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Poll: Airplane You'd Like to Train In

All about Airlines and Airliners.
 

Lucas (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 21 Apr 22, 16:32Post
If you were given the option of getting a private pilot license in the following aircraft, select the order you'd prefer them:

-Citabria
-C172
-Piper Archer
Queso (netAirspace ATC Tower Chief & Founding Member) 21 Apr 22, 16:34Post
Citabria, no doubt. Flying a conventional-gear plane unquestionably makes you a better pilot.

Not to mention a Citabria just flies better than the other two choices. ;)
Slider... <sniff, sniff>... you stink.
Lucas (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 21 Apr 22, 17:01Post
Queso wrote:Citabria, no doubt. Flying a conventional-gear plane unquestionably makes you a better pilot.

Not to mention a Citabria just flies better than the other two choices. ;)


I've asked the question to a number of people, and the answers I get are interesting. The freight dogs (and a certain movie star) say Citabria all the way. One of the UAL guys who does the regular run is convinced that Citabrias are a pain to fly and that a Piper is much more pleasant.

Very few votes for the C172, though a local jet pilot who owns a C182 as well said he thought it was best.
miamiair (netAirspace FAA) 21 Apr 22, 17:44Post
I like the Decathlon over the Citabria, a bit more juice to it.

But you have the right order.

I learned in an Aeronca Champ and a Varga Katchina. Both fun airplanes.
ShanwickOceanic (netAirspace FAA) 21 Apr 22, 17:53Post
My CFI banned me from the 172 (and no tears were shed on my side, believe me) after a long, long evening of circuits at KIN, during which nobody was sure whether the gear, the light, or our spines would give out first. Learned some new cuss words that day, but never did learn how to land a Skyhawk.

While I'd love to go back and tame the beast, and while I did love flying my first employer's Warriors around Scotland, I would pick the Citabria for sure. Tailwheel from the start and develop good habits, and proper spin training - the only Citabria time I have logged was for spins, pre-solo.

The Warrior (and I assume the Archer) is so docile in the stall that I wouldn't want that to be my impression of how it goes in real life. Didn't find the 172 to be all that much worse unless there was a runway directly underneath. (On the other hand, one of our 150s would snap two turns into a spin before you could get a swear out, given the slightest encouragement with left rudder ...always entertaining.)

I don't think there's necessarily a "right" answer, but maybe "whatever you plan on flying after, with some taildragger time at the start regardless" is close.
My friend and I applied for airline jobs in Australia, but they didn't Qantas.
Lucas (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 21 Apr 22, 20:41Post
It's funny that you mention this, because the one United pilot warned that Citabrias could {bugeye} spin, and apparently don't have much power, which Miamiair seems to allude to! Much of the aviation community nearby is into taildraggers, and a few of the rich guys have been suggesting that I learn to fly a taildragger, since they all do.

As a little kid, I loved airplanes but for whatever reason always thought that C172s weren't at all appealing. I remember when local pilots did a fly in, including with a taildragger, and I was disappointed that I ended up getting a free flight in the 172. (Spoiled, I know.)

I have been watching Dan Gryder's Youtube channel and want any training I receive in the future to really focus on safety and excellent airmanship fundies, so I'm leaning toward dragging butt.

Note: much of what happens will depend on scheduling, sadly!




ShanwickOceanic wrote:While I'd love to go back and tame the beast, and while I did love flying my first employer's Warriors around Scotland, I would pick the Citabria for sure. Tailwheel from the start and develop good habits, and proper spin training - the only Citabria time I have logged was for spins, pre-solo.

The Warrior (and I assume the Archer) is so docile in the stall that I wouldn't want that to be my impression of how it goes in real life. Didn't find the 172 to be all that much worse unless there was a runway directly underneath. (On the other hand, one of our 150s would snap two turns into a spin before you could get a swear out, given the slightest encouragement with left rudder ...always entertaining.)

I don't think there's necessarily a "right" answer, but maybe "whatever you plan on flying after, with some taildragger time at the start regardless" is close.
ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 21 Apr 22, 23:36Post
Since I already have my PPL, can I say PC-12? :))


All of my flight time has been in 172s. Given the very noticeable difference in their performance with 160hp and 180hp engines, I'd really like to try my hand at a 182.

I'm still sold on the gyros and that will likely be my next training type.
Make Orwell fiction again.
mhodgson (ATC & Photo Quality Screener & Founding Member) 22 Apr 22, 07:31Post
Cut my teeth on the PA28. Never a particularly exciting aircraft but you could hurl it round the circuit and then take it on a cross country and it was happy in both situations.

Did a little bit of 172 flying but post CPL so never really had to experience it's stall characteristics. One thing I liked was the visibility from the sides - if you're taking people out and just planning to enjoy the view, it's great. If you are intending to circuit bash the PA28 offers better all round visibility in my experience, but with it being low wing you do lose out on some cruise views straight down but you're flying, you can manoeuvre to sort that!
There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway.
DXing 22 Apr 22, 10:57Post
Trained in a 172. Never had any particular problems with it. It was hard to make it do a power on stall with only 2 people and half fuel. But certainly more comfortable to learn in than a 150.

Flew in an Archer while reporting traffic for local radio station. I agree with mhodgson, the view immediately below sucked. But it was a docile machine and could float above an accident scene without too much monkeying around by the pilot.

Never flew the Citabria. Only tail draggers I've flown in were a Pitts Special 2 seat trainer/demo...Ford Trimotor, got to sit in the right hand seat and that pilot was a busy fool for the entire flight, and a DC 3.
What's the point of an open door policy if inside the open door sits a closed mind?
Lucas (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 22 Apr 22, 15:26Post
ShyFlyer wrote:Since I already have my PPL, can I say PC-12? :))


All of my flight time has been in 172s. Given the very noticeable difference in their performance with 160hp and 180hp engines, I'd really like to try my hand at a 182.

I'm still sold on the gyros and that will likely be my next training type.



I was going to put a disclaimer that no Max Max gyrocopters were allowed as answers, but then I thought about it, and it was actually a fun thing. The guy who runs the FBO here has a turbo Skylane and it can actually push you back in your seat. That was a fun experience.
Lucas (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 22 Apr 22, 15:29Post
mhodgson wrote:Cut my teeth on the PA28. Never a particularly exciting aircraft but you could hurl it round the circuit and then take it on a cross country and it was happy in both situations.

Did a little bit of 172 flying but post CPL so never really had to experience it's stall characteristics. One thing I liked was the visibility from the sides - if you're taking people out and just planning to enjoy the view, it's great. If you are intending to circuit bash the PA28 offers better all round visibility in my experience, but with it being low wing you do lose out on some cruise views straight down but you're flying, you can manoeuvre to sort that!


They use the Cessnas here for scenic mountain flights! Of course, IIRC they also have an extra door, so that's also got to be somewhat helpful.



DXing wrote:Trained in a 172. Never had any particular problems with it. It was hard to make it do a power on stall with only 2 people and half fuel. But certainly more comfortable to learn in than a 150.

Flew in an Archer while reporting traffic for local radio station. I agree with mhodgson, the view immediately below sucked. But it was a docile machine and could float above an accident scene without too much monkeying around by the pilot.

Never flew the Citabria. Only tail draggers I've flown in were a Pitts Special 2 seat trainer/demo...Ford Trimotor, got to sit in the right hand seat and that pilot was a busy fool for the entire flight, and a DC 3.


We have a Pitts that flies in here sometimes (and his buddy in an Extra), and boy hodwy can they both do some fun looking flying. Especially the Extra...talk about getting around the pattern fast.
 

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