View Full Version : Brand New Training Aircraft
Whilst enjoying a fine glass of vino collapso with a friend last night, I was asked which was my favourite light aircraft that I have flown.
I have been lucky to try quite a few types in my time, but purely for handling and nostalgia I offered the Chipmunk. Not all that good for instructing in, but a real hoot to get to grips with, especially when the engine gives up occasionally during aeros.
Then I was asked a question which stumped me...
If you had a choice of which new aircraft to buy for your flying club, which type would you go for and why?
I suppose it depends upon financial constraints, but I wondered what the consensus of opinion would be on this forum?
Does anyone have any experience in making such a decision?
A390
foxmoth
7th Oct 2005, 21:55
I would like the Robin2160, Nice handling, shows the student exactly what you want him to see and aerobatic to boot. Worst disaster in recent years has to be the Traumahawk, supposedly designed from an Instructors survey, Nice office but appauling handling and does not exhibit the trim changes you want to demonstrate .:8
hugh flung_dung
8th Oct 2005, 08:37
CAP10. Excellent handling, excellent view, relatively simple, relatively fast, wide appeal.
(Bulldog or Stearman would be hard to beat if we were reconstructing a new aircraft from DNA samples - but expensive to operate)
HFD
foxmoth
8th Oct 2005, 10:29
I think I had my practical hat on for my first reply, agree on the Cap10 and Bulldog, can't really on the Stearman though, Stampe would be good. If you are looking at a school that does more than standard PPL/IMC etc. I think UH have got it pretty well right.:ok:
I agree a CAP 10B looks Good, but are they rugged enough to take years of constant use?
Also, roughly how much would a new one cost and could a flying club negotiate a discount?
NinjaBill
12th Oct 2005, 15:47
I did my PPL in a Cap10B, It was excellent fun, but i'm not sure if a cap10 would stand up to 1000s of hors of hard landings from 30 years of teaching people to land. The french military (or was it navy) use them as ab initio trainers, but their students had to go through a slightly stringent selection process than just turning up to a local flying school with £5000 spare.
D 129
16th Oct 2005, 18:18
Has anyone out there been flying the new glass diesel engined (& glass cockpit) trainers ?.
What are they like to fly ?.
Full marks to Cranfield for trying them, but there seems to have been quite a few problems with the Thielert engines. Also I hear that at 2,000 hours or so the engines are thrown away because there is no approved process (yet) to rebuild them. So maybe they are not as economical as hoped.
That Diamond Twin Star - as reviewed in Loop and Todays Pilot this month looks fantastic ...
D129