What do you fly? [Archive]

Whirlybird

26th Jun 2002, 15:53

Helicopters are MUCH better, and some of us DO hang out here, as well as in Rotorheads of course. It's just that the wonderful whirly things cause bankruptcy by rotation.

So what do I fly?

R22, lots.
R44, occasionally if I'll feeling rich.
C152 just enough to keep my licence.
C172 for the Dawn to Dusk recently, with an instructor friend (just as well as I've forgotten how to land it :eek: )
B206 (Jet Ranger) in the US but haven't done the type rating over here because it's too expensive and I can't afford to fly it.

And..er..wasn't going to say anything but attempting to learn to fly a flexwing microlight. Difficult; aerial lawnmowers have controls that move in the opposite direction to everything I'm used to. :eek: :eek: :eek:

AerBabe

26th Jun 2002, 16:04

Learnt in a C152 spamcan.
Just got checked out in the PA28-140 cos it's cheaper, which is always good :)
Would like to fly eggwhisks, but too expensive for a poor student *snivvle*
Also fancy joining Whirly with these aerial motorbike things, but above applies.
When I get a job... WATCH OUT!!! :D

In Altissimus

26th Jun 2002, 16:06

Eponymous I suppose :D

englishal

26th Jun 2002, 17:26

PA28-161 Warrior / Cadet
PA28-181 Archer II/III
PA28-200 Arrow
PA34-200T Seneca
C172
C152 (not my favorite!)

Must admit I do prefer Pipers. The Cessna always makes me feel like I'm sat in a goldfish bowl.

Cheers
EA;)

DB6

26th Jun 2002, 18:15

Firefly 260 at work. And I like them so much that I hire them at weekends as well :D .

stiknruda

26th Jun 2002, 18:24

Englishal doesn't like single Cessnas. Quite the opposite for me, really like the Cessnas but apart from an odd foray in an Aerobat over the last couple of years haven't recently flown the 120/140/170/172/182/210/206. Have an hour in a Warrior type thingy and didn't enjoy it very much - the single door put me off for a start.

Quite like piper twins but my multi-rating has lapsed and I can not see myself renewing it unless Camelot have other ideas.

So currently:

S1S single seat Pitts
S2A two hole Pitts
DH82A Tiger Moth - just arranging to get current again
HAL 26 almost finished a complete rebuild so watch out for it in the comics under oldtimers!

Stik

stiknruda

26th Jun 2002, 18:26

Bodmin or Fenland?

Stik

DB6

26th Jun 2002, 18:38

Fenland . See you there?

knobbygb

26th Jun 2002, 18:45

Pa28 Warrior or Cadet - not very exciting I'm afraid, but still thrilled by just being in the air - I'm sure I'll move on to more interesting aircraft when they give me a license. L1011 would be nice.:p

Thinking of trying out a Robin, just to see how the stick compares to the yoke (please don't start a debate on that here - been done before).

Courtman

26th Jun 2002, 19:33

PA-28's account for 455 of my 650hrs, the Mooney M20J accounts for 170hrs. The remaining 25hrs have been in various Cessnas (150, 152, 172, 172 on floats), Cherokee Six, and DHC-2 Beaver (floats), and the Katana. The Katana is the only stick aircraft I've flown, and very nice to fly it was too!

I've always liked the PA-28, but then, thats what I've been brought up on I guess!

:) :cool: :cool: :)

formationfoto

26th Jun 2002, 19:40

Chipmunk DHC1 - great but needs share in an oil field
Cessna 310 - my current hourly rate would buy a month with Claudia Schiffer!
Tiger Moth - the one that Stik is planning to re-acquaint himself with
Jodel D117 - the regular runabout
Mooney 231 - great instrument platform but a little tight on cabin space
C152 - the 'Ford Ka' of the avail types for me - also C172 (the London taxi cab)
PA28 - The Ford Escort.
PA34 Seneca - the sensible and cheap twin (series II on)
R22 - throwing money through a shredder!
Kitfox - now that is an interesting toy
Supercub
Cub

Also flown Starduster, Christen Eagle, Stearman, Citabria, Partenavie P68 - mostly only get to fly them once though - must be something about my flying. Actually do quite a bit of formation for photographic sorties so this explains the variety and lack of frequency.
In general the worl doesn't have enough interesting types to fly on rental - perhaps someone should specialise in this - the exotic types club or similar.

