Trainer: Cessna vs Piper

JordanP

JordanP

Well-Known Member
Tomorrow I start my second lesson and my CFI wants to know whether I would prefer to fly the cessna 172 or the piper warrior. He's going to let me try both. My instructor prefers the warrior because it has more conventional controls (throttle), the low wings lets you spot traffic more easily and it has a more shock absorbing gear system. The cheapest cessna in the fleet would cost $10 less than the warrior however. I'm kind of leaning toward the cessna because I might go to an aeronautical university like ERAU and they appear to use the cessna. From what I've heard their flight program is pretty intensive and I don't want to have to adjust to the cessna suddenly when they evaluate my flying skills. What do you guys think?

Jordan
 
I say go with whatever your comfortable learning in. When I say comfortable I don't meant th seats, I mean how you handle the aircraft and how you feel flying it.lol
 
I fly the Warrior and love it. I have flown the 172 and it was nice, but I didn't like it as much. This is my own preference. Do what feels best and most comfortable.
 
Learn in a high wing, transitioning to a low wing will be a piece of cake once you learn in a high wing plane. Low wing planes (generally) ride turblance better, land easier, and you can see more out of them. That's great and all, but that makes it TOO easy of an airplane to fly, and I personally wouldn't want that in a trainer.

What you REALLY want to do is find a J-3 Cub to learn in, or some other kind of tailwheel airplane. Nothing will make you a better stick and rudder pilot than a tailwheel airplane.

Cheers


John Herreshoff
 
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What you REALLY want to do is find a J-3 Cub to learn in, or some other kind of tailwheel airplane. Nothing will make you a better stick and rudder pilot than a tailwheel airplane.

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Amen brother!

As far as the difrence between the Warior and the Skyhawk, they don't amount to much. Each has their strengths and weakness, but they are pretty much the same. If you like one better then go with it. I personaly recomend going with the cheapest plane that you can get.
 
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As far as the difrence between the Warior and the Skyhawk, they don't amount to much. Each has their strengths and weakness, but they are pretty much the same. If you like one better then go with it. I personaly recomend going with the cheapest plane that you can get.

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I 2nd that. I'm into my private training and the money drains pretty quickly.
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Everybody has their personal favorite airplane. Personally, I'm a Piper Person, but that's just me.

Fly both for a few hours, then think carefully about what you like/dislike about each.
 
Ditto on Piper for the visibility, the warrior also feels like it has a little more cabin and cockpit space. I learned on the warrior and didn't have much trouble later getting checked out on a 172.
 
If we are announcing our preferences then put me in the cesnna group. I love the ground visibility and the shade it provides, and flying a high-wing plane teaches you to continue to fly the plane after you have landed.
 
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and flying a high-wing plane teaches you to continue to fly the plane after you have landed.

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Hate to break it to you, but if you stop flying the plane after you have landed in ANY plane, you could be in for a world of hurt. Low wing/high wing - doesn't matter where the wing is.
 
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If we are announcing our preferences then put me in the cesnna group. I love the ground visibility and the shade it provides, and flying a high-wing plane teaches you to continue to fly the plane after you have landed.

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The main benifite of the Cessna is that you can open the windows while you are flying. A definate plus on hot summer days.
 
But isn't the effect of induced drag more pronounced on a low wing AC on landing than a high wing like the 172?
 
I remember I decided one HOT Summer day in Texas I was going to try the piper, we got in the plane and I said "Let's reschedule" Those ovens, I mean planes can get REAL hot
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, and with only one door, I couldn't even bare to get my seat adjusted. If it's real hot out take the cessna, you can keep the doors open as long as you want, and that provides for some cool air in the cockpit. If it's not to hot then it dosen't matter, however I think the view from the cessna is better!
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But isn't the effect of induced drag more pronounced on a low wing AC on landing than a high wing like the 172?

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Do you mean ground effect? I think ground-effect is more pronounced on a low-wing aircraft due to their wings being lower to the ground, giving them a tendency to float more than a high-wing would ... I personally don't notice that much of a difference.

I've also heard that low-wings are easier to handle in X-winds than high-wings.
 
I prefer the Cessna, especially in the rain.
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I would look for a Cessna 152 to save even more money though, who cares if it's cramped, it's CHEAP!! I'm 6' 4" and I still manage to cram in there
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