Air-to-Air Piper Tri-Pacer

[Lowflynjack]

Well, after what seemed like weeks of cloudy skies, it's opened up in Texas and I've been busy! Getting caught up!

Chaz is a firefighter in Wichita Falls and he is using his Tri-Pacer for cheap time building.

 

[danhagan]

I vote the first image for the next magazine cover you get

 

[Randomskylane]

I had one in the 80s and enjoyed flying it around…can’t imagine fitting in it now though. Probably need helium balloons or something to lighten the load enough to take off

 

[Lowflynjack]

I had one in the 80s and enjoyed flying it around…can’t imagine fitting in it now though. Probably need helium balloons or something to lighten the load enough to take off

I bought a '57 Chevy truck from a guy once and found out he was a pilot. I asked what he flew and he said a Cessna 140. My eyes must have bulged, because he started laughing. He was easily 400 lbs. He said he sat in the middle and used the outer two rudder pedals!

 

[Chrisgoesflying]

He said he sat in the middle and used the outer two rudder pedals!

That’s what one of the past owners of the Ercoupe I used to own did. Big, professional football player who apparently loved flying around in the little Ercoupe. He sat in the middle and used the outer pedals (that Ercoupe had the pedals). He wasn’t able to close the canopy so it was an open air plane for him.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I bought a '57 Chevy truck from a guy once and found out he was a pilot. I asked what he flew and he said a Cessna 140. My eyes must have bulged, because he started laughing. He was easily 400 lbs. He said he sat in the middle and used the outer two rudder pedals!

I took a checkride in my 140 many years ago with a DPE that was probably 90 years old and at LEAST 300 pounds. He had seen my plane in the avionics shop at his airport and had a 140 himself. He wanted to fly in it really bad. He said that if he could get in, he would fly with me. It took my instructor and myself to get him in, but we did it.

Getting to the flaps was difficult but I got it done. Mine is still a ragwing which helped and it was a crisp December day which also helped. The runway at the time was 6,000 feet which was comforting.

As a side note, during the checkride, he wanted me to slip it for him. When I did, he yelled at me at the top of his lungs, “KEEP THAT NOSE DOWN!” I commonly slip it and every time I do, I keep the nose down while remembering his yelling.

The guy Jack spoke of would have been less comfortable in my 140 since it has 150 seats instead of the 140 bench.

 

[Will Kumley]

Well, after what seemed like weeks of cloudy skies, it's opened up in Texas and I've been busy! Getting caught up!

Chaz is a firefighter in Wichita Falls and he is using his Tri-Pacer for cheap time building.

As always, great photos Jack. Kinda wish I had my Colt closer to you.

 

[Lowflynjack]

The magazine is out!

 

[Randomskylane]

Cruise of 123mph is funny. At least for me, 105 was about right

 

[frfly172]

Nice pictures of a classic trainer,like the follow up write up.

 

[Mason]

very nice.

 

[Will Kumley]

Cruise of 123mph is funny. At least for me, 105 was about right

105 in a Tri Pacer? My Colt typically cruises at 100 mph at 2400 RPM with a smaller engine. I would imagine the TriPacers larger engine would get it moving a tad faster. Its only 6 inches longer if I'm not misataken.

 

[Todd82]

I had one in the 80s and enjoyed flying it around…can’t imagine fitting in it now though. Probably need helium balloons or something to lighten the load enough to take off

From my limited experience with a Tri Pacer, I felt it climbed better than a Cherokee 140 at the very least.

On a 30F day I went up with a guy in his Colt and was very impressed with its climb as a 2 seater with 2 "larger than FAA standard" men in it. Sure it was kinda cold, but still impressive.

 

[Huckster79]

I bought a '57 Chevy truck from a guy once and found out he was a pilot. I asked what he flew and he said a Cessna 140. My eyes must have bulged, because he started laughing. He was easily 400 lbs. He said he sat in the middle and used the outer two rudder pedals!

I have a similar friend who did the same…

 

[Huckster79]

I love the tripacer, never owned or flown in one though I checked em out when I bought my Cessna 140. I think they look cool, they just look like a nosewheel looking for a pasture to land in… I’d definitely consider one if I add a low n slow bird to my fleet again someday