Cessna VS Piper

I've got both. I don't find that one is easier or harder to maintain over the other. I have two missions. 70% of the time I just bore holes in the sky with my cessna 170. If I need to haul the kids and bags for a long distance I'll take the Cherokee 235.

I don't like renting and you can't fly a 401k or a Certificate of Depression.

Each have they're own flying characteristics that I like. I have the most fun in the cessna though.
 
I like Cessna because 1) they have a door on each side; 2) they (most of them) have a decent window to open in the summer while taxiing; 3) if it is raining the rain doesn't get in the cockpit and all over the interior and radios; 4) the wing provides shade; 5) visibility down is better; 6) they are less apt to get damaged on grass; and 7) you don't have to climb up on the wing, step on the passenger seat and scoot into the pilots seat.
 
You forgot 8) they're far easier to camp under at OSH and other fly-in/camp outs. :)
 
I would say they are comparable up through the lines. When I had the flight school we flew C150, C172, Archer, Cherokee 160, etc... I don't remember there being any huge maintenance difference or issues. Now, the Mooney M20E was a bit more because of the 3000 screws that had to be undone to do anything under the cowl.
 
I like the Cessna line more now that I am older,a lot easier to get in and out of. Also like two doors and opening windows.
 
somorris said:
I like Cessna because 1) they have a door on each side; 2) they (most of them) have a decent window to open in the summer while taxiing; 3) if it is raining the rain doesn't get in the cockpit and all over the interior and radios; 4) the wing provides shade; 5) visibility down is better; 6) they are less apt to get damaged on grass; and 7) you don't have to climb up on the wing, step on the passenger seat and scoot into the pilots seat.
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1) two doors would be nice
2) I pop the door for taxi and it lets plenty of air in
3) I have never had rain in the cockpit. Maybe I am lucky, but I haven't heard there was an issue with Pipers leaking.
4) meh, inside the cockpit has enough shade. There is a roof.
5) visibility up is better and visibility down really isn't that bad and I can always dip a wing. Visibility is much better turning base to final
6) a tail dragger might be less apt to get damaged, but I don't get that a tricycle gear would be. Cherokees definately have a wider wheel base and are much easier for ground handling without the bungees stearing.
7) stepping up,on a wing isn't any harder than stepping on a strut step and you don't have to climb a ladder to fuel a Cherokee.
 
John221us said:
7) stepping up,on a wing isn't any harder than stepping on a strut step and you don't have to climb a ladder to fuel a Cherokee.
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And that is precisely why I now have a low wing plane. I got so tired of climbing a ladder to fuel my Cessna.
 
I can buy new gauges for any hole in a Cessna instrument panel, let's see if you can find a new gauge cluster for an early PA-28.

It takes 30 minutes to change a Cessna ignition switch, let's see if you can find the back of a Piper's switch in that time.
 
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Tom-D said:
I can buy new gauges for any hole in a Cessna instrument panel, let's see if you can find a new gauge cluster for an early PA-28.
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For $150, I'll send you the six pack, refurbed right now. Bought it thinking my gauge cluster was bad. Turned out that the float in my fuel tank had a hole in it. That's another one of those items that you replace every 50 years or so.
 
I am inventing an airplane that has wings which can be raised and lowered depending on if your needs.
Trying to work out one last kink where the pilot has his legs severed by the main spar during the lowering process. Bill is never going to forgive me.
 
bartmc said:
For $150, I'll send you the six pack, refurbed right now. Bought it thinking my gauge cluster was bad. Turned out that the float in my fuel tank had a hole in it. That's another one of those items that you replace every 50 years or so.
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Where did you get it?

How much are you going to pay to get the new cable AD completed?
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I am inventing an airplane that has wings which can be raised and lowered depending on if your needs.
Trying to work out one last kink where the pilot has his legs severed by the main spar during the lowering process. Bill is never going to forgive me.
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You could just get a biplane. All the disadvantages of a low wing combined with the disadvantages of a high wing.
 
Tom-D said:
Where did you get it?

How much are you going to pay to get the new cable AD completed?
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I got it from another piper owner, but the folks who build the gauges are still in business and will gladly refurb them. I also have spinner bulkheads, a brake system and some other misc items. None were expensive.

The turnbuckle AD is a nonevent.
 
They're comparable in performance but I think you can buy a little more airplane for the money with Piper. It's also nice to see where you're turning.
 
bartmc said:
The turnbuckle AD is a nonevent.
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Not if you do it right and inspect all the cables as required. the ones under the cockpit floor are included.
 
