Airplane With The Nicest Handling

[Meikleour]

Best single piston in order: Chipmunk, RV6, Piston Provost Worst by far : Tipsy Nipper

Best Twin Piston - Dove, PA30 nice in the air but had "issues" for take-off and landing

Best Jet : A330 hands down Worst by far : B737-200

[Captain Fishy]

I’ve flown lots of the types mentioned above and concur that the Baron and King Air 90/200 were very nice. However, the one aircraft that stands out from all the many types I’ve flown, is the 747-400. It was sublime. How did they make such a large aircraft handle so well? Unfortunately to experience that now you’ll have to become a
freight dog or a Middle East Vip’s slave.

[semmern]

Bücker Jungmann and Saab Safir. Both designed by the same gentleman. After those, the Chipmunk.

[albatross]

Always liked the Beaver and Cessna 185 on either wheels or floats.
Only got about 1 hr in the Chipmunk and it was really, really nice.

[WHBM]

Never having handled one, what was it that was so nice about the Chipmunk ? Genuine question.

[LOMCEVAK]

I think that if this thread appeared on some other forums as well there would be aircraft from other categories that would appear. Within the scope of what has been said already I would agree with the Chipmunk for a light aircraft, the B747 for a large aircraft especially the -100, and the Hunter is my all time favourite aeroplane although whilst in some flight regimes it is outstanding in others it is challenging. For hand flying I have to say that the most unpleasant aeroplane for me was the Cirrus SR22 although as a fast, economical IFR aircraft with the autopilot engaged it was very good.

[Shaft109]

Originally Posted by WHBM

Never having handled one, what was it that was so nice about the Chipmunk ? Genuine question.

I can't find my 3822 (Air Cadet log book) right now but my first ever aircraft that I actually handled was a Chippy in 1994 at 12 AEF RAF Turnhouse near Edinburgh.

That's 27 years since I was first talked through a barrel roll pointing towards Edin, and honestly not having you on when I say I can still 'feel' the weighting, crispness of response and the harmonisation as I type this. Even in my inexperienced hands it was sensational.

Like car handling, some just have that little bit extra where you know exactly where you are with it - think an early Mazda MX5 vs a BMW Z4.

[Rocket Ron]

Beagle Pup 150… because I own one and it must surely be the easiest and overall delightful of planes to fly and look at.

It’s not fast, it’s not hugely aerobatic but it’s just fab.

[megan]

Limited FW time (500 hrs), soloed in a Chipmunk, 20 hrs in T-34 and 170 in T-28 and thought the three of them much of a muchness, of course the latter won out for the power, few hours in RV's, nice. Always thought the T-34 would have been a wonderful private aircraft, most bits were the same as a Bonanza. In the time in Cessnas thought the straight tail 172, 175, 182 were nice handling machines which were spoiled some how when they went to the swept fin, crowbar flaps too, and 40°, who said electric is progress?

[Dora-9]

That's easy - Chipmunk above all.

I appreciate that these are subjective, but I'm unsure how anyone can describe the B747 as "sublime" - having been made to convert back to the B744 from the delightful B777, I thought the former was a truck!

And if we're talking about twins, yes the Baron was very nice but my favorite is the F.27, noisy, cumbersome and a pig in a crosswind, but then there was the pleasure of knowing you were flying it well...

[Sidestick_n_Rudder]

The Chipmunk seems to be everyone's favourite - I can only concur. If only it had a bit more power...

Cessna Caravan handles excellently - I'm surprised it hasn;t been mentioned yet. I haven't flown her much, but seemed to be the most hamronized airplane ever. The control forces and control response are just right - not too high, not to low - perfectly balanced. Easier to fly than C-152

My all time favourite - Extra 330 SC - a hard riding Wh@re (to quote the late 'Duke Elegant'), she'll obediently do whatever you can imagine and then some stuff you can't...

Airliners:
- I'm surprised A330 got so many mentions - very docile and absolute pleasure to land, but at the same time awfully sluggish on the controls, esp. in roll
- A320 is fun to fly, except in gusty crosswinds. There are plenty of YouTube videos to prove it.
- 787 handles very nicely, tough in my opinion it neither flies like an FBW airplane, nor like a normal one. Haven't flown any other Boeings, so can't compare

Helicopters:
- Hughes 300 is beautifully responsive and handles like a dream. However due to small and light rotor it's not as good in autorotation
- Bell 47 is completely opposite. Handles like a slug, but awesome in autos

Havent had a chance to fly fighter jets - only F16 simulator. It handled surprisingly similar to the A320...

[POBJOY]

If we are talking 'handling' has to be the Druine Turbulent. (figertip control)

[Consol]

146. Just a big 172 with four fans. Great landings, not all of which I deserved.

[hei yu]

Chipmunk ….. definitely !

[Switchbait]

C208 and AC680FL for me.

The AC500 was by far the best piston twin I flew, but the 680 is much lighter, and nicer on the controls.

Dash8-200 was very nice.

[ad-astra]

Aero Commander 500S on low level coastal surveillance and Fokker F-28 in PNG (sometimes just as low) 😄

[David J Pilkington]

I vote for the Pitts S-2C Welcome to Adobe GoLive 6

Some considerations described here https://www.kitplanes.com/back-to-school/

[Flyer517]

Originally Posted by WHBM

Never having handled one, what was it that was so nice about the Chipmunk ? Genuine question.

Good question. For me it was the lightness and directness of the controls. Almost as if you just need to think what you want it to do, and you were there. Not the world’s fastest aircraft but it feels very sprightly.

Can’t recommend it highly enough.

I’ve always heard good things about de Havilland aircraft. There are a few mentioned here. I wonder if it is a design ethos of the company. Same with Beechcraft.

[Capn Bloggs]

Mirage III.

[havick]

Originally Posted by Capn Bloggs

Mirage III.

This guy wins the internet for the day.