To start I have to confess I have not flown the Eagle but have studied the type up close and having flown in excess of 75 aircraft makes/models and therefore feel I can make constructive comment.
The Eagle has two problems that I am aware of:
1) Given two occupants of around 80 kg each the machine can only carry a reduced fuel load. From memory the endurance goes down from four hours to about two including reserve.
OK for circuit work but not good enough for a reasonable nax ex of a few hours duration. Please, someone check the figures and comment.
2) You do not get into the machine you strap it on. The cockpit fits well but where do you put your charts, your knee board, the aircraft flight folder, the aerodrome guide and the stuff that you have to carry in your nav bag in case you need it somewhere enroute.
In short the machine is short on space to carry gear that you may need to get your hands on in flight. The luggage locker behind the heads of the pilots is not sufficient. Besides, if you added a nav bag or its typical contents you would probably be more overweight.
For Eagle flyers who love the type let me pose this to you.
If the type is so good for training why is it that so few have been sold over the years that the machine has been in production?
Could the above be part or the whole of the problem?
Is it the lack of production that has prompted the Malaysian owners to move production from Australia to Malaysia or is it simply that that was what they always intended to do so that they can be part of a Government promoted expanding aviation
industry with increased local development of high tech skills?
I like the look of the Eagle and the fact that it has a fuel injected engine. I expect to have somewhere to put my nav bag in order to carry the items that the Government and common sense demand that I have aboard. I cannot carry that gear in an Eagle but I can carry them in a PA28 Warrior and so can my student. I flew a Warrior for 3.8 hours on a nav ex today and did not have to refuel away from base. Could I do that in an Eagle? No!
The Warrior is old and I would like to fly with new hardware but for me the Eagle is not the aircraft for reasons stated. Others seem to agree.
Blue Skies.