In response to the video... Cessna trainer VS Cherokee trainer (essentially)
Obviously it comes down to personal preference on a lot of fronts, but a few thoughts on your list:
>I don’t like refueling but I can usually find someone to do that for me if my feet aren’t up to it.
Not all of us have quite so many willing friends; I'm lazy enough to prefer the low wing but not lazy enough to pay extra for full service when it is available.
>
Mogas STC’s are inexpensive and don’t require additional fuel pumps, allowing owner access to cheaper fuels. I save around $2/gallon. STC was about $250.
A fair point about Piper PA28 vs Cessna 172, but not really a high wing vs low wing point. Also, it only works if you have practical way of getting ethanol free fuel to the airport.
>Overweight passengers don’t break wing ribs when entering/exiting the airplane. Wing ribs are expensive to repair.
Wing walk repairs are expensive, but virtually every plane has its life limited parts. As far as one off breakages, you'd need a pretty good size person--likely larger than would be comfortable in the plane!
>
Don’t have to worry about careless passengers stepping in the wrong place or dropping things and damaging the wing. Don’t have to worry about losing balance and falling off the wing. Kids don't climb on the wings at airshows/fly-ins
True... in most cases I'd rather have my passengers walk into a high wing and hurt themselves than damage my low wing.
>
Better downward visibility, could be very beneficial during an emergency.
Both low and high wings have their strengths in visibility, though there are cases where I want to see the ground and I need to maneuver a PA28 to see something.
>More emergency egress options. Easier to get out of. Save precious seconds if there is cabin/cockpit fire. If my legs are broken at impact I can pretty much fall out and crawl to safely in a high wing.
Agreed. I don't know if there is any statistics to show it making a difference, but it certainly seems like in certain situations it could.
>Many consider the bungee type nose steering on the Cessnas superior.
I've met very few of these many. The Piper system offers better turn performance with less use of brakes and feels more solid overall. The only people I know who don't like it have lots of Cessna time and very little Piper time; those who have used both extensively tend to prefer Piper.
>
High wing clear mailboxes, fence posts, lights, snow banks, brush, small trees.
True.
>
The landing gear on Cessna 150/172/177/182 is much simpler to maintain than the any Cherokee. Torque link cracks on Pipers can get expensive; each gear leg has a set. Three chromed struts can get rock chips/corrosion and cause leaks. Struts get sticky and make taxing awkward. No need for high pressure strut pump to service the gear. Main landing gear steel brackets are fastened to the wing spar promoting corrosion, also landing hard with a flat main gear strut could cause serious damage to the wing.
Having worked with fleets of both, the difference in gear is a rounding error. On the flip side, I prefer the stability of the wider track and lower CG of the PA28 series when taxiing and in crosswind situations.
>
Better shade.
True. A T-tail Arrow would be nice though...
>
Two doors, easier access and better cabin comfort & ground cooling, easier to maintain and perform alteration/repairs in the cockpit/cabin.
Very true. I can get in and out no problem, but when it comes to maintenance in the cockpit the Cessna wins hands down. Two doors and no wing in the way make a big difference there.
>
Its much easier to find something I dropped on the floor when getting out. I can open the door and scan the whole floor including under the seats in a few seconds.
Never noticed a major difference in this regard between the types.
>
Easier to work around the airplane when it’s in the shop. Can park stuff under the airplane in the hangar.
Though I agree with this in regards to work in the cabin, the high wing can be a pain to work on. Try pulling a Cessna fuel tank, then try it on a Piper. See what is easier!
>Last but not least, its pretty silly when you get all loaded in a one door plane like a Cherokee and the pilot looks at you and ask you to get out and you see him grab the nose wheel chocks.
Not really good in any airplane if your forget the chocks...
Wish I knew sooner I'd never have flown the high roll rate deathtraps.
