Originally Posted by
Grumpy retiree
Yup. Same.
VH-MEP
What a dog.
Everything after that was easy.
Huh, I thought that registration was familiar.
It seems I first flew VH-MEP when it arrived in UnZud January 2009 - there's a comment in my log 'ailerons stiff'. There was another flight later that month, then it went to have the requisite work done in order to enter the NZ register as ZK-NFS.
I flew it again directly after that work had been done, and recall that flight well! It was early evening and after all the extra pre-checks I usually did following such extensive work we took off, only to find the trim control had not been properly (re)fitted and I had to push on the yoke very hard
very quickly early in the sequence
. Even with the trim fully aft it required considerable constant push on the controls to maintain level flight.
That was sorted a couple of days later and we used it for a few months as a multi trainer. As it's the only Seneca I I've flown I can't compare but it didn't seem
too bad to me, albeit I went to considerable trouble to keep that nose wheel up. FWIW it also had a complete re-trim inside and was in very tidy condition. I believe it later languished in a hangar at AS for some years.
Oh dear, also recollect it had a door come open in flight. I suspect the (pilot) passenger hadn't properly closed/locked it, despite being specifically asked and checked on. Hardly the aircraft's fault though.
As to the nicest handling 'plane I've flown; compared to some I expect my experience is limited (to about 30 types), but for the most part I'd have to say Cub or C-47, with (oddly I know) an honourable mention to an AA5 I once flew. Perhaps it was just 'cos it was one of those balmy stress-free days we occasionally have, but it did seem to fly well, castoring nose wheel notwithstanding.
From what I read here it does seem regretable I've never flown a Chipmunk, and thus have missed out on the gold standard by which to judge everything else by...
FP.