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Old 3rd July 2008 | 10:21
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My guess is that for basic training, you're going to learn on a 172. Period. The school will have a pool of these available, various years, various models, various cockpits but the instructors are current on all of them and your job is to manipulate the controls and look out the window. So it really doesn't matter what instruments are in the cockpit as long as you are able to interpret the airspeed and altitude indicator, and perhaps a DI or compass.

The only real difference that you may notice is the different starting procedure between an injected and a non-injected engine, and carb heat of course.

Only when you get a bit further in your training will it be possible to manipulate the schedule so that you train on your aircraft of choice. And even then it won't be particularly important except maybe when doing the radio nav bit and the 180 turn on instruments.

The only thing you might need to watch out for is the potential price difference. If you're going to practice stalls or circuits, why pay extra for a glass cockpit?

Oh, and here's another consideration. On your skills test you are supposed to be familiar with the aircraft you're flying, including all the instrumentation/avionics. Of course the examiner will understand if you don't know every option on every menu in a G1000 but you have to be able to show its most important functions. Which can be a lot. In a very basic aircraft with steam-driven dials, a simple nav/com and no GPS, this part is much, much easier.
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