PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - PA30 Twin Comm, Aztec or Seneca I?
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Old 6th Jan 2008, 13:13
  #56 (permalink)  
Mach Tuck
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: UK
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Bookworm has it.

Basically, the Twin Comm's attitude on the ground is that of a shallow climb. Therefore, if the speed is not exactly right before the flare, rotating the aircraft into the landing attitude will cause it to climb away again or scoot off down the runway in ground effect until the speed bled off. The take off can be equally interesting for the same reason; slightly too much back-pressure on the stick and it gets airbourne in ground-effect at an alarmingly low speed, slightly too much forward pressure and the aircraft will wheelbarrow which can be quite exciting in a crosswind! Once you got it right though it was a very satisfying little aircraft to fly.

Back to the original question, though:
1. The venerable Aztec wins hands down for load-carrying, comfort, benign handling and airfield performance. Strangely, the older round nosed models (C and D) were slightly faster than the later pointy nosed ones.
2. The Twin Comanche doesn't have the load carrying capacity but has great economy, speed and range and will appeal to those who like a bit more of a handling challenge.
3. Then there's the Seneca. I only ever flew the Seneca I and never really understood why Piper bothered with it. Cobbled together from all sorts of bits they had lying around it fell somewhere between the Aztec and the Twin Com but without the appeal of either and the handling was just awful. I'm sure it will have improved with later versions, though.

Good Luck,

MT
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