CFI scared of 152s.

[Airway]

I'm a little anxious about flying 152s, and let's not b.s. each other, pretty much every 152 out there is a pile of sh*t. They're old, they're often not well maintained, and you're not going to make it out alive if you bounce too hard.

As a CFI, I've never been afraid of flying anything that's well maintained. I just have trouble getting into the 152s. I feel unsafe. There is nothing I can do about that. I know the risks of flying, and I know what me and the airplane are capable of. But when I close the cardboard door of that thing, I feel unprotected and exposed. The lawnmower engine doesn't help, either.

Anyways, any way to quell these fears or am I the only one on here that feels this way.

 

[gkrangers]

Ummm...to be honest, I've never flown one, but I don't think I would have a problem with it. It is generally the CFIs bread and butter airplane....

You could always try to find a school that has only 172s and/or Warriors...

 

[Stealthh21]

I have to admit, I have never heard of this before. With the hundreds and hundreds of these airplanes, and a long history of the airplane, I would say that it is very reliable. As far as a lawnmower engine, i dont know what to tell you. There are smaller engines, and larger ones. Again, the type of engine on the 152 is a proven design. If you have to face flying an unairworthy airplane, you shouldn't be flying it. I have no idea what to tell you.

 

[skiandsurf]

I'm a little anxious about flying 152s, and let's not b.s. each other, pretty much every 152 out there is a pile of sh*t. They're old, they're often not well maintained, and you're not going to make it out alive if you bounce too hard.
.

The 152 is a great plane. Dont worry about that thing falling apart. I tell you a plane, trainer plane, that scares me is the Tomahawk. Go do stalls in a Tomahawk and look back at the tail shaking. You will go right back to the airport to land, and then run away from that pos.

 

[EatSleepFly]

Just tell any potential flight school owners what you just told us. I'm sure they'll be understanding and not make you fly the evil little 152.







...not.

Not sure what to tell you. As I see it your options are:

1.) Suck it up (probably the most viable option).
2.) Find a place that doesn't have any (limits opportunities since it's a popular trainer).
3.) Get a job at a flight school that has them, and promptly gain enough weight so that you can't realistically fly the thing with students anyways (could cause unwanted health-related side effects).

 

[ReportCanoa]

I didn't care for the 172 after flying the 152. It's (the 152) a better training platform for a student and doesn't drive like a truck.

 

[imacdog]

I only did a little instruction in a 150 but it was a nice airplane. Yes, it was a little tight with two average size people but it was very economical to fly and it did just fine for maneuvers and spin training. If the engine failed you could land very slow and could probably safely land it in just about any open field.

 

[Tram]

You could do what I did.. Grow to 6'3" and 250lbs and no one will ever expect you to get into a 152..

 

[meyers9163]

I dont know what to say from an instructors point of view but being a student in a 152 I must say there has yet to be a time where I have felt unsafe in it. I would agree they are a little ugly because they are older but where I fly out of there is a routine MX every 50 hours. I also konw if it werent for the 152 I would not have started my PPL up due to cost. I can get into this for 74 an hour compared to 114 an hour. Any ways my instructor has been flying in this for 15 years as a job and he has no complaints about the plane. I think there is nothing to worry about when it comes to the 152 as opposed to fying a 172, Warrior, etc...... As you said always a risk when you take a plane up. No guranatees in any plane

 

[SilverFlyer]

152s can grow on you. It's a plane that you don't just step in, you wear it, but it does have that certain charm. I think eventually pilots will fondly look back at flying the 152s like older pilots do Piper Cubs.