I know you love telling me what to do, so here's your chance! For this weekend's flight (which has to be at the flight school, not with CFII), I'd like to do something different. I have a choice of three. Have fun, and remember I might not do what you want me to do, but you'll have fun trying to control me! Currently, all of the instructors look busy, but that often changes. If it doesn't, I am stuck with choice No. 1.
Why not combine two tasks? Check out in the Archer and do VFR/IFR practice at the same time. One bird, two stones.
True that. Any checkout in a new aircraft has to include a couple of approaches, anyway, if I want to fly it IFR. Again, as of now, there are no instructors free anyway, so it might just have to be the C172. Those Archers are quite nice, though--some of them have Garmin and HSI and Mode S.
There you go, get in the Archer with the HSI and go do instrument work. Be forewarned. Once you use the HSI, you will not want to go IFR without it. It is, in my opinion, the single greatest improvement item when it comes to easing of workload in an IFR environment. The 430 will nullify that for a bit till you learn to use it, but once that happens, the combination allows for very good situational awareness on low effort. As far as the TB-20, the thing is French, what're you thinkin?
LOL! NO ONE HAS PICKED THE TB-20!! Hahaha Anway, yes, I am very familiar with the HSI, which I make slavish use of in the Saratoga my CFI and I sometimes fly. I like the 430, too.
My CFI, in his current search for a six-seat aircraft, is not even considering not having an HSI. Absolute necessities include the HSI, good AP, Garmin 430/530 or KLN94B with and MFD, stromscope, and traffic. And as a side note, he has now seen the light regarding aircraft age, and is considering early-model Saratogas and late-model Lances. (He used to own a Lance.) If we go with the PA-32, LoPresti mods are a definite plus.
Take the 172...fly to other airports in the area...look at posted ads of airplanes for sale or the actual airplanes with for sale signs on them at each airport...take a good instrument rated safty pilot and fly using a view limiting device...at each airport shoot a practice approach. Len
Our club Archer has two 430's, a King slaved HSI, and an S-Tec 55x with alt preselect and hold. First time I flew it, I thought it was cheating. I love the workload reduction, but continue to do most of my practice in the manual everything Skyhawk. Still gotta know how to fly the plane in IMC even if (when) all the fancy stuff ****s the bed. Oh, and go with the Archer and have fun!!!
That's 'cause we know how broke you'll be. My wallet has a huge hole in it from getting checked out in that baby. And I have taken exactly one trip in it. Take the Archer, if you can get a CFI.
As of now, still no instructor time, so it looks like it will be a good 'ol Skyhawk for me. Too bad, I really thought getting checked out in the Archer would be fun. It should be easy, too, as I have about 50 hours in a Saratoga.
Option #4: Buy a plane. I've never flown a TBM but I've known 3 very experienced pilots who have gone on rampages about how crummy a plane the TBM is. Why is that?
I have time in Archers. They are 'OK'. I prefer a 172. I can throw them around the sky. An Archer just isn't graceful.
Neither is a 172. I don't find Cessna/Piper flying characteristics all that different except for stalls (easier to stall a Cessna). It's the much-superior ground handling of the Archer that makes me like it. Plus, it's easier to squeak landings with 'em. Still love my trusty 182 though.
Oh, no way. You must mean the TB. The TB-20GT (emphasis on the T) is an excellent airplane. Very nice. Lots of room, headroom, speed, sex appeal, avionics. The TBM is the turbine and that is an awesome plane. I so want the TBM850.
To me, the Archer and the Skyhawk are so similar that I'd better have my checklist handy. Change that fuel selector in the Archer! The Saratoga and TB-20 are more demanding on the mind, but they have more equipment to help out, too.
I think that Archer time translates well in a Saratoga. I find the feel of the club Saratoga that I just joined reminds me a whole lot of the Archer that I used to sometimes rent. If you are looking for proficiency and skills transfer, I join the others who have suggested the Archer checkout. Jim G
Why is that? This flight school used to have an Arrow. I'm sure I would like that. I hear tell the Arrow's speeds are nearly that of the Saratoga's--at 7 or 8 GPH less fuel burn.