foxmoth

26th Jun 2002, 20:24

It was remarked about me by the groundcrew at my local airfield " him - put a pair of wings on a wheelbarrow and he'll fly it" - probably true;) , currently flying Moths of various types, Robins, PA28 and B.S.J's

I have control

26th Jun 2002, 23:22

In the last 12 months:

Aeronca Champ
Ercoupe
RV6
RV6a
Spirit of St Louis replica
PA28 Archer (mostly)
OV-1D Mohawk (passenger)
WACO YKS-7
Pitcairn PA-7 Mailwing
GlaStar
Cessna 210
CJ6A Nanchang
Cessna 0-2
D-25 New Standard (passenger)
TBM-700
B-17G (passenger)
PA-12 Super Cruiser
Ford 4AT Tri-Motor
Flightstar ultralight
Citabria

camaro

27th Jun 2002, 01:01

I have control

You lucky so and so......

I suppose working at the EAA museum helps!:D

Final 3 Greens

27th Jun 2002, 06:58

B121 Series 1

Maarten

27th Jun 2002, 07:04

It's a dear old C-172 for me. After training in the usual C-152

Julian

27th Jun 2002, 07:34

PA28-161 Warrior (Put put put)
PA28-181 Archer III (Brand new and very nice!)
PA28-200 Arrow (OK when the avionics work)
C152 (Like flying a bucking bronco!)
C172 Millenium SP (Much nicer)
Ducati 900SS (Whoops sorry wrong list - but it does fly :D )

Julian.

Circuit Basher

27th Jun 2002, 07:52

In chronological order, for PPL:
Chipmunk (3hrs PPL - never got the hang of taxying it!!)
C172 (As far as first solo in Canada)
C150/2 (What more can be said - bit cramped for grown adults!)
PA28-160
PA28-140
PA38
Fuji FA200-160 (current type)

Other types as passenger / mil experience flights (no order):
Bulldog ( :D :D )
BAe Hawk T1 ( :D :D :D :D )
Andover
C130
Westland Whirlwind
Westland Wessex
Puma
Dauphin (SA355)
Bell UH-1 ('Huey') - in Brunei!
Sea King
Chinook
Kirby Cadet Mk3 Glider (soloed)
Sedbergh T21 glider
Blanik glider
Viking glider

I'm sure there are a few I've missed, but that's most of them!!

[edited for usual typos by CB]

FlyingForFun

27th Jun 2002, 08:39

Why does everyone get to fly so many interesting types? I'm jealous! Ok, since everyone else is doing the same, here's my complete list for the last 12 months, in chronological order:

Piper Warrior
Piper Cherokee
Piper Super Cub
Piper Arrow 4
Piper Aztec
Great Lakes
Pitts S2C
Europa monowheel

Ok, I feel better now!

FFF
--------------

GroundBound

27th Jun 2002, 08:50

This questions raises an interesting point - how come some pilots get to have so many types?

As a bog-standard PPL, and not being a Worldcom senior manager, I am constrained by flying whatever is available at the local flying club - C150s (if I can't get anything else) and C172s (if there's one available in the next 2 weeks - sigh).

Regained the PPL on P28As - which I prefer, but the club doesn't have them - well an Arrow, but that needs a conversion (if I can find an instructor, and the landing gear gets fixed) and another barrowload of money, of course.

So how do those others manage to get (and maintain) so many types?

By the way, what is the rule for maintaing currency on a type?

Fast Erect

27th Jun 2002, 09:18

My greatest feat was to succesfully fly, just that, to sucesfully fly. It took so many attempts to get going that I am just so grateful to be doing it now.

I try to fly an A320 but mostly I just dream. Then I wake up and go out to my Shiny Cessna and realise that I have peaked :(

Vortex what...ouch!

27th Jun 2002, 09:21

I don’t know what it is for planks but us rotary bods (read gods chosen children) :) must do an LPC check for each type every twelve months. Essentially it’s a GFT skills test on each helicopter. No big deal though if you fly regularly. Still it can be an expensive day out. It cost me around 1500 quid to renew my 3 type ratings last time :( Oh well it’s only money and you can’t take it with you.

Toddle pip.

