It has a good beat. Easy to dance to.

[Larry Liebscher]

Anyone who ever watched American Band Stand knows immediately what I'm referring to. No matter what the song, invariably that was the comment given by the couples who were rating the new release.

I get the same impression when reading the following comments about aircraft. "It is really stable. Handles turbulence well and is a great IFR platform." I don't think there is a common GA plane that I haven't read some review somewhere that hasn't said that about it. I'm still waiting for the review that says, "Geez, it was squirrelly as hell. If I took my eyes off the AI for a second it was headed for granite. And as soon as we entered IMC I was looking for the barf bag."

So, those of you with lots of experience in different makes and models, which planes or families of planes really are stable, great IFR platforms and comfortable in turbulence?

Or do they all have a good beat and are easy to dance to?

 

[judypilot]

Larry,

Actually, I did see a review like that once. Every month AOPA Pilot profiles an airplane, and there was one that clearly was a challenge to fly. I don't remember what it was good for--aerobatics, or something like that.

I think like Macs vs PCs, religion, Dems vs Repubs, etc., it basically all comes down to personal preference for the most common types, and my guess the passion is wrapped around what people like when they are VFR, not IFR. Individual airplanes (as opposed to models) may be better or worse, depending on how they are rigged or equipped (rigging is really important). Personally, I'm a Cessna person, but not because of the IFR qualities. I'm a Cessna person because I like to look at the ground (I'm a geologist). I also like being able to stand in the shade of my wings, and I like the fact that they are out of the way for rough airstrip landings and TOs.

But like the old saying that, in the dark, all cats are the same color, in IFR all the common GA airplanes pretty much the same, is my guess.

Judy

 

[Ed Guthrie]

I'm still waiting for the review that says, "Geez, it was squirrelly as hell. If I took my eyes off the AI for a second it was headed for granite. And as soon as we entered IMC I was looking for the barf bag."

Gordon Baxter wrote one, once. He was never asked to do another.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Anyone who ever watched American Band Stand knows immediately what I'm referring to. No matter what the song, invariably that was the comment given by the couples who were rating the new release.

I get the same impression when reading the following comments about aircraft. "It is really stable. Handles turbulence well and is a great IFR platform." I don't think there is a common GA plane that I haven't read some review somewhere that hasn't said that about it. I'm still waiting for the review that says, "Geez, it was squirrelly as hell. If I took my eyes off the AI for a second it was headed for granite. And as soon as we entered IMC I was looking for the barf bag."

So, those of you with lots of experience in different makes and models, which planes or families of planes really are stable, great IFR platforms and comfortable in turbulence?

Or do they all have a good beat and are easy to dance to?

The reality is, most American GA planes are pretty damn good for all the above referenced tasks, when flown with the hands of a competent pilot !

 

[ladyaviator]

Oh, I`am sorry. What was the question? I`am still on the American Bandstand part. What great memories!

 

[Carol]

Anyone who ever watched American Band Stand knows immediately what I'm referring to. No matter what the song, invariably that was the comment given by the couples who were rating the new release.

I get the same impression when reading the following comments about aircraft. "It is really stable. Handles turbulence well and is a great IFR platform." I don't think there is a common GA plane that I haven't read some review somewhere that hasn't said that about it. I'm still waiting for the review that says, "Geez, it was squirrelly as hell. If I took my eyes off the AI for a second it was headed for granite. And as soon as we entered IMC I was looking for the barf bag."

So, those of you with lots of experience in different makes and models, which planes or families of planes really are stable, great IFR platforms and comfortable in turbulence?

Or do they all have a good beat and are easy to dance to?

I am not fond of T-tail Arrows. I guess the oscillations got to me so that I wasn't willing to spend enough time flying one to learn how to control them. I flew one for a few hours while working on the commercial maneuvers. It got so that I'd cancel my lesson if that was the only plane available.

 

[Eamon]

I owned a fully IFR equipped C-150. The plane would be in a 60 deg bank & 800 ft off alt by the time I folded the expired sectional. But it was blue & pretty & paid for in full

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I am not fond of T-tail Arrows. I guess the oscillations got to me so that I wasn't willing to spend enough time flying one to learn how to control them. I flew one for a few hours while working on the commercial maneuvers. It got so that I'd cancel my lesson if that was the only plane available.

Only time I signed up for one I cancelled, so I've never flown one at all. Why did I have to cancel? 'cuz the stupid T-tail version has a forward CG limit something like 4.5 inches farther aft than the straight tail, so myself (270lb) and my 235-lb CFI would have needed quite a hefty weight in the baggage compartment to be within CG limits.

However, I can't say I've ever flown a plane for the first time and really hated it. Now that I've flown a few I have my preferences for types but there isn't a type I've flown that I wouldn't gladly fly again. Individual aircraft are a different story, but the one plane I really hated, N6454J (6454Junk was its nickname) has been "fixed."

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20050715X01037&ntsbno=CHI05CA146&akey=1