, go-arounds, power on and off stalls, and emergency procedures.

As odd as it sounds, simply getting the endorsement does not necessarily mean you can rent the airplane. Often times, insurance requirements require a higher amount of time in make/model and/or a certain amount of time with a flight instructor. After getting the endorsement, and meeting insurance requirements, it might be a good idea to fly solo for a few hours, or enough to feel comfortable before pushing the envelope with weather or passengers. In fact, depending on the aircraft, and insurance policy, you may be required to have so many hours of solo time in the make/model before being allowed to carry passengers.

Logging time during a high performance checkout

This is a question that’s asked and debated very often. As a private pilot, for a category/class rating, you are most likely rated for a single-engine land airplane. That means, you are “rated” for any single-engine land airplane that doesn’t require a type certificate. You are not qualified to ACT as the pilot in command of a high-performance airplane during the checkout, because you are not endorsed, however, you are still able to LOG the time as PIC by being the “sole manipulator of an airplane you are rated for”.

There was a letter written to the FAA Office of the Chief Counsel by a Jason E. Herman asking for clarification of this question of how to log time.

See the Legal Interpretation here: Herman – 2009

Conclusion

High performance planes usually also have wing flaps, a constant-speed propeller, and retractable landing gear. Those will be covered in detail in the complex aircraft endorsement section. http://www.aviation.starryfox.com/complex.html

High performance airplanes may also have more complicated systems for anti-ice/deice, oxygen, pressurization and turbocharging. These will be covered at a later time in a different section.

In conclusion, this section should have covered the bare bones of the high performance airplane definition and its operation. To reiterate, it is very important to get the ground and flight instruction from a qualified instructor who is knowledgeable about the airplane being used, and its also extremely important to be extremely familiar with the flight manual/POH. This section should not be used as a sole source of information, but merely a starting point to get your mind asking the right questions.