PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Training aircraft
View Single Post
Old 26th August 2011 | 01:02
  #22 (permalink)  
Pilot DAR
Fleet Manager
Community Builder
50 Countries Visited
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Aug 2006
: CPL
Posts: 7,089
Likes: 2,950
From: Ontario, Canada
the level flight attitude "picture" you will see out of the windshield is different
Well, I suppose, but if that rather small difference is going to affect your demonstration of flying skill for more than one circuit, I think that you have a lot to worry about. I think the condition of the foam in the seat cushion will have more affect (or heaven help you, differnet C of G location, or an adjustable height pilot's seat!). Bear in mind that there are two different cowling arrangements on 150's, and they vary noticably in the view over the nose too.

The cowling is different on the 152, because of the need to conceal the large diameter starter ring gear of the Lycoming (of all Lycomings), which is not a part of the design of the Continental. Thus the cowls for the Continental powered aircraft can generally be a bit more sleak near the propeller/spinner.

I suggest that pilots need not fixate on such minor details (or the precise view out the front) that much. Learn to fly the plane seeing the forest, rather than the trees, and adapt to little differences. It will prepare you better for transition to other types in the future. There are some types where there is no airframe visible ahead of the windshield, and although not common, pilots should be prepared to fly the plane by the big picture, rather than a precise airframe feature as a reference.

If a very precise field of view out the windshield is vital, the seats will be very adjustable in several directions, and there will be some kind of cockpit indicator for pilot and copilot eye height. 100 series Cessnas do not have this....
Pilot DAR is online now  
Reply