New aircraft to add to my list...

T

The Gardener

Terrafirma Phobic
Today was bizarre. In one day I was able to add 3 different aircraft to my list.

Cessna P-210
Comanche 400
Piper Cherokee 6

All really neat aircraft in their own way. I don't normally get the chance to fly new planes but today was my lucky day I suppose. I enjoy getting the chance to experience something different and it is fun to see how each aircraft can be so different.
 
ColoradoPilot said:
Sounds like a busy day! What was your favorite out of the three?
Click to expand...

Cherokee 6. It was just big, but oddly I though at bit more nimble than the Warriors and Archers I'm normally flying. It was ok, but holly crap slow. I dunno. I'd borrow one from somebody, but never consider owning one.

Cessna P-210. I've heard a lot about these things. It was big and quite, heavy on the controls and didn't climb to well. We only went out to complete an IPC so I didn't really get to see it in action properly as it should be (high altitude cruise).

Comanche 400. What can you say when your sitting behind a O-720... I mean it is just killer. 400HP and it seems to rumble a bit. The plane I was in had a nice interior upgrade and good avionics. It moves right along at 200mph but burns ~24gph doing it. Comparing it's performance to a Seminole or Seneca it wins hands down. I couldn't help but think of the new Cessna Corvallis that would do the same on 16gph. (albeit not with the same useful load) It can be idled back to about 20" and 2000 rpm and it just purs along though at about 150. It was neat to be in an older classic. This was the second 400 I've seen in 10 years It had always been on my list of things to fly, but I had never really figured it would happen. All that being said, I'm really glad I'm not the guy who writes the check when the engine needs an overhaul. I suspect that would run somewhere in the range of 83 gazillion dollars.

Just to tease me a beautiful Cessna 195 and a perfect J3 were sitting on the ramp reminding me how many more options are out there.
 
Was the cherokee 6 a 260 or 300hp. I flew the 260 and wasn't impressed with its performance, especially while heavily loaded. I imagine the 300 would be better though.

Glad to see you are having fun flying all sorts of different stuff... beats the 172's and the Warriors. :)
 
One of the coolest things about my flight instructing days was working out of T67. That place had everything you could imagine from RV's to Old Warbirds. I got to fly over 17 different makes and model of aircraft mostly contributed to doing flight reviews and IPC's! I really miss that!
 
The 300's are 135-140ktas performer. They haul anything you can fit through the doors; are true family hauler.

I'm jealous about the 400. I would love to get some flight time in 400, but I wouldn't want to be stuck with the fuel bills or OHs.
 
Erik1010 said:
The 300's are 135-140ktas performer. They haul anything you can fit through the doors; are true family hauler.

I'm jealous about the 400. I would love to get some flight time in 400, but I wouldn't want to be stuck with the fuel bills or OHs.
Click to expand...

Never really got the Cherokee 6-300 up to full cruise. It was a nice plane, I just couldn't justify owning one over a Cessna 207.

The Comanche will burn 20 gph in cruise at 180ish. It performs a LOT better then a Seminole doing it and hauls more too. At full power climb though you'll pretty much cry. The hardest thing is slowing it down. It needs speed brakes, a parachute or a barn door or something. Just to slow to flap range (stupid 125mph!) with the gear down requires level flight and 13"-15" of power. It nearly has to idle. Lots of nose up trim as well to land it, it is stinking heavy on the nose. It'd be really nice to have toe brakes on the right side too.
edit:
Twin turbos would be cool too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top