FlyingForFun

27th Jun 2002, 09:31

GroundBound,

There are no rules for currency on non-type-rated aircraft. If you're legal to fly an aircraft, and you're current on flying aircraft of the correct class, you can legally fly any aircraft in that class. Or something like that, anyway...

Whether your club rules or insurance company will let you do that is a different question. And whether it's safe is a different question again.

As to why I've flown so many different types, there's a reason for all of them:

Piper Warrior - did my PPL on this
Piper Cherokee - did my spin training in this, since you can't spin Warriors. Club rules say that if you're current on Warriors (the club has a 4-week currency rule), then as long as you've flown a Cherokee once, you're current on Cherokees. So I sometimes hire a Cherokee if there's no Warriors available
Super Cub - did my tail-dragger check-out on this. It's also my favourite aeroplane of all the ones I've flown so far
Arrow - For my complex (retratable gear and wobbly prop) checkout. Also used for a couple of long (several hundred mile) cross countries that would have been very uncomfortable in a Super Cub
Aztec - Can't afford a twin rating, but I fancied 5 hours of dual on a twin just to see what it's like
Great Lakes - 10 hours of basic aerobatic training
Pitts S2C - The school where I did my aerobatic training has 3 of these which they rent out (dual only), and I couldn't resist! :D
Europa - I bought a share in one, so now I have to fly it! Not that I'm complaining - it's a great plane :)

FFF
-----------------

RotorHorn

27th Jun 2002, 15:31

R22 and R44. (Tried a plank but decided with my navigation skills being able to land in a field to ask directions was bound to be a good thing...).

I've got my first LPC on Monday - I've had my PPL a year now.

Just worked out I've done 80.3 hours since I started flying and spent....

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

you don't want to know.....

Lets just say its a sphincter-clenchingly large amount of money and no wonder I'm skint. What's that old saying, "if you want to make a small fortune in helicopters... start with a large one...."

Anyway, working up to my night rating (us egg-whiskers have to have 100 hrs before we can take it). Then my CPL at 155 hours..... hopefully following in Whirly's dainty foosteps..... Of course I'll be 80 by the time I've paid for all that... and Mrs.Horn will have probably run off with another bloke by then...

...so at least its not all bad news :D

TheKentishFledgling

27th Jun 2002, 16:59

Sorry people, couldn't resist :cool:

39hrs 10mins, only 50mins of which aren't pax time :rolleyes:
But I'm hopefully starting my PPL in about 3.5 weeks time :p

Cessna 421 Golden Eagle
Beech Baron 58
Robin Aiglon R100
PA28-181
PA28R
TB10
C150
Jodel D120A
Auster J1
Jodel D119
Rallye 880
C150 Aerobat
PA17
DR360
Jodel D130 *
Cap 10B
AX3 *
Piper J3 Cub

* P.u/t time flown in these!

tKF

PS and VERY nearly a flight in a Pitts S2A! had about 8 trips to fly with Stik in an S2A, but all been aborted thanks to wx :(
Also very nearly some time in a Tiger Moth!

Whirlybird

27th Jun 2002, 17:37

Rotorhorn,

I think you're better off doing the CPL and then the night rating. As I understand it you now need 10 hours of instrument flying before you can do the night rating, and you'll have to do 10 hours on instruments for the CPL; not sure you can count the previous 10. Check this out though, as I'm not certain.

Oscar Duece

27th Jun 2002, 18:11

For whats its worth, in rough order

AA5A - first flight, felt light a spitfire !!
C 150 / 152 PPL in Florida, loved it !!
AA5B - Private rental @ EGHI. managed Biaritz, great feeling
PA28-160 / 180 - Always felt like a flying barge, hate 1 door
PA28-200R (Mk 2) - A marked improvement over std. 28
BE76 - My best so far, Beeches are built so well.
C310 Q - A hot ship, easy to get into trouble
DA/DV20 - Plastic glider with a engine. Great climb speed but crap to land in a cross wind, just wants to float.

Also some sneaky hands on while with RN

Gazelle - felt like a flying goldfish bowl, to much glass and not enough metal infront of me.
Sea Kingf 5/6 - Felt like a flying battleship, awesome.

Future:
Looking forward to some hands on in a Cessan 337 and a buzz in a friends Vans RV6...

