Flying a Single Pilot Jet with a Dual Crew

Although not required, many owners of single-pilot jets prefer to have two pilots up front for safety reasons. Given the current pilot shortage, finding qualified pilots has become exceedingly difficult. The owners often seek to hire a lower-time multi-engine pilot as their Second in Command (SIC), so their pilot costs are kept as low as possible. Since this pilot will only act as SIC, they don’t feel they should have to send him/her through the same extensive annual training the Pilot In Command has to complete.

Will this pilot physically manipulate the controls of the aircraft or simply handle the radios and assist the PIC with checklists, etc.? If they will physically manipulate the controls, the underwriter will view them like any other pilot who will be flying the aircraft. They will need to complete the annual required initial or recurrent training for the specific aircraft. In addition, if they are lower time, they will most likely be restricted to right-seat operations only until they build up more flight experience in the aircraft. Of course, exceptions are possible for adding well-qualified jet pilots as SICs who have completed formal recurrent training in a similar-sized jet within the prior 12 months.

Before submitting the potential second pilot for approval, make sure they complete a pilot history form provided by your insurance broker. To have the best chance of approval, they must complete this form in as much detail as possible. Make sure they list their multi-engine hours, turbo-prop hours, jet hours, and any type of ratings they hold. For their jet hours, they should break out how many hours they have in each specific make/model aircraft they have flown and their training events for each aircraft. For example: (CE525B, Jan-18, 2024, FlightSafety initial + type)

In a world where information is king, it is even more true when it comes to the approval of pilots. After all, this is the most critical safety component of any airplane. Be sure to seek guidance from your AssuredPartners Aerospace team, who can help answer any questions and guide you through the nuances of successful pilot approval.