How long should you keep flying in 152?

[wuberoo]

If you have access to a 152 for training for myself, how long do you keep flying it until you should kick over to something bigger? The intent is to ultimately get all my ratings, etc. using this plane as long as possible.

 

[Jedi_Cheese]

Is it equipped for IFR (can you do a VOR check easily, does it have a glideslope, and does it have a clock)? If so, just keep flying it until you need to get your commercial.

The airplane for your ratings is unimportant. My only concern with a 152 is that it can be bumpy in turbulence and thus could be a little hard to get your instrument in it (I'm not saying impossible by any means).

 

[Lynxman]

More than likely it is the cheapest plane you will fly. Price is the name of the game in this industry. Fly the doors off of that thing until you have to step up to an RG for your commercial. Ditto on using it for your instrument if you can. If your goal is to do this for a living one day you need to keep the cost as low as possible since you're not going to be making a lot of money when you first start off. In hindsight if I would have done this I figure I could have saved easily 3-5 grand just by staying in the 152. That's your multi-engine rating right there in savings.

 

[nosehair]

Ditto, and even if it doesn't have a glideslope or adf, you can still do at least half, if not 3/4's of your IR in a 152 with 1 vor only.

 

[Lynxman]

You know I guess what I would do is Private in the 152, basic instrument scan and holds in the 152 then finish the rest off in a GPS equipped 172, just so that you can get some experience using a variety of different equipment. Once you get the instrument get right back in the 152 and fly some serious cross countries in that 152 especially if the 152 is instrument. Pick places with high ceilings and file so you fly in the clouds and get some good actual experience. Once you get to around 235 hours TT hop in the RG and knock out the commercial. Then hop right into the CFI once thats complete you can start making some money. Save a week and go and grab that Comm ME rating and be done. You should know by then what your next steps are.

 

[satpak77]

I would wait till 2500 Hours PIC until moving to a "heavy" 182, etc

 

[Lynxman]

I thought it wasn't considered heavy until you step up to the 206?

 

[satpak77]

I thought it wasn't considered heavy until you step up to the 206?

Indeed yes. A recent interpretation was passed down by FAA Chief Counsel on that. Something dealing with 6 pax capacity and oxygen requirements at all stations if the aircraft could do above 10K.

good catch

 

[Lynxman]

Hey I try. What constitutes a heavy twin. Is it the Baron or 310?

 

[mattaxelrod]

Actually, if you wait long enough you probably won't even need to move to the RG to knock off your commercial. Looks like the FAA will be changing the requirements--don't know what the timetable is, but I understand it's imminent.