Some very good points made..make use of it...
Having flown the 152, 172, Katana and Warrior, if money is not a problem, then go with the Warrior. I found that the PA28 was an absolute dream to fly, good solid stability and relatively fast. Good vis with the low wings and nice and roomy.
The 152 is what I have most of my hours on, and I have to say I love it to death, I found that it took no time at all to get used to and its great when you come to do stalls, steep turns, spins etc..etc..Visibility is a bit impaired and it can be a bit cramped hence the 172 might be better...I found that the 172 was also a pleasure to fly. Being about 5 knots faster in all respects (I think) than the 152 its slightly more stable and gives loads more room for the small increase in fuselage dimensions over the 152. Nice handling and it gives a slightly more positive feel when landing, however I find they float more than the 152, however this is just my opinion.
The 152 and 172 are very respectable aircraft and have been the prime means of training, but the Warriors are excellent and are being made use of more than ever, which in my opinion is an excellent thing.
For a PPL level training aircraft I find the Katana quite disappointing. Granted it is great for just pottering around and having a bit of fun, but as said before the Canopy is real hazard to pilot performance, as it is going to make you bake, and hurt your eyes. I find that on the Katana, the trim is awful, you really miss the wheel trim that you find on the Warrior and Cessna range when you step in. It can get very bumpy and I find that sometimes the stick can be hard to manage, its a bit cramped inside a Kat.
The large wings give it loads of lift, and so I found you get shot into the air nice and early, however, on landing it has no problems throwing you back into the air! It is not certified to spin I don't think, and so this is a factor to consider, also it has the worst excuse for a VP prop that I can think of, or maybe this is just my inept ability to use it
. However, its a nice little aircraft to have in your logbook after you have done your PPL, quite fun to fly, in light conditions.
So IMHO I would go for the Warrior, then the 172, then the 152, then the Katana. But as I say this is just my view, and others may find it contradictory to them. If you can afford it, go do a half our in each and see which you like best, which is more ergonomic for you, and which you most feel comfortable in.
Most of all enjoy your training,
Rusty
P.S Just to address a few points, no the warrior wont spin, but I know id certainly like to know what its like, the 152 is very hard to make stall, but when it does, it does it a beaut! The 172 will stall a little easier. Im doing what a few others did, learning on the 152, then transfering onto the Warrior. Best flying I ever did though was in a 172 in Barbados!
[This message has been edited by Rusty Cessna (edited 24 March 2001).]