Tinstaafl

27th Jun 2002, 18:15

Currently:
BN2 Islander. Short field performance is great. Otherwise I think they're a pig of an aircraft.

Previously:
Cessna
C140
C150 & 152 including Tailwheel mod.
C172 & RG
C177 & RG
C182 & RG
C205 & 206
C210
C310
C337
C401 & 402

Piper PA28-140 to 180 & RG
PA38
PA32 & RG
PA23-250
PA30/39
PA31-310 & 350
PA34-I, II & III
PA44
PA60/AEST

Beech C24 & RG
BE33 & 36 including the aerobatic 33
BE55, 58, 95
BE76

Mooney M20J/201
Socata TB10
Grumman AA5
Pacific Aerospace FU24, CT4B
Victa Airtourer 100hp to 160hp

Rutan Long EZI

Scottish Aviation SC12

Saddler Vampire................the ultralight copy, not the original! :(

flyboy6876

28th Jun 2002, 05:02

Wow - some plenty aeroplanes been flown

So far as PIC - C152 :(
but start on C172 this weekend - weather permitting:D

but in the RHS have had the luck to take controls for 2 hours on:
Citation CII - friend was a company pilot and I was doing some work for the company at the time and had to be got to the mine site fairly quickly - what a thrill.

DC3 - again, friend of mine in the airforce snuck me in

Harvard trainer - ditto above.

djk

28th Jun 2002, 06:27

I usually make do with a good ol' C152
although I do have 50 minutes in a Tiggie :D

KentishFledgling, when you do get a chance to get up in a Tiggie, you'll have the time of your life. having a glance at the list you've put I take it the R100 was with SteveR? :D

TheKentishFledgling

28th Jun 2002, 06:46

Dkosky - yes the R100 was with Steve R :)

I've flown with him quite a bit in VeeVee, a lovely aeroplane!

Are you Rochester based?

tKF

Ace Rimmer

28th Jun 2002, 07:14

Ok last 12 months...
In no particular order

PA28-181
PA28R-200 (Arrow2)
King Air B200 - In and around Jo'burg... that was cool
DHC8-Q400 - for flight test report in Rimmer News (one of the times when I love my job... next up - CRJ700 then maybe an ERJ170)

and er that's it

KazBird

28th Jun 2002, 09:42

few hours in R22 - too expensive. moved quickly to fixed-wing a/c.
PPL done in C152.
Conversion onto PA28 - more room for passengers to split the cost with!
1 hr (dual) in PA28R when PA28 wasn't available.
Apart from that anything I can take the spare seat in!

sunnysideup

28th Jun 2002, 09:54

2 seaters - Robin 2160's. You'll never go back!!!! Better vis, more poke, much more responsive, more stable........ etc etc etc.

Decathlon and Antonov An2 for fun.

A sluggish PA28-161 if I really have to have more than 2 up.

Got hooked on JetRangers but can't afford it anymore.

Heli's are ok if you've got a big house.

Then you can fly from your back garden to the airfield to play upside-down in a REAL aircraft!!!

;) :D

SpinSpinSugar

28th Jun 2002, 10:57

*ahem* A relatively modest...

PA38-112
PA28-131
DA-20
C-150
C-152
C-172

Prefer the Pipers - not that fond of the ickle Cessnas, although the 172 is a fairly inoffensive and docile beast.

Tinstaafl - was thinking about doing my multi on a BN2 this summer, is it really that bad? :D

Rallye Driver

28th Jun 2002, 11:43

Last 12 months:

Yak 52
B-121-150 Pup
PA28
AA5A
AA5B

Learned on a C152
Also flew a Rallye 880 for a year.

FFF

My friend's building a Europa Trigear at the moment. We collected the engine and prop from Cranfield last weekend and are sticking the top on this Sunday, so maybe in the next 12 months I'll add a Europa to my log book!

