Piper or Cessna

SeanD

Well-Known Member
Im just curious on some of your thoughts on what you prefer to fly. I like the Piper because Im not a fan of the high wing design and the Piper doesnt seem to have as many blind spots. Anyone?
 
In a nut shell they're about the same. The wing placement doesnt make much of a differance. There are pluses and Negitives to both. I like the control feel of the Warriors, its not a musshy as the Cessnas. Try both out and see what one you like.

Dont read into the whole low wing, high wing thing too much. I laugh when I hear a "low wing" check out.
 
I have tried both. Cessna seems a bit sluggish on climouts. Im taking up the Warrior for a few this Saturday, love that airplane.
 
SeanD said:
I have tried both. Cessna seems a bit sluggish on climouts. Im taking up the Warrior for a few this Saturday, love that airplane.

The more I fly the 172 the more I dont like it. With that thing the challenge of flying is all but gone. Slow, sluggish, Massive Flaps. The high wing blind spot make me nervous in the pattern because when you are wing up your blind to all traffic. And when ATC sends an Aircraft your way on accident it almost made me crap my pants.
 
I wouldn't be at all surprised that in most cases, the configuration you learned in (high or low) is the one you like the best.

Champcar's experience is a good example. I learned in a Tomahawk and the first time I turned downwind to base I thought, "where the heck did the runway go?" I'm sure that Cessna learners who make that first PA-28 transition after being able to look out the window during the flare and see =exactly= how high the wheels are off the ground can't figure out how the heck you can =possibly= land the beast properly.

Assuming you stay with flying light aircraft, the preference probably follows along. In my area, the flight schools tend to be heavily Cessna, so I now have a lot more experience in that line than in the Pipers. Nevertheless, despite the passage of time (and a bit of type rust), those low wings still just feel better.
 
SeanD said:
I like the Piper because Im not a fan of the high wing design and the Piper doesnt seem to have as many blind spots. Anyone?

Prefer Northrop.

:D

Am used to both actually. Really no preference over high or low wing, and both companies put out a good product IMO.

Like the Cessna 207/208 and O-2 series; as well as the Piper Cherokee 6/Lance series.
 
I fly mostly 172's. I did fly a Cherokee 140 a few days ago, and noticed that it was a bit more responsive. It was also a BIOTCH! to get in and out of. It also took to crosswinds a whole lot easier that the Cessna. Seemed to float a little less on flare as well.

Having only that to judge from, I don't see much difference. I am sure that in higher performance types there may be a huge difference.
 
I started out on cessnas early in my training, and I ended up instructing at a school that also had pipers. I must say that I luv BOTH. The highwings are good for when on a cross-country you would be able to see your checkpoint almost straight down, just pop the window open and look:) . But I also agree that the piper low wings have a control feel that's better (at least a little) than the cessnas (especially the ARCHER). After that, it comes down knowing the blindspots and personal preference.
 
SteveC said:
I'm currently flying a Cessna low wing.


:)

Quote from a center controller to a Citation driver:

"I'll stop calling you twin Cessna when you stop calling me approach"
 
My opinion is that Piper's are easier to land, but Cessnas are easier to fly with the right amount of rudder. Cessnas are my vote. I like the view down below.
 
John Herreshoff said:
Quote from a center controller to a Citation driver:

"I'll stop calling you twin Cessna when you stop calling me approach"

Reminds me of something I heard the other day...

ATC: "Citation XXX, say mach number"
Pilot: ".63"
(silence)
ATC: "You can only do .63?"
Pilot: "Yeah, we're in a toy jet."

As far as Piper v Cessna...I've flown both quite a bit, and I like the low wing planes better, but that's just personal preference. After I finished my private, I did everything else in a low wing (Beechcraft, however).
 
Hmm... I think Cessna 172's are easier to land but Warriors are more stable and require less rudder input to make a coordinated turn (maybe because of the wing has a larger angled dihedral?).

I like both just as much.
 
JaceTheAce said:
Hmm... I think Cessna 172's are easier to land but Warriors are more stable and require less rudder input to make a coordinated turn (maybe because of the wing has a larger angled dihedral?).

I like both just as much.
Yeah, I dont think the 172 has any dihedral. The 380 has some pretty serious dihedral though.
 
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