Cessna to Piper

[ParsonsKHWV]

I'm currently using the Cessna 172 and 152 for recreation, is there much of a difference when flying a Piper Cherokee?

[mad_jock]

Depends which one. if its the slab wing with the trimmer on the roof it can take a bit of getting used to depending on how you were taught on the cessnas.

Nothing major just different.

[BackPacker]

There was a thread on this just a few weeks ago.

http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/499354-checkout-piper.html

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Spamcan to spamcan. No siginificant difference. Both have similarly soggy handling and poor pilot visibility. :E

[aluminium persuader]

In the Cessnas you have to duck under the wing to get in. Don't try this on a PA28. It will not go well.

:8

[Johnm]

Just read the POH and do what it says . :ugh::ugh:

[172driver]

Other than the usual 'clever' remarks like 'read the POH':
- no crossfeed on the Piper, switch tanks at regular intervals
- only one door - PITA getting in and out
- more likely to float if landing too fast
- manual flaps that deploy rapidly, not the gradual Cessna deployment
- as MJ says, if it's one with the trim on the roof then a bit more getting used to

Other than that - a spamcan.

[Winhern]

I passed my test on the AT3 - a light two seater. I did the 5 hours required by the school to cross-train to a C172. I had a better offer after this and it took me a further 2.5 hours to be cleared for a Warrior. Then a further hour to cover the Cherokee.

[172driver]

You were taken to the cleaners.

[ParsonsKHWV]

Thank you 172pilot. That was the exact information I was looking for. But I still want to duck under the wing :}

[Winhern]

The pipers have only 3 fuel drains to check, unlike the 172 which seemed to have hundreds. And you don't have to climb up a ladder to refuel the plane. Normal low wing / high wing visibility arguments of course :)

[172driver]

But I still want to duck under the wing

Hope you're a Hobbit ;)

[taxistaxing]

Winhern the 172s I fly only have three fuel drains. One under each wing and the engine one. Am I missing some?!?

[alexbrett]

Winhern the 172s I fly only have three fuel drains. One under each wing and the engine one. Am I missing some?!?

All the 172S aircraft I fly at Cambridge have a total of 13 drain points - 5 on each wing, and 3 underneath, but perhaps that's a difference between the 172 and 172S?

[Johnm]

OK if you must:

Cessna 172 series, high wing implies better for taking pictures out of the window and no need to worry much about fuel pumps etc. Typically has plunger control for throttle mixture etc. Most have electric flaps. Two doors so getting in and out for the two front seat occupants is fairly straightforward.

Piper pa28, two variants slab wing and taper wing, slab wing means it's old and if a 140 you can spin it and probably has an old morris minor window handle in the roof for trim which takes a bit of getting used to. You need the fuel pump for take off and to swap fuel tanks every half hour. Flaps are a giant hand brake level on the floor. Later and taper wing versions have quadrant for throttle and mixture and trim wheel next to the flap lever. They'll float forever if you don't nail the approach speeds. All have one door on the P2 side.

[joseph500s]

You fly a cessna 172 and 152 and looking at the Piper Cherokee now yet youposted on another thread you only just had your first lesson like 2 days ago? Andknew more than your instructor with under 1 hour of flight time.

We can expect great things from you, possibly be a astronaut next week :ok:

[taxistaxing]

Winhern the 172s I fly only have three fuel drains. One under each wing and the engine one. Am I missing some?!?
All the 172S aircraft I fly at Cambridge have a total of 13 drain points - 5 on each wing, and 3 underneath, but perhaps that's a difference between the 172 and 172S?

Hmm. I fly the 172p model from the early 80s. I have read on google (after a quick search) that Cessna added more fuel drains to later models, so this may explain it. Is the 172s more modern?

[Steve6443]

Hmm. I fly the 172p model from the early 80s. I have read on google (after a quick search) that Cessna added more fuel drains to later models, so this may explain it. Is the 172s more modern?

The 172R and it's sucessor, 172SP, both have 13 drain points (1997 and 1999 models)....

[Steve6443]

You fly a cessna 172 and 152 and looking at the Piper Cherokee now yet youposted on another thread you only just had your first lesson like 2 days ago? Andknew more than your instructor with under 1 hour of flight time.

We can expect great things from you, possibly be a astronaut next week

Nice post but unfortunately you missed two things....

President of the Free World before age 17......
Emperor of the Galaxy before age 18......

:E

[cavortingcheetah]

The Cessna has a Continental engine while the Piper has a Lycoming?
The Continental is perhaps more prone to carb icing especially in a long glide approach. The Continental engine can be more difficult to start when hot, although that's not much of a consideration to be concerned with in Britain.
It is perhaps marginally easier to close the mixture in a Cessna instead of the throttle than it is to make that mistake in a Piper.
The best solution would be to read the handbook and try to remember which aircraft you're flying. It's a struggle for an aspiring dictator of course but then so was Mein Kampf.

[Winhern]

Its the 172SP I did difference training on. I'll take your word its only 13, definitely a lot more that the AT3 which has just 1. Main problem is keeping track of which you've done as several are grouped together.

[cavortingcheetah]

Chew pink or green bubble gum, then you can stick a sliver of the stuff over each drain point once you've checked it, colour appropriate to side of aircraft. This can easily be removed the next pre flight and replaced with fresh. For any under fuselage drains, use blue bubble gum.

[Steve6443]

Its the 172SP I did difference training on. I'll take your word its only 13, definitely a lot more that the AT3 which has just 1. Main problem is keeping track of which you've done as several are grouped together.

If you're going to be flying a particular airplane / variant of an airplane, when considering preflight checks start trying to establish a routine. Means get someone to give you their checklist and explain / demonstrate what needs to be checked for each point on that list. Then check each individual point in turn according to the list. With experience you might consider writing your own lists in order to create a flow list but for the time being, just stick to following the list, mentally checking off the individual points.

With regards fuel drain points, for the 172R / 172S there are 5 under each wing so I tend to work from a given point - my routine is to start inboard front, then go to on the next one - inboard rear - from there move back to the front of the wing and a bit further outwards - and do each one in turn. The same goes for the three under the engine - here I work from the front backwards. If you stick to your routine, after a while you'll soon know which have been checked because your position under the wing will tell you which ones have already been checked.......

[Steve6443]

Chew pink or green bubble gum, then you can stick a sliver of the stuff over each drain point once you've checked it, colour appropriate to side of aircraft. This can easily be removed the next pre flight and replaced with fresh. For any under fuselage drains, use blue bubble gum.

If I can't find blue gum, can I use Hubba-Bubba Yellow instead??? :E

[cavortingcheetah]

Sure but perhaps not on a J3 Cub.

[IrishJason]

I started out on the Pa28 and made the move to a 152... Even after solo flights and quite alot of nav's in the piper. i found it extremly hard to translate to the ceasna. It took some 5 hours before i could go solo again i think it was. Its alot lazier than the 152. It will not stall, takes ages :) and as the lads said, will flot on for ages. the biggest difference i found was with the size of the two. The PA looks and feels about 3 times bigger, bulkier and slower. Now saying all this I've only been flying about 18 months or more roughly. About 60 on the piper and 40 on the cesna etc.. Of the two though i'll always come back to the piper. I like the more stable feel :ok: oh and exp in that time of two diff 152's aswell as the 161 and cherrokie