RD

Ivchenko

28th Jun 2002, 13:36

Oh, is it my turn? From memory:

Thruster
Shadow
Cessna 150, 152, 172 and Aerobat
Piper something or other
Rollason Condor (had been badly recovered, too heavy, gap between stall and cruise speeds was a very small number of knots - somebody else in the group reduced it to matchwood at a farm strip)
Mooney M20J
Tiger Moth (hated it!)
Chipmunk
Cub and Super Cub
Yak 52 (about 300 of my 600 hrs)
Yak 50 (about 90 hrs I think)
Bulldog (felt heavy after the Yaks)
ARV Super 2 - one with a rotary engine, one with the Hewland (?) lump
1 lesson in an R22 (fantastic)

FNG

28th Jun 2002, 15:16

After one hour on a slab wing Cherokee, I learned to fly on Beagle Pups, with a few Bulldog sorties thrown in on the way. I soloed the Bulldog soon after licence issue. I then logged some dual time on Tiger Moths (difficult, but fun, in a weird way, I will go and get checked out solo on one some time when I feel like it), then did the tailwheel checkout on an L4 Cub. I then bought into a Cap 10b, which is my main aircraft now, although I still fly the Bulldog and sometimes a Pup.

I have had brief hands on, but unloggable, experience of Slingsby Firefly, Piper Colt, Chipmunk, and (very briefly) FFF's Europa. Zillions of years ago aged 15 I took off from Birmingham International in the world's most knackered Cessna 150, with the world's oddest flying club owner sitting beside me with his arms folded.

I'm hoping soon to log some dual in a Zlin and swap a ride in a Yak 52 for a ride in the Cap (any takers?).

djk

28th Jun 2002, 17:17

KentishFledgling,

Yes, I'm based at Rochester.
I've flown with SteveR in G-VV on a flight to Headcorn nearly a year ago. :D

paulo

28th Jun 2002, 21:14

Piper Warrior
Harvard :cool:
R44 :cool: :cool: :cool:
Robin 2160
Pitts S2A :eek:
Extra 300 :D :D :D

Current on the Robin, no longer on the Warrior, and the rest are 'projects in need of further funding'. Oh to be signed off on them all. :)

Trislander

28th Jun 2002, 21:50

I fly either a
PA28-161 Cadet
PA28-161 Warrior III
or PA28-181 Archer III (v. luxury!)

Would like to experience other types of aircraft though. Any one fancy sharing a flight in a cessna or something down EGHI way?

Regards, Tri

LowNSlow

28th Jun 2002, 21:52

In no particular order:

C150/152 & Aerobat
C172
PA-28 Cherokee
PA-28 Warrior
Twin Commanche
Beech Duchess
Harvard
Tiger Moth
AA-5A & B
ARV Super 2
L-4 Cub
J1 Auster
Kittiwake
Thruster
Twin Otter (in Libya many moons ago and unbookable hours but loads of fun)
The wooden predecessor to the Firefly (G-BIOW)
Fuji
Stearman

I'd forgotten I had had so much fun :D

Fokkerwokker

29th Jun 2002, 03:05

Ummmm last 12 monthsish:

EA300/S2B/B17/B18/DC3/T6/DHC1/VS Mk1X/L39/Bulldog/PA18.....and a big fat job for work

Bit of a slack year really:D

Charlie Zulu

29th Jun 2002, 12:21

As everyone else seems to be listing the types that they have flown, here is mine:

C150 (a couple of hours - didn't like it)
C152 (Spin Training - Fantastic Fun!)
C172 (Er, why did I fly this? Oh the clubs Warrior went tech. I'm not saying anything bad but I'm a low wing fan... the beagle pup is my favourite single)

PA28-161 (Warrior 2)
PA28-181 (Archer 2)
PA28R-200 (Arrow 2)
PA28R-200 (Arrow 3)
PA38-112 (Tomahawk - My PPL Training Mount)

Rockwell Commander 112 (For my Complex Checkout)

R22 (Trial Lesson after gaining fixed wing PPL - fantastic *fun*)

Types that I have had the pleasure of flying from the right hand seat:

BE76 (Duchess)
C340 (Wow!)

My normal mount for flying is:

BT12 (Beagle Pup Series 2 - the one with a 150HP Engine)

The pup is the only aeroplane I've flown with a stick, as soon as I departed the airfield, I knew I would like the aeroplane... handles wonderfully.

--
Charlie Zulu

skippyscage

2nd Jul 2002, 23:15

"normal" stuff....

