Piper: The Best Around Options

[flyingsfuture]

Dollar for dollar, mile for mile, no other aircraft offers what piper does, and I believe that for flight training and the light propeller aircraft market, nobody does it better. Anybody disagree?

[bram172pilot]

Dollar for dollar, mile for mile, no other aircraft offers what piper does, and I believe that for flight training and the light propeller aircraft market, nobody does it better. Anybody disagree?

I disagree about flight training and the light prop a/c. I strongly beleive that Cessna has the best a/c for flight training. The high wing desing I think is alot better then the low wing of the piper and the switching between tanks doesn't please me at all. Also the high wing design for crosswind landings is much better if you screw up in a cessna you'll know but they are also rugged and durable aircraft. The Piper i will also give its due as they are very nice aircraft and I like the low wing design as well(I know im contradicting myself) but there are many things i would change about it especially for the purposes of training and the low time pilots that fly them.

P.S. This topic is only going to start a debate and as it is against the forum rules so don't be surprised if it gets locked.

[velocityflier16]

Let me tell you something before you start anymore topics like this, 1st. its not a good idea and 2nd it only causes problems. So heres my advice, dont post something like this again.

[Kilrah]

Will you please detail me the criteria used for this comparison?
Light aircraft can be used for training, for pleasure flights, for commercial operations, with different payloads and pax capacity needs...

Price, maintenance costs, fuel consumption, payload,... will vary between each aircraft, and each application will find its optimal solution with a different compromise between those characteristics. I highly doubt any manufacturer would master all of these situations. Or they'd be able to rest on their success for some time!

As an example, I'm sure no Piper will beat my friend's cricri for cheap multi-engine time, with 10l/hr fuel burn at 200km/h cruise speed, and self-made maintenance!

[c150student]

I'm quite sure its just a matter of opinion. I mean, the cessna 150 and piper tomahawk are quite similar in performance etc, except of course they look different. Of course there are differences though.

This is just AvB, but PvC etc.

[chris_pilot]

The high wing desing I think is alot better then the low wing of the piper and the switching between tanks doesn't please me at all.

Don't you have to ever switch tanks on a Cessna? Is it a continuous feed or just one tank?

Cheers,
Chris

[bram172pilot]

Don't you have to ever switch tanks on a Cessna? Is it a continuous feed or just one tank?

Cheers,
Chris

You can switch between tanks in a Cessna but on the fuel selector valve there is a position thats says "Both" and as it implies it draws the fuel from both the left and the right tanks.

[flyingsfuture]

I in no way am looking for a debate, I am simply voicing my opinion about my favorite aircraft manufacturer. I am simply seeking the public's popular opinion on the subject. If you disagree with my statement, that is fine, I would love to hear why, however, I do not think voicing our opinions about different aircraft will cause a problematic debate that will force this forum to be locked.

[Ghostrider]

Having flown PA-38 Tomahawks, PA-28 Archers, C-172s and C-182s I would have to say that both PIper and Cessna build great training aircraft. As many have said before, you will end up thinking whatever you train in is better. This is due to the fact that both companies make durable, easy to fly, simple, affordable training aircraft.

Big thanks to these companies for making the beauty of flight easier for everyone.

[nicogi]

I've trained on C-152s and C-172s, and later on a PA-28-161. Both manufacturers make GREAT aircraft, in terms of reliability and how easy they are to fly. For beginners, I'd go with a Cessna product. The high-wing design makes them more stable and maybe a bit more forgiving (just think about spins and fuel management for instance). However, for cruising, my preference goes with the Piper as its cleaner design makes for a faster cruise speed (compared with a 150BHP C-172).

The bottom line is that both Cessna and Piper make really good light, single-engine planes.

[chris_pilot]

You can switch between tanks in a Cessna but on the fuel selector valve there is a position thats says "Both" and as it implies it draws the fuel from both the left and the right tanks.

Oh yes, that's right; forgot about that. Thanks.

[marty55]

no argues here,

I prefer cessna, because thats the one im going to be flying for my training hehe.

But a piper looks alot sleeker i must say.

[Becky_KSTS]

I fly both and like them both for different reasons. I will say this, I don't want to be locked into any ONE kind of aircraft.

[27driver]

I in no way am looking for a debate, I am simply voicing my opinion about my favorite aircraft manufacturer. I am simply seeking the public's popular opinion on the subject. If you disagree with my statement, that is fine, I would love to hear why, however, I do not think voicing our opinions about different aircraft will cause a problematic debate that will force this forum to be locked.

Differing opinions and debates are good for you...good ones are so few and far between...we need more of them. Just everybody keep the "big boy/girl" pants on and not get childish about the whole thing. We may not all be adults, but we can sure act like it.

I have several hundred hours in Pipers...28's, R's, 44's, and 31's. (I have never been able to fly the "Traumahawk") I've also got like 30 hours in a Cessna 172. It's all about personal preference. I've found the Pipers to be a little less forgiving in certain situations. The Cessna seemed to me a more stable platform...great for training and sightseeing, but not what I liked. Plus turning the thing sideways to clear the final is a pain.

Some guys debate the high-wing/ low-wing...thing. I started my career in low-wing aircraft, and that's what I liked better, even though I flew a high-wing A/C for many years and have flown many high-wing A/C since then. When I actually decided to get my civilian ratings, the Piper is what I wanted to train in. I would have taken whatever was available, but I wanted what was familiar.

There's a bunch of great advice in this forum if you're looking for it. It comes down to what's important to you.

[glnflwrs]

I learned and flew my first 300 hours in high wing Cessnas. But, for the past nine years I've belonged to a flying club that has an AA-5B Tiger and I fell in love with it to the tune of 1100 hours in that plane, or there abouts.

It will be mine by year's end, thanks to the good Doctor Gaddis, DVM, and all around great guy. ( A fellow Kansas boy)

I love the low wing, differential brake steering, 190HP engine, sliding canopy, etc. It is, My Favorite Tiger.