can't remember FF (almost 30 years ago) but it's a great machine especially if equipped with a 4 blade prop. you can take off without tow in 50ft and it climbs like a jet.
what i also liked with the machine is that you can pull g's and exceed speed limits. this may not sound good but if you have 30 gliders waiting in the morning to get up you just get the shortest route back to the field.
cockpit is like a ballroom (space). i used to take back the glider pilots in the cockpit. yup it's that big, but i wished sometimes it was smaller with a hottie on board.
the BAD thing is if you get a stall at take-off. it will dive nose first into the ground. engine hits first, then the fuel tank behind and on top of it the pilot which is almost 100% fatal.
i used to fly the girl with both feet on the right rudder, usually after lunch after my right leg had worn out. trust me my record takeoff's in one day was 63.... a lot of the gliders were released at 400ft due to thermal updrafts.
i flew a lot towers but the pawnee is my baby.
there are cheaper alternatives but if you have high density then this is the machine to go for.