C152 - while doing PPL - also fun doing aerobatics
C172
TB10 - likes to roll
TB20 - more refined
C182RG Turbo - FAA Commercial mount
PA28
Beech 19 Musketeer - undercarrage built like a brick s**t house

"real aircraft"

J3 Cub - tailwheel conversion mount
Aeronca Scout - underrated aircraft... in my opinion beats the J3 hands down
C140 - used for simulated crop dusting
PA25 Pawnee C - a real beast used for crop dusting duties in OK... first solo was a learning curve, as it was also my first flight in one (as it's a single seater)
PA25 Hutchenson Conversion - mental roll rate... my favouite aircraft

currenty only fly the two below..

Luscombe Silvair Deluxe L8E - a sheer delight to fly
Gardan Horizon - little known mid 60's French built... over-engineered but far more stable than the PA28

always open to offers to fly anything else!!! (hint hint)

wants list....

AN2 - always been facinated by these big beasts
PZL Wilga - love to get my hands on one of these "dragonfly looking" aircraft
DC3 - stands to reason really

skydriller

3rd Jul 2002, 07:20

I cant believe how many different types some of you have flown, makes my list look extreamly feeble - I need to get out more :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Anyway here it is for what its worth:

C152 - learnt on these
PA28s - occasionally
Robin DR300/DR400 - normal club aircraft at home
CAP10 - when I can afford it :D

Them thar hills

3rd Jul 2002, 16:30

No-one appears to mention Flying Fleas !!
Come on, you can tell me..............

TTH

planepaper

4th Jul 2002, 13:45

FIrst time so hope don't stuff it up but

Super Cub
M20C

the best of both worlds

Crossedcontrols

4th Jul 2002, 15:07

Not a big list compared with others:-
Trained on a Piper Cherokee PA28
Had a rather interesting flight in a Yak 52 with Mark Jefferies at the pointy end
Logged a few flights in a J3s (Cub with floats)
Converted to taildragger on a J3 Cub (no doors Florida sunshine, beautiful)
Now have share in a PA18-95 (90 HP Supercub with no flaps, lots of grins)

CC

Lawyerboy

4th Jul 2002, 15:29

AA-5A (one flight), and
PA38

and, er, that's it. I really must get out more...

propjockey

4th Jul 2002, 18:04

Doing PPL so all new but......

Robin HR200/120B - she's lovely :)

Loony_Pilot

4th Jul 2002, 21:48

Hi,

Currently Flying or have flown in the last 6 months

Cessna 150/152/Aerobat
PA28-180R
PA-34 (Seneca 1)
PA-44 (Turbo Seminole with no anti icing!?!)
PA38-112
PA28-140
PA28-161
PA28-181

On the Cessna/Piper debate, no contest in my opinion .. Cessna 150/152 is too small (from a cabin point of view), underpowered and too slow so that if theres any kind of wind at all it takes donkeys years to get anywhere. It also doesnt inspire confidence in nervous students/pax.. maybe its acase of being very tinny and high wing. Aslo the visibility out of a cessna is awful.. cant see where you're going in a turn!
Give me a Piper anyday (140/161/181 excellent training platforms)(with the exception of the Traumahawk which I always feel is taking me to the scene of the accident!!!)

Want to Fly:

Anything like Firefly 260 or aerobatic machine!!

Loony

logie_bear

4th Jul 2002, 21:54

C150
C172
PA28
PA38
R2160
Jabiru

Funnily enough, favourite type is a toss up between the PA38 and the Jab, the 2 types that are the least spiffy (avionics, fitout etc) of them all.

l_b

Fokker-Jock

5th Jul 2002, 00:07

Private:

c-150
C-152
C172
C210
J3 Cub
Pa28
Pa34-220T

Gliders:

ASK 8
ASK 13
ASK 21
DG300
Janus C
Blanik
LS4

Proffessional:

FK50
DHC8-Q400

skyraider

5th Jul 2002, 13:19

Currently on a C-152... affordable and fun... once you get used to the wings blocking the view...transparent wings would be a nice finishing touch... The absence of them wouldn't be. :eek:

PA28 - 161 - The source of my PPL
PA28 - 180 RG
C 172

Being in the right place at the right time has got me the spare seat on the following assortment in the order of remembering them.

C 177 RG cardinal
C 182
Allouette 111
R 22
Cessna 208 caravan
Harvard/ Texan T6... whichever you prefer
Beech Baron
Beech Bonanza
Kingair 90
Cessna 402

It's a modest list but I am pleased with it... :D