I9 rating - alternate routing for fast piston

[Martin Sulzynski]

The link for the I9 in Training Center specifies that the RIIVR TWO STAR requires turbojet.

I run SimAVIO with XP10 to simulate the instruments and do not have access to a turboprop or turbojet in my current setup. Is there any way to complete the I9 with alternate routing suitable for fast piston? The I9 seems to be the only rating for which turbojet is required. I10 and I11 can be completed with fast piston.

[Mark Hargrove]

Which constraints of the I-9 route will you be unable to meet in your fast piston aircraft?

[Martin Sulzynski]

Performance constraints for BE58 are just within the MCCRN3.HEC.RIIVR2 minimum requirements. The highest MEA for the route appears to be 17000 between HECTOR and GRAMM. The service ceiling for the BE58 is just over 20000.

The issue is more to do with preferred routing. Since the flight originates and ends at a ZLA class B airport, it would normally be required to comply with routing published in Simroutes. Simroutes restricts MCCRN3.HEC.RIIVR2 to turbojet only. Pistons are required to use MCCRN3 HEC V12 PMD KIMMO2.

So the question is, in a fast piston, will I be able to get a waiver for the usual preferred routing and complete the I9 using the turbojet route? If not, can I still complete the I9 via KIMMO2?

[Mark Hargrove]

Keith, or one of the other controllers will have to weigh in -- but I suspect you'll get a "waiver" to fly the I-9 as written. I flew it in a Cessna Citation Mustang which can't meet one of the crossing speed requirements -- that was no problem for them.

-M.

[Ryan Geckler]

I would have no problem with it, traffic permitting.

[Keith Smith]

I'll discuss this internally. It's there for historical reasons, prior to the existence of PilotEdge where this program was used on a network where turbojets and turboprops made up the vast majority of the traffic. Additionally, the LAS-LAX run was one of the most common flights on the network, so it was something we wanted to include in the program.

Lastly, the I-10 and I-11 were added quite a while after the introduction of the program.

For now, with the lack of traffic into LAX, I think it's ok to do the RIIVR STAR in your Baron if you can meet the MEA's. It's not quite in the spirit of the rating, but it does get you flying the profile, which is one of the goals.

Ultimately, I may well make the I9 optional for PE because it just isn't as relevant for the audience that we have here.