Revolutionist
New Member
I am about to attend ATP.
Which location(s) have -- or generally have -- the newest AND oldest aircraft in its fleet?
Which location(s) have -- or generally have -- the newest AND oldest aircraft in its fleet?
Location(s) with the Newest AND Oldest Fleet?
- Thread starter Revolutionist
- Start date
wjmiller3
Well-Known Member
I can speak for Houston (DWH)
3-Cessna's are 2000 R models, 4-Seminoles are all 2008's
vdsteelman
Well-Known Member
I was a student at Riverside (RAL) and their fleet was mostly '79 Seminoles. Every once in a while they'd get 2000's but that was because we were a maintenance facility and they'd bring them in to get their 100 hour and annuals. It was always a nice sight to see a 2000 roll in but we knew we never would get to fly it! I know that SAC has mostly the same fleet of older models, too. PHX is mostly newer 2000 Seminoles and North Vegas is all 2000 models.
As far as Cessnas go, the facilities I went to (RAL, LGB, SAC, PHX, VGT) all had older models from what I could tell. Maybe someone with better knowledge of this could help you out. I was in the career program and already had my PPL prior to starting so I never got much Cessna time with ATP.
As far as Cessnas go, the facilities I went to (RAL, LGB, SAC, PHX, VGT) all had older models from what I could tell. Maybe someone with better knowledge of this could help you out. I was in the career program and already had my PPL prior to starting so I never got much Cessna time with ATP.
ftyflyboy
Well-Known Member
I have to agree here. At BWG we sometimes had a 2000 model and I always thought the 1979's were better flying airplanes.
Have fun at ATP, it was a great 3 1/2 months for me. When the pressure is on, make sure you take a look around and remind yourself that this is fun.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
Huh? What do property taxes have to do with it?
wjmiller3
Well-Known Member
I had the same thought. As far as I know all ATP planes are registered in Delaware I think. At least all the registrations I have looked at.
chillbillpilot
New Member
If you want to fly newer model Seminoles I would suggest picking a training location that does not have a mx base. Vice Versa for older models.
Captain_Bob
Well-Known Member
GKY has a MX base, one of the larger ones too... and they seem to always fly the newer models. But I see what you are getting at.
Personally, I's consider not choosing locations based on year model. Instead, why not choose based on where you feel you'd get the biggest benefit of experience.
For example: If you are used to flying in the midwest with no terrain, then I'd look into flying out west in AZ or CA to get the benefit of flying around terrain every day. If you are used to sunny California flying... then I'd look at flying out east/northeast in the winter time to gain some winter ops experience. If you are used to flying in Class D airports, then I'd look at flying out of locations under the class Bravo around DFW/LAX/ATL/PHX etc. to get acquanted with STARS, DP's, and Approach/Departure controllers.
Just a suggestion.
Either way, you will fly both newer and older model aircraft during your time there. They look the same from the outside and the performance characteristics are the same as well.
Bob
v1valarob
Well-Known Member
All of the ATP Seminoles are registered under a separate company in Delaware. The planes are moved around anyway.
I say just go somewhere different. I drove all the way from VA to Riverside, CA. And I LOVED it. The terrain was amazing, and if you go to an ATP location on the West Coast, you make your way out East normally. Unless things have changed, you dont normally go west if you start out on the East.
The picture attached shows my routes. The yellow is from ATP. On my cross countries I made my way from Riverside up to Salem Oregon and then down and across all the way to Jacksonville. Sometimes we had old planes, sometimes we had new. Riverside had mostly old. But then CFI school in Vegas had all new.
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Teller1900
Well-Known Member
PHX was a mx base and it was almost entirely the new seminoles. I never flew any of their skyhawks, but I think they were all older. The first time I ever saw/flew a '79 seminole was on my second x-cty and it was a plane that a Riverside crew brought in. I really liked the newer planes (as long as you shut that stupid TIS off), but the older ones are just as good and fun to fly. Avoid 2288D if they still have it, though.
v1valarob
Well-Known Member
The only differences I noticed were:
The sound dampening in the new seminoles was much better.
The yoke in the new seminoles is fat, where as the old ones are skinny. I didnt like this when I had to fly the new one for the CFI. I still had the "feel' of the old one.
The dual G430s was nice, but def didnt matter much in the grand scheme of things.
SatelliteBeachPilot
Well-Known Member
I thought the biggest difference was the 79's versus the new car scent of the 2000's.
Also, be prepared to get a little bit wet when flying through rain in the 79, the seals aren't too great anymore.
Also, be prepared to get a little bit wet when flying through rain in the 79, the seals aren't too great anymore.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
Funny story about that...
Long ago and far away I was coming back from Riverside with a student in one of the 79 models. (ok, I just dug through logbook pro and discovered it was 3063K) We were in and out of some rain showers over I10, just to the east of Blythe. Neither one of us thought too much of it until I went to grab something out of my flight in the back seat and discovered there was about 3 inches of water in it. Turns out the top edge of the windshield was leaking and the water was rolling back over the ceiling and then falling off into the back seat and into my flight bag. At least we didn't get drenched but I had to get all new charts and a new flashlight.
vdsteelman
Well-Known Member
LOL!!! We had funny names for all the planes we got at RAL...the one you're referring to (I think it's 2188D) we always called that "2188 never ever flies straight!" The worst one was "blue belly" (because it had a different paint job) and I can't remember the tail number. I wasn't lucky enough to fly it but I heard nightmares about it being the worst plane in the fleet.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
That would be the former 578TP. I can't remember what the current tail number is but I think it ended in an F. There's a reason it flies poorly.
wjmiller3
Well-Known Member
Are you kidding?? Thats the best thing about the new seminoles. Leaving Houston VFR the #2 GPS STAYS on the traffic page. That thing has saved me from close calls more than once. I usually have traffic in site before the controller gives it to me when in a seminole with traffic.