AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - January 2019 - T-16

control unit (which only is used during
an engine emergency).
There's a commanding view from
both cockpits, and sublime control harmony makes maneuvering precise and
pleasurable. There's a great deal of builtin margin as we never come close to the
speed or G limits during a relatively
strenuous introductory flight.
Returning to the airport, we start an
overhead approach at 180 KIAS, deploy
the speed brake 1,200 feet above the runway, then lower the landing gear and flaps
on downwind. At idle power, the threeblade prop flattens out and deceleration is
rapid, so I raise the belly-mounted speed
brake (using a thumb switch on the power
lever) on final approach.
About 65-percent power on final
holds the 95-knot target airspeed, then
the power comes off at about 10 feet agl
and the airplane settles in. Once down,
pulling the power lever up and over the
stop to flat pitch nets a ground roll of
about 2,000 feet with light braking.
Behel, 28, has owned and flown his
Tucano for more than a year, and he uses
it for both sport and business flying.
"When I'm going places, I typically
cruise in the mid-teens at about 230 knots
[true] burning about 40 gallons an hour,"
T-16 | AOPA PILOT January 2019

THE TUCANO COCKPIT as it came from

France. The old-school attitude indicators
are electric, and five-point harnesses
connect pilot and passenger to the
(deactivated) ejection seats.

he said. "That's a little faster than a Baron at
about the same fuel consumption-but the
Tucano uses jet fuel that costs less. And it's
way more enjoyable to fly."
Of course, the Tucano has just two seats,
limited baggage space, and no autopilot or
wing deice/anti-ice systems. But that's just
fine with Behel, who says he rarely flies with
more than one other person along.
"For the passenger, flying in the Tucano is
usually a totally new and novel experience,"
he said. "No one who does it ever forgets it."
EXTREME PERFORMANCE

The Tucano is a highly refined, rugged,
reliable, and versatile airplane that represents an entirely new category of warbird
for civilian owners. Historic piston warbirds
from the World War II era have long been
symbols of pilot achievement, status, and
prestige. Now, turboprop military trainers
like the Tucano, PC-7 and PC-9, and turbine T-34s offer similar performance with
far great reliability and ease of maintenance.
Warbird pilots seeking a tangible connection to history will always be drawn to

iconic P-51 Mustangs, Corsairs, Spitfires,
and other sweet-sounding piston fighters
that shaped the twentieth century. Those
seeking exceptional performance without
the mechanical complexity or parts scarcity of piston warbirds have options in
turboprop trainers.
The Tucano is exhilarating to fly. It's
made from widely serviceable components
(PT6A, Piper landing gear, Cleveland
wheels and brakes). And its sturdy, nosewheel design makes it far more forgiving
on the ground than the heavy tailwheel
airplanes that make up the traditional warbird fleet.
Turboprops are costly, thirsty, and loud,
and they can't make the soul-stirring music
of a V-12 or a geared radial. But for those
seeking extreme performance in a robust,
thoroughly tested, authentic military aircraft, nothing can touch them.
Slaney, a piston warbird pilot before he
ever saw a Tucano, said the Brazilian-made
former military trainers offer a unique
combination of exquisite flying qualities,
exceptional performance, and ruggedness.
"I had high expectations going in, but
this airplane has exceeded them all," he
said. "I can't get enough of them." AOPA
EMAIL dave.hirschman@aopa.org
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - January 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - January 2019
