cessna to piper

DanTheMan

New Member
Hi y'all,
I've got about 200 hours, all of them in Cessnas and I'm gonna get checked out in a cherokee on sunday. Any hot tips? Certain things to look for?
Mahalo
 
The piper is alot more sensative in the flare. The stabilator does a act little bit different than the cessna. I found that when I rotate in a beech or piper I actually have to pull up to get the nose wheel off opposed to the cessnas that seem to just pop into the air. Also, your v speeds will be a little faster. Have fun!
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The main difference is the Pipers tend to land a bit flatter than the Cessna's. Also if you have too much airspeed in your flare can tend to baloon a little. It is important to bring you power back and dissipate that airspeed before flaring. They are a little more nose-heavy as well.

You will love the nosewheel steering though...it actually works!
 
If you are used to flying highwing cessnas, trim, float in ground effect and use up some runway with only a small amount of flare to make landing the pipers easier. The Pipers don't glide as well so if you cut the power, be prepared to put some back in again if you start dropping like a rock.
 
Really depends on what model Cherokee on how it'll glide. The older hershey bar wing doesn't glide as well as the newer tapered style wing. Just about all models have a version with the old or new wing style.

Get used to being able to actually see where you are going while turning!!
 
THE PIPER ARROW WILL DROP LIKE A ROCK WHEN POWER IS REDUCED. I KEEP POWER IN ALL THE WAY TO TOUCHDOWN. BEING IN A LOW WING MAKES COMMERCIAL MANEUVERS SUCH AS 8'S ON PYLONS A WHOLE LOT EASIER. STEEP TURNS ARE MORE FUN TOO.
 
4 switches up, carb heat as required, mixture full rich, primer in and locked, mags on Both, fuel selector fullest tank. Forever engrained in my head after a few hunderd hours of CFI'in in a Cherokee.

Good advice by all. Keep to the speeds in the POH and you'll be fine. I second that the Cherokee will bleed off speed a lot more than the Cessnas do. Make sure to review all emergency procedures and get a few minutes in the cockpit to familiarize yourself with the layout.

Fly safe.
 
Oh yeah, flaps and carb heat too.

Get used to having flaps, when you want them. Not waiting for the slow motor on the up or down action that Cessnas have.

And, get used to only the carb heat, as needed, (which is almost never) on a piper, rather than on all power reductions in the cessna.

Fuel tank and fuel pump things are good, even though they are an extra thing in a piper. While I don't have the stats, I'd bet more cessna accidents are from fuels starvation because no attention is required on the fuel system when set to both.
 
Well, I flew the cherokee today, and enjoyed it.

liked the instant flaps and the throttle quadrant,

disliked the trim wheel because it is way behind you, I got really used to it being on the panel in cessnas. And the thing floats like crazy if you don't use full flaps.

Overall it wasn't really as different as I expected. Nice to do something different for a change.
 
Sounds like you got an older PA28 model. All the ones I've flown have the trim wheel between the front seats. Much better than having to reach down below the panel like most Cessnas!

How did you like being able to see while turning?
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