PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Anyone Got an Opinion of Tobago's?
View Single Post
Old 24th Nov 2005, 23:38
  #6 (permalink)  
Tinstaafl
 
Join Date: Dec 1998
Location: Escapee from Ultima Thule
Posts: 4,273
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
I have ~500hr too many in them.

What I didn't like:

* Inside door handle positioned in exactly the right place to annoy my knee.

* Seat couldn't go back far enough (I'm 6')

* Poor ventilation. One(!) eyeball vent per person. In summer. In Oz. Can taxi with the door unlatched but awkward & heavy to hold onto.

* Lots of glass - including a fairly heavily raked windscreen - makes the a/c a greenhouse. I seem to recall the door windows wrapped over a little bit too.

* Unpleasant control harmony. Heavy in roll, rather light in yaw. The control column is highly geared because full throw needs to be limited to give room for your knees/thighs.

* Awful vis. over the nose for a flapless landing.

* Glides nearly as well as a brick.

* Uncomfortable seat.

* Lacks headroom. I had to slump a bit. I believe there's a mod. or option for a lower seat. Must do wonders for vis. over the nose...

* Slow for the HP. A bit over 120kts at 75% power on book figures. For a 180 HP engine. A C172RG does more than that on ~65%.

* Not exactly a short field a/c.

* Instrument panel sectioning uses up valuable panel space unnecessarily compared to a large flat expanse. A problem only if you want to add more avionics.

* Trim wheel design is unpleasant after prolonged use.

Can't remember my other gripes with the type. It was nearly 10 years ago since I last flew one.
Tinstaafl is offline