Tom-D said:
we should simply start the argument here rather than here.
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67714

Which is easier to buy, own, maintain, fly.

why.
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Same same. The Piper has 2 more oleo struts to maintain and bleeding the brakes is a bit more hassle. OTOH opening the cowl on the Piper, especially the early ones is much easier. Just pick which ever you like or whichever is in better condition if you like them both. The reality is that there is so little difference between all the planes in same HP and price range that it doesn't really matter a whit.
 
flown most in both lines (P & C) and don't have a particular preference. I see almost no difference when comparing models of similar HP. Hi/low wing makes no difference to me. Like them both just fine. I have not owned either, however, so can't speak about maintenance cost but my guess is that there probably isn't a significant difference there either.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Henning said:
Do it at annual, the floor is already up.
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That is what we ( my PA-28-161 owner) are planning.

This elevator control system has a lot of ADs on it. all came from Piper SBs, IOWs the company selling parts thru FAR 39.
 
It's really pretty easy to decide. Whichever one the wife likes! :D
I've never owned anything but a Cessna, so I guess that's my preferred brand.;)
 
N747JB said:
It's really pretty easy to decide. Whichever one the wife likes! :D
I've never owned anything but a Cessna, so I guess that's my preferred brand.;)
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Ford=Cessna, Chevy=Piper, Mercedes=Beech.:D:rofl:
 
I just had the turnbuckle AD done on my Archer, they replaced two turnbuckles. Parts and labor were a $106 line item on the annual.
 
cowman said:
I just had the turnbuckle AD done on my Archer, they replaced two turnbuckles. Parts and labor were a $106 line item on the annual.
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Lots cheaper than the FAA estimates, they are nearer $500
 
Pipers are the ones sitting bulldozed off to the side of bush strips. The oleo strut is their weakness times three...obviously 95% of us don't do any of that flying so it's all really just personal preference. That said, a lot of my flying involves grass strips so a Cessna does me right there.
 
Tom-D said:
Lots cheaper than the FAA estimates, they are nearer $500
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Yeah the entire annual came out to about $2700. The most expensive item on it was the installation of an oil sump heater, the next biggest was probably the nose wheel tire.. either that or the very expensive gas-cylinder that raises/lowers the co-pilot seat. Then a couple pages worth of little < $100 stuff.

For those interested in ownership costs, within the first 6 months I had an attitude indicator fail.. this was ~$1000 rebuilt. Also had a garmin CDI go bad, $500 repaired and re-installed.

Hoping I don't have any more expensive things go bad for a while. I'll keep sharing my real world maintenance costs though since that's the sort of information I was always digging for when trying to figure out my budget for ownership.
 
I'll give the piper fans one thing, they don't get diamond marks on their foreheads.
 
Between the two, the maintenance is a aircraft condition and use thing. I serviced a Dakota 235 for several years, the owner sold it. the next owner spent 35k in the next 3 years in upgrades and maintenance. It was a good aircraft when it was here, but now with the new interior, and big glass stuff, it's a great aircraft. and one of the few Pipers I really liked.

How much you spend after buying, is mostly up to you.
 
Henning said:
Doesn't seem onerous at all.
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It's not. The deafening silence on the topic is from great numbers of Piper owners not screaming and moaning and complaining.
 
I can maneuver around my T hangar a lot easier with my Cessna 182 in place, rather than my buddy's Cherokee. All the low wingers are envious of my fridge, sofa, and desk that I have room for under the wing.
 
cowman said:
Yeah the entire annual came out to about $2700. The most expensive item on it was the installation of an oil sump heater, the next biggest was probably the nose wheel tire.. either that or the very expensive gas-cylinder that raises/lowers the co-pilot seat. Then a couple pages worth of little < $100 stuff.

For those interested in ownership costs, within the first 6 months I had an attitude indicator fail.. this was ~$1000 rebuilt. Also had a garmin CDI go bad, $500 repaired and re-installed.

Hoping I don't have any more expensive things go bad for a while. I'll keep sharing my real world maintenance costs though since that's the sort of information I was always digging for when trying to figure out my budget for ownership.
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Call AQI if you have any more gyros that need to be rebuilt. $1000 is STEEP.
 
The cable inspection was pretty much a non issue and added little to my annual. I am lucky and have a great A&P. I think in the early stages of this service bulletin some were trying to make this sound much harder than it needed to be and were charging accordingly.
 
tmyers said:
some were trying to make this sound much harder than it needed to be and were charging accordingly.
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Sounds like the early days of required asbestos abatement. There were very few licensed contractors and they viewed it as a license to rape. Between the cost to abate and perceived liability, many of the developers I dealt with at the time would not buy a property that had asbestos, regardless of how little.

These days, everyone and their brother is a licensed asbestos abatement contractor so abatement is cheap and not much of a negative factor if one is buying a property with plans to demolish the improvements and start over.

OTOH...LUST's can still be quite onerous.
 
I really prefer teaching in Cessnas. I think the Cherokee line with their oleo struts really can mask out poor landing technique.
 
Anyone know where I can find a sticker depicting Calvin peeing on a low wing airplane?

I think that would express my ambivilance for the debate with just the right touch of snark and sarcasm.
 
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