Archer's Questions

[Archer]

Soon people will notice that 40% of the threads on the first page of the forum are started by me.

So I want to avoid pissing anyone off, and simply ask them all in here.

See, I have two questions right now, and I would have had to create two separete threads because they are completely different topics.

First One:

I'm a student pilot. I've got a friend in one of my classes who is a CFI. We would like to fly together sometime...yet I havn't flown with anyone but by own CFI or by myself...

So...do I sit on the right seat, and him on the left, as he will be PIC correct? I cannot log neither PIC or dual correct? Can I still fly the plane though? Plus, it's going to be very weird if I fly from the right seat...what is the deal with right/left seats, PICs and student pilots...he's a CFI, but he is not goin to be instructing me formally...we'll just be flying together for fun...and I'm hoping that I'll get to do some flying too...since I'm going to be paying for it 50/50 most proably.

Second One:

I fly Warriors and Archers. I don't like Cessnas or high-wing aircraft for some reason...maybe because I've never flown one (though my demo ride was on a 172, but that was the last time I was in a Cessna)

Everytime I walk onto the ramp to go and pre-flight my Warrior or Archer...I most often pass the Piper Arrow that the FBO has...and it is just beautiful...it is one of those things you fall in love with...maybe for no apparent reason...a Cirrus SR22 might be better...but the Arrow seems more homely...

well anyways, to get to the point...I would like to fly the Arrow at my FBO someday, not too distant in the future hopefully...as it requires 100 hours total time...I'm guessing I'll be getting my Complex/HP endorcement after my Instrument training...let's see:

I got about 30 hours right now. I'm guessing I'll want to fly 3 or 4 x/cs with my CFI. So that's roughly 6 to 12 hours...we'll just say about 10 hours. Then I will probably take at least 3 or 4 myself...so another say 7 hours...plus a good review of everything...shorts/softs/x-winds mainly. Let say another 8 hours...so that'll be 25 hours still.

Now 25 hours is what I estimate...even if the minimums say I have half of that remaining. My philosophy...the longer a student pilot now, the better a Private pilot later...

So 30 + 25 roughly 55 total hours. Plus say 25 hours x/c that's 80 hours...plus 40 simulated or actual that's some 120 or so total time...so I'm assuming it's a good time to get my Complex/HP...as i'll have enough exprience in Warriors and Archers...

ok...my question...how different (how much better/worse) is an Arrow compared to an Archer?

I mean, 20 extra HP...so a little faster, higher climb rate...longer range and lower fuel consumption...right?

But also...landing gear that might be stuck...

That seems to be my biggest worry...if the governor fails..no big deal, you need the lowest pitch of prop for landing/take-off anyways...so what's the big deal? (I'm just guessing here)...probably not as nice in a Seneca as if the governor fails..you get full pitch...and that's probably bad RPM wise...

but seriously...people probably don't do many touch and goes with Arrows right? because it would increase the chance of the gear being stuck....or do Arrows fly the pattern with gear down?


Archer

 

[bobbysamd]

Flight training

I think you're getting ahead of yourself. Take it one step at a time. Your best and cheapest bet for flight training is to learn in a fixed-gear single engine, like the Archer. After you finish your Private (and get some experience), you can check out in the Arrow.

You'll find that the Arrow and most Piper products, including twin-engine Seminoles, fly very similarly. In fact, a lot of flight schools training Commercial pilots in Arrows and train them for their multis in Seminoles. A Seminole is almost like an Arrow with two engines.

Quite a few students, and others, fly touch and goes in Arrows, retracting and extending the gear during each cycle. In fact, you want to do that to get used to flying and operating an airplane with retractable gear. Part of the training is to learn how to deal with retractable gear problems safely.

The student sits in the left seat and the instructor in the right seat. You don't have to worry about flying out of the right seat until you begin working on your CFI (or, if you are that rare exception, becoming SIC in an airplane that requires two pilots).

As Deftone45075 wrote, you can log your flight time as total time, single-engine time, and dual instruction received as long as your CFI friend signs it off.

Good luck and have fun with your flying.

 

[AV1ATRX]

I've got almost 1000 hours dual given in those particular Pipers. Don't get ahead of yourself by worring about whether or not the gear will extend, not matter what you might be practicing. Make sure you know the emergency extension procedure. I've done hours of touch and go's in the Arrow, but not lots of them one right after another. Maybe a couple at the beginning of the flight and then a couple at the end. When I did my single engine commercial in a retractable, we did plenty of touch and go's where the gear was retracted and extended every single time.

I like your attitude about more time as a student can make you a better private pilot down the road. That's not a popular idea, especially among instructors as there seems to be some competition to get students in and out the fastest. I've never agreed with that mindset.

Flying the Arrow is not a lot different. Always do your flight planning before - weight and balance, fuel consumption, review of procedures (emergency gear extension!) and you'll know where to set your power and how much fuel you should burn. Which is exactly like the Archer, isn't it? If your instructor does a good job on the complex/high perf. checkout, you'll find the Arrow fun to fly. The one I instructed in had a t-tail. That thing was a beast to fly and not my favorite airplane by any stretch of the imagination. Hopefully the one you are dreaming about does not.

 

[Archer]

I think the T-tail Arrows are the Turbo Arrow IVs...

yeah, I don't like the looks of those...

I would love to fly the Arrow just for that little extra speed, quite in cruise, and just to get some compex time wich is never bad...

I didn't think it woudl be all that different from an Archer...as I said, I'll probably get my Complex during and after my IR...which will be around 100 tt....as the FBO requires...

Seminoles...ah...Seminoles and Senecas...if only they would cost a tid bit less to fly!!! they cost twice as much! oh well